Making of Mughal e Azam (part 1)

The Indian Film Industry is 108 years old. “Raja Harish Chandra” was the first (silent) motion picture released in 1913, which was produced by Dada Saheb Palkhe. Since then, tens of thousands of movies have been released. Amongst them there is only one which can be categorized as the Mother of all Movies; the timeless Mughal e Azam. 

It was the 12th of August 1945, in the era of pre independence, that its production was launched. Fifteen years later on 5th August 1960, it finally saw its light on the big screen. This month, August of 2021 it has been 76 years since its first clapping.

During its making, many eye raising, amazing and incredible episodes surfaced. Countless articles and stories were published about the film and its Director, Karimudin Asif. So much so, that some critics branded him as the most insane person of the industry. After the release of the film, however, he was praised so much that many writers put down their thoughts that God had purposely sent him on earth to produce and accomplish, the one and only, the classic of classics, Mughal e Azam. 

For some well-known reasons the shooting of the film was stopped and resumed only after a lapse of 4 years, with a new financer, Shahpoorji Mistry.  Out of three main characters, two were signed and the shooting had resumed without the third one, Anarkali. K Asif had not yet managed to find a suitable actress to portray Anarkali. Film started progressing and several lakhs of rupees had already been poured into the venture while the search continued on for Anarkali. Two years had passed without its heroine. Nargis, who was in the first version, refused to work in this revised version for reasons best known to her. K Asif’s second choice fell upon Nutan. However, in her own opinion she was not that capable to portray Anarkali and suggested that the most suitable actress in the industry was none other than Madhubala. K Asif and Dilip Kumar were both were in favour of Madhubala, but the relationship between K Asif and Madhubala’s father, Attaullah Khan, wasn’t so great.

Advertisements in the papers all over India were constantly appearing and countless of interviews were taken, but none of the applicants managed to fulfil the dream which K Asif had in his mind of his Anarkali. 

Coincidentally, during that period a successful stage play “Anarkali” was being staged in Bombay (Mumbai).  K Asif went to view it. He observed the Anarkali of the play and in her he saw his Anarkali.  She had all the qualities he was searching for. Like Madhubala, she had beauty, charm, a perfect figure, height, fairness, elegance, style, grace, voice quality, and above all an explicit command of Urdu language. K Asif managed to convince her to play the role of Anarkali in his Magnum opus Mughal e Azam. Screen tests were taken with about 200 photographs and the contract was drafted. He went to her residence with the advance payment, happy to have found her to play Anarkali.

So, why did this not happen? 

She was Shehnaz, a princess and daughter of The Nawab of Bhopal.  The time that he chose to go there was not in his favour. Shehnaz’s two brothers had come to visit her from Bhopal and where there at that time. They were totally against the idea of their sister working in films and tore the contract and photos and strictly asked K Asif not to approach her again. 

Heartbroken, K Asif now had zero option but to approach Attaulla Khan and request that Madhubala be allowed work in his Mughal e Azam. But the conditions put down by Khan Saab were totally unacceptable to him and he left the room, disappointed. 

While still he was in the compound, Madhubala followed him and persuaded him to agree to the conditions. She assured him that all things would be straightened out and she would manage to convince her father to get fair deal for him and forgo some of his conditions.  She guaranteed K Asif that she would give unconditional support for the film.  She did not want to turn her back on this opportunity which had knocked on her door. The contract was signed and at long last K Asif had found his Anarkali.  

All cast and crew of the film were happy to have had Madhubala in their team. Photographer  R D Mathur affirmed she would lessen his work, as she was absolutely photogenic from each and every angle of the camera. So was Salim who got his heartthrob, Anarkali.

When Madhubala signed the contract, she was 20 years old. The film had already been under production for 2 1/2 years. It took another 8 years for it to be completed. In all these years, in spite of her sickness – a couple of times she also fainted on the sets – she gave her full support to K Asif as she had promised. She delivered brilliant performance and in certain scenes she stole the show and overshadowed the Thespian and the Versatile, Dilip Kumar and Prithviraj respectively.

Subsequent parts to be continued…… InShaAllah in near future.