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Mughal-e-Azam
Directed by	K. Asif
Produced by	K. Asif
Written by	Aman Kamal Amrohi
Starring	Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Prithviraj Kapoor Ajit Durga Khote Nigar Sultana
Music by	Naushad
Cinematography	R. D. Mathur
Editing by	Dharmavir
Release date(s)	1960
Running time	173 min.
Language	Urdu
IMDb profile

Mughal-e-Azam (Urdu: مغلِ اعظم, Hindi: मुग़ल-ए आज़म) is an Indian epic film, remniscient of the older style of Indian cinema. It was produced and directed by K. Asif and released in 1960. It took nine years to finish and was the most lavish production for its time.

The film broke box office records in India when released and held the record for the highest grossing film ever until the 1975 film Sholay broke its record.[1]

Indiatimes Movies ranks the movie amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films.[2]

Its most famous dance sequence takes place in the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) of the Lahore Fort, where a defiant slave-girl (played by Madhubala) dances for the Mughal Emperor and his court, singing Pyar Kiya to Darna Kya, "I have loved, so what is there to fear?" This song was one of three sequences shot on Eastman Kodak color film, while the rest of the movie was in black and white. The singing is, of course, playback singing by Lata Mangeshkar and lip-synched by Madhubala.

In 2004, a colorized version of the movie was released theatrically for the first time. The movie was again a success.[3]

The film is a re-telling of a popular Indian tale, previously filmed as Loves of a Mughal Prince (1928) and Anarkali (1953). It is loosely based on an episode in the life of the Mughal prince Jahangir, also known as Salim. In the movie, the great conqueror Akbar (played by Prithviraj Kapoor) and his Rajput wife, Jodhabai (played by Durga Khote) have but one son, the weak and pleasure-loving Jahangir, or Salim, played by Dilip Kumar. Salim falls in love with Anarkali (Madhubala), a slave and court-dancer. He wants to marry her; his father objects, and throws Anarkali into prison. Anarkali refuses to reject Salim. Salim revolts against his father, is beaten in battle, and sentenced to death. Anarkali buys his life with her own and is condemned to be walled up alive. However, Anarkali's mother begs for Anarkalis' life and the emperor relents; he exiles Anarkali rather than killing her.

Most tales of Salim and Anarkali end with Anarkali's death; the movie version is slightly more upbeat. However, Salim is still left to believe that Anarkali is dead and the lovers are still separated for the rest of their lives.

• Famed Hindustani classical and Thumri singer Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan sang two songs for the movie, as the voice of Tansen. He reportedly charged Rs. 25,000 per song. At the time, the going rate for popular playback singers such as Lata and Mohammed Rafi was below Rs. 500 per song.
• The dance sequence of the song Pyar Kiya To Darna Kiya is set in the Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Room) of the Lahore Fort, which is a historical anomaly since the Sheesh Mahal of Lahore Fort did not exist in the era of Emperor Akbar. It was in fact built by Akbar's grandson, Emperor Shah Jehan, many years after the death of Emperor Akbar. Decoration with mirrors (known as Aleppo glass) was a recurring theme in early Mughal-period architecture.
• The film held the record for India's top-grossing film ever until the 1975 film Sholay broke box office records and remains the top all-time blockbuster inflation adjusted. Mughal-e-Azam now ranks second in the highest all-time blockbusters.[4]
• As of 2007 Dilip Kumar and playback singer Lata Mangeshkar are the only surviving members from the cast and crew of the film. When the film was re-released in 2004, the film's music director Naushad was also alive until his death in 2006.
• Source: Filmfare 1994; Author: Roshmila Mukherjee. Madhubala was an unforgettable Anarkali. And her portrayal of Radha in "mohe panghat pe nandala chhed gayo re" continues to mesmerise movie-goers. Surprisingly, the song was almost edited out. "It's bakwas.. it'll ruin the film," thundered noted director Vijay Bhatt after the recording. "Why show Akbar celebrating Lord Krishna's birth?" Music director Naushad argued that with Jodhabai present in the Mughal court, it wasn't all that illogical. After discussions with the panel of script writers, a line was incorporated in Anarkali's introduction scene to Prince Salim. A courtier was made to say "Aaj Krishna janmashtami hai aur Radha ke liye Anarkali theek rahegi." The song went on to become piece-de-resistance. K. Asif wanted the best choreographer for the song. Naushad suggested Lachchu Maharaj. And the great Kathak exponent burst into tears the minute he heard the song. Asif was baffled. "Why is he crying," he asked Naushad. "Tell him to start dancing." Naushad took the dancer aside and asked him why he was weeping. Lachchu Maharaj confided that his father, Alkaji Bindadin, had been Nawab Wajid Ali Shah's darbari dancer. And "mohe panghat pe nandalal" with nawab playing Krishna, was his favourite composition. "Hearing the number after all these years, I was overwhelmed. It reminded me of baba". It took Lachchu Maharaj five days to choreograph the number. His Radha was lovely... but she was no classical dancer. So the camera would zoom in on Madhubala for the close-ups. And one of Lachhu Maharaj's boys doubled for the actress in the long shots. On every one of those five days, there was an important visitor from across the border on the sets - Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He would drive down from Worli to Mohan Studio and spend the day there raptly watching the song being picturised.

• Mughal-e-Azam at the Internet Movie Database
• Immortal-e-Azam