Mughul-E-Azam Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 1 CURAJ • Released Aug 5, 1960 • Director /Script : K Asif • B&W/Colour, 173 minutes • Dialogue: Kamaal Amrohi, Aman, Wahajat Mirza, Ehsan Rizvi • Cinematography: R. D. Mathur • Music: Naushad • Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni • Cast: Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar as Salim, Durga Khote, Madhubala as Nadira/Anarkali, Ajit Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 2 CURAJ Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 3 CURAJ • Indian Grand Historical epic • A sweeping epic - There are battle scenes, romantic yearning, courtly intrigue/scheme/plot, and of course singing and dancing. • Imposing grandeur, breathtaking beauty and, most important of all, its emotional energy • The plot is based on the famous Urdu play Anarkali by Imtiaz Ali Taj • The movie took 9 years in the making • The most expensive Bollywood production ever till 2009 • In 2004, the entire movie was digitally colourized and released for yet another popular run in Indian theaters Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 4 CURAJ Fact: • Shah Rukh Khan’s father Meer Taj Mohammad came to the sets of the film, hoping to get a role, but was told to stand in the line for extras. • He left and never returned. Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 5 CURAJ Muslim Cinema • Muslim Cinema can be broken down into two categories. – The first is native cinema of Muslim-majority countries like Iran, Egypt, and Turkey. – The second is cinema of Muslim-minority countries like the U.S., France, and India. Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 6 CURAJ • Rebel in love • Jalal-Ud-Din Akbar, an Emperor with great personality and a strong Voice needed to be a very strong character. • For this Prithiraj Kapoor looked into the mirror as tall as himself before every shot to get the feel of the character. Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 7 CURAJ • The elaborate sets of Akbar's palace and choice of clothes of all characters were as authentic as possible. • Attention was paid to intricate details such as the 'sheesh mahal', or palace of mirrors • Tailors were especially hired from Delhi to stitch the costumes and specialists from Surat-Khambayat were employed for the embroidery, even as goldsmiths from Hyderabad designed the period jewellery. Kolhapuri craftsmen designed the crowns adorned by the actors, Rajasthani ironsmiths crafted the weapons and the elaborate footwear was ordered from Agra. • There were no High Fi Sterio systems or Dolby available, and the song needed an echo effect so the music director Naushad made Lata Mangeshkar sing the song in a Bathroom. Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 8 CURAJ • A Lord Krishna idol in one scene was actually made out of real gold. Also, the jewellery that Rani Jodhabhai, played by late actress Durga Khote, wore, was designed in the authentic Rajasthani style of that era - such was the magnitude of the film 50 years ago. • The heavy chains that Madhubala wore in film were real and authentic. It was not the light weight ones which models wore at that time. She got bruises by wearing it and was bedridden. For the song Mohabbat ki joothi kahani in which Anarkali is imprisoned – she collapsed on the sets because she didn’t eat food for weeks and she wore real, heavy shackles to give justice to the character Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 9 CURAJ • The Famous 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. • To be noted : At that time, the going rate for popular playback singers such as Lata and Mohammad Rafi was below Rs. 500 per song. Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 10 CURAJ Language • Some expressions can only be expressed in a particular language to elicit the right response from the listener. • If French is the romantic of all the European languages, Urdu can certainly stake its claim as it's romantic counterpart when it comes to the Indian languages. • Tenderness of the language and the sensitivity that lies there in Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 11 CURAJ Example • Saleem – Dilip Kumar • Anarkali – Madhubala • Bahaar – Nigar Sultana • Qawwali – topic is “mohabbat” • Anarkali on its side; Bahaar against it • “Hum bhi dekhenge” • The Word play and the intensity involved in the meaning Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 12 CURAJ Argument for • agar dil gam se khaalee hO tO jeene ka mazaa kyaa hai na hO khoon-e-jigar tO ashq peenae kee mazaa kya hai mohabbat mae zaraa aansoo bahaakae hum bhee deekhenge haa jee haa hum bhee daekhaenge • What's a heart whose pail is free of pain? What's a pain without the warmth of the tears? we would rather live a little in that warmth of love than live forever knowing about none Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 13 CURAJ Argument against • bahaarae aaj paigaam-e-mohabbat laekae aayee hai muddat mein ummedOn kee kaliyaan muskuraayee hai gam-e-dil se zaraa daaman bacchake ham bhee dekhenge haa jee haa hum bhee dekhenge • Bringing along the message of true love the glorious season had the flora bloom full Escaping the heartbreak that would soon ensue (upon the leaving of the season eventually) we would rather not engage than wreck our hearts in gloom Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 14 CURAJ Urdu Language • It's inherent characteristic of exhibiting exemplary beauty and devastating sadness, both at the same time. • The gap between the status of the two lovers is immense • No language can come close to expressing the passion involved and the pathos that soon follows. Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 15 CURAJ • "mughalOn kee takdeer talwaarOn sae likee jaatee hai, tasweerOn sae naheen" screams Akbar at his disinterested son • "kaanTon kO pakaD ke phool kO apnee lahoo sae rangeen kardenge" dreams Anarkali when handed a rose by Saleem. Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 16 CURAJ • Sadaa kaar: hukm huwa hai ke Anarkali divan-e-khaas mein haazir ho! • AKbar-e-Azam: humein yakin hai ke qaidkhanay ke khawfnaak andheroN ne teri aarzoo`on mein woh chamak baqi na rakkhee hogi jo kabhi thi! • Anarkali: Qaidkhanay ke andhere kaneez ki aarzoo`on ki roshni se kam thay! • AK: andhere aur baRhaa diya jaayeinge! • An: aarzu`ein aur baRh jaayeingee! • AK; Aur baRhti huwee aarzu`on ko kuchal diya jaayega! • An: aur zill e ilahi ka insaaf? • Ak: Hum ik lafz sun-na nahin chahitay! Akbar ka insaaf uska hukm hai! Tujhe Salim ko bhoolna hoga! • An: Bhoolna hoga? • Ak: Yaqeenan! Aur sirf itna hi nahin! Usse yeh bhi yaqeen dilana hoga ke tujhe us se kabhi muhabbat nahin thi! Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 17 CURAJ • An: Jo zabaan unke saamne muhabbat ka iqraar tak na kar saki ho woh inkaar kaisay karegee? • Ak: • tujhe Salim paR ZAHIR KARNA HOGA KE TERI MUHABBAT JHOOTI THI. ik kaneez ne hindustan ke malika banne ki aarzu ki aur muhabbat ka khoobsurat bahana dhoond liya! • An: yeh sach nahin hai! Khuda gawah hai yeh sach nahin hai! Yeh sach nahin hai... • Ak: Lekin tujhe sabit karna hoga ke YEHI sach hai! • An: Parwardigar mujhe itni himmat atta farmaa ke main sahib e aalam se baywafai kar sakoon. kaneez zill e ilaahi ka hukm bajaa laane ki koshish karegi! • Ak: Koshish nahin taameel hogi! Isse azaad kardiya jaaye!! Dr Niva Bhandari for MA English Students 5/2/2011 18 CURAJ.