Mughal-E-Azam has given rise to many myths and stories that seem to have become an integral to India’s film folklore. So, when a book on the making of the film is published, questions are bound to rise about its novelty factor.
Shakil Warsi, who has been in the industry for over 15 years, has penned the book Mughal-e-Azam, An Epic of Eternal Love. “A lot has been written on the making of the film, but I felt there are still many untold stories and interesting anecdotes of it. My effort was to bring out the minute details of the making, including friction between the director and producer,” says Warsi.
The idea of writing the book crossed Warsi’s mind when he visited the Indian Academy of Arts & Animation, Mumbai, where the film was being digitally colorised in 2004. Speaking about the research, he says, “Besides going to V Shantaram’s Rajkamal Academy of Cinematic Excellence, I have also gone through various articles and write-ups on the film. Then I met Naushad sahab when he was reworking on the background music before the release of the coloured version,” he says.
The writer claims that during the course of the research he understood the passion and obsession with which director K Asif made the film. “Asif’s acumen of handling the romantic situations was flawless; perhaps because he understood how to differentiate between love and lust. When Anarkali meets Salim for the first time on the terrace garden of the palace, with Ustaad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan singing in the background, the 200 feet long sequence has no physical touch or dialogues, yet the same is regarded by critics and film historians, as one of the most romantic visuals on Indian screen,” ends Warsi.
