BOLLYWOOD
Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote played the lead roles in this epic saga, which was released in 1960. We are talking about none other than the cinematic masterpiece Mughal-E-Azam, portraying Emperor Akbar's ruthlessness, Prince Salim's rebellion, and Anarkali's beauty.
65 years ago, arguably, one of the best Indian films was released in the theatres with much pomp and show. Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote played the lead roles in this epic saga, which was released in 1960. We are talking about none other than the cinematic masterpiece Mughal-E-Azam, portraying Emperor Akbar's ruthlessness, Prince Salim's rebellion, and Anarkali's unmatched beauty. Mughal-E-Azam was the most expensive Indian film made until then and took nearly 16 years to make. Directed and produced by K Asif, Mughal-E-Azam is a golden part in the history of Indian cinema.
Made on a budget of Rs 1.5 crore in 1960, Mughal-e-Azam became the most expensive Indian film ever made. The iconic song, 'Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya', filmed on Madhubala, alone cost nearly Rs 1 crore. The song was filmed in Mohan Studios with a set built as a replica of Lahore Fort's Sheesh Mahal. The set measured 150 feet (46 m) in length, 80 feet (24 m) in breadth, and 35 feet (11 m) in height, took two years to build, and cost nearly Rs 1 crore, more than the budget of an entire Hindi film at the time.
However, the huge investment and time spent on bringing Mughal-E-Azam to life paid off as the film became a box office juggernaut after its release. Mughal-E-Azam earned more than Rs 11 crore in 1960 - equal to over Rs 3,600 crore today. Many trade experts say that Mughal-e-Azam remains the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time, if adjusted for inflation. Now, years after its release, Mughal-E-Azam ranks on the lists of top Indian films.