Anarkali

The greatest Indian movie made on the Salim-Anaarkali saga is unarguably Mughal-e-Aazam (1960). It can be considered as one of the best movies ever made not just in India but all over the world. Legendary director Kareem Aasif took 15 long years in bringing the journey of this epic movie from conception to its release and its making saw many ups and down during this time period. When Mughal-e-Aazam was being made, producer Sasadhar Mukherjee used the same theme and came up with a Hindi movie. This movie based on the love story of Mughal prince Salim and an ordinary girl known as Anaarkali is Anaarkali (1953) which came before the audience seven years prior to the release of Mughal-e-Aazam.

The story is well-known. Prince Salim falls in love with an ordinary girl named as Naadira who is rechristened as Anaarkali. Mughal emperor Akbar isn't ready to allow his the only son to marry an ordinary girl. The clash of the father and the son on this issue, finally reaches a tragic culmination and the prince loses the love of his life forever.

However the significant thing about this love-legend is that it's not supported by the history despite the Mughal prince Salim who later got known as Emperor Jahaangir being a real personality because there is no mention of the character of Anaarkali anywhere in the history. That's why this tragic love legend is considered an imaginary story because the character of the female itself is imaginary. Quite naturally, the other events shown in the movies made on this story are also not considered as historical truths.

And this is the reason why there is a difference in the scripts of the movies made on this movie because not being based on historical truths, this theme is open to molding and twisting for the pens of different script-writers. The events shown in Anaarkali are different from those shown in Mughal-e-Aazam and though the climax is equally tragic in both the movies and takes shape in a similar way, it has been given another, final and more interesting twist in Mughal-e-Aazam whereas in Anaarkali, the obvious only is shown and conveyed to the audience.

Considering the quality of the story, this period movie should have been made on a large scale with high production value. However it is not as grandiose and magnificent when watched on the screen as we expect it to be so, especially when it is contrasted with Mughal-e-Aazam which came seven years later to it. Technically, it is okay though. The story flows very well with the help of many melodious songs and impressive dialogs. The complete team including the director (Nandlaal Jaswantlaal) has worked hard and made a decent movie.

Pradeep Kumar and Beena Roy were perhaps an ideal on-screen couple. They have come together in certain movies and have always complimented each other very well on the screen. The biggest example of their amazing on-screen chemistry is Taj Mahal (1963), another period movie which came ten years later to Anaarkali. However they look quite good in this movie too and perfectly fit the bill for their respective roles. Very pretty Beena Roy has done well in the title role whereas Pradeep Kumar was always an ideal choice for costume dramas. Other actors including Mubaarak as Akbar are also well in place.

The greatest asset of this movie is undoubtedly the timeless music composed by C. Ramachandra with the lyrics penned by Shailendra and Rajinder Krishan. Lata Mangeshkar has given voice to most of the female songs including the immortal Yeh Zindagi Usi Ki Hai, Jo Kisi Ka Ho Gaya, Pyar Hi Mein Kho Gaya. Hemant Kumar has given voice to the male songs. Jaag Dard-e-Ishq Jaag, Zindagi Pyar Ki Do Chaar Ghadi Hoti Hai, Aye Baad-e-Saba Aahista Chal, Mohabbat Aisi Dhadkan Hai, Aa Ja Ab To Aa Ja Meri Kismet Ke Kharidaar, Mujhse Mat Pooch Mere Ishq Mein Kya Rakha Hai, Mohabbat Mein Aise Kadam Dagmagaaye, Dua Kar Gham-e-Dil Khuda Se Dua Kar etc. are all real gems which the music-lovers can keep on listening to without getting tired. There is only one song in the movie which has been prepared by a different team of composer, lyricist and singer. It's Aa Jaan-e-Wafa Aa which has been written by eminent Shaayar Janaab Jaanisaar Akhtar, composed by Basant Prakaash and sung by Geeta Dutt.

Overall, Anaarkali is a nice entertaining movie made on the legend of Salim-Anaarkali. We will never be sure as to whether really there was some girl known as Anaarkali (it's said that her real name was Naadira) in the life of the Mughal prince Salim (later became famous as Jahaangir) or not. But those who believe in true love, will always consider it as real only. It's definitely some notches below the epic known as Mughal-e-Aazam, still it's worth watching. If you love its songs, then you will definitely like it.

The version I saw of ANARKALI had obviously suffered a lot before it got to my eyes -- whole scenes cut, poor sound, compromised picture quality. And yet I had no trouble watching it, thanks mainly to the charisma of the actors and the agreeably catchy songs. The true-love-versus-social-obstacles plot hardly matters, being just a vehicle; the songs and characters carry us, even when the background vistas are clearly just painted backdrops.

Anyone who can make it through black-and-white Hollywood musicals like THE LOVE PARADE should have no trouble with ANARKALI.

Anarkali (1953) : Brief Review -

Just because K. Asif made the legendary Mughal-e-Azam, we all forgot this sweet little film. Having seen K. Asif's magnum opus, Mughal-e-Azam, I am in a position to say that Anarkali was the best example of filmmaking of its time. Asif's film is legendary and the greatest magnum opus ever made in Bollywood, no doubt, but before that, there was this sweet little film by Nandlal Jaswantlal. Anarkali is based on the same tale of Salim and Anarkali that we have been listening to for years. In the end slate, it does not forget to mention that the famous tale is fiction and it hasn't got anything to do with reality because the history of the Mughals didn't mention it officially anywhere. When I say it's a sweet little film, that doesn't mean it's a small film by scale. No, it has a big scale and there are some scenes shot with a huge crowd and lavish set design. It has all the features that surpassed any contemporary Magnum Opus would have, except for "Aan". The film has more romance and drama than Mughal-e-Azam, but falls short of fascinating experience values and timeless impact. I remember so many dialogues and songs from K. Asif's historical epic, but I can't remember any such things about Jaswantlal's film. There is less glamour, and even a larger-than-life vision is missing. While Madhubala's entry was memorable, here Bina Rai enters just like any common heroine. Dilip Kumar would behave like a king, while Pradeep looked like an ordinary commander. Their chemistry and performance are good, though. The songs by C. Ramachandra and Vasant Prakash are superb, with some ethnic values attached to them. A few dialogues by Saigal and Butt work on occasion, while Nandlal Jaswantlal's direction is extremely convincing according to the narrative. Overall, a great movie experience from the early 50s cinema.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

"Aye bad-e-saba ahista chal, yeha soi huyi hai Anarkali": this 1953 version of the legendary romance between Salim and Anarkali is marked timeless by C. Ramachandra's music. Hemanta Kumar and Lata's melodies render the tune of this musical evergreen, and mark the crest and fall of the drama.

The movie is too melodramatic, and unlike the K. Asif's 1960 version (Mughal-E-Azem), the characters lack fortitude. A well-known conflict between the different class of people ends up in Anarkali being buried alive, with "Alvida..." in Lata's haunting voice.