Mughul-E-Azam boasts of some of the highest production values employed in filmmaking in India up to that point, and the result is astounding, to say the least. The film is a true cinematic experience in terms of aesthetics, and be it the black-and-white or the colour version, it is an unforgettable visual treat. The sets, the costumes, are stunningly lavish, almost to the point of casting a gloom over the story itself. And then we have the story, an epic, poetic one, which involves a most subtle love story. The dialogue is stupendous, with many lines having a memorable, larger-than-life quality which enhances the narrative beyond imagination. The music is similarly fantastic, with spectacularly performed dance numbers. Needless to say, "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya" is the high-point of the film and the story it tells. Prithviraj Kapoor is excellent in a wonderfully dramatic and appropriately theatrical performance as Emperor Akbar. Dilip Kumar seems to enjoy his own, mere presence, while underplaying his role to great effect. It is Madhubala, however, who walks away with the most fully-realised part of Anarkali, a slave girl whose dignity cannot be taken away at any cost. I found the film a greatly entertaining watch, and while I had a problem with its overlong running time, as well as some faulty sequences, such as the less convincing battle between the father and son, Mughul-E-Azam remains a meticulous piece of art, and a rightly-touted all-time classic of Indian cinema.
