How well do you know Mughal-e-Azam?
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Mughal-E-Azam, which completes 50 years today, is admittedly one of the greatest movies ever made in Indian cinematic history.
Take this quiz and find out how much you know about this masterpiece.
1. Before Madhubala, who was originally supposed to play Anarkali?
a) Nutan
b) Nargis
c) Vyjayantimala Bali
The correct answer is Nargis.
When Mughal-e-Azam was originally announced in 1944 by Mumbai's Movietone Studio, the main cast comprised Chandermohan, Nargis and Sapru.
Chandermohan died of a heart attack and some of the film's cast, including the financiers, migrated to Pakistan after Partition. The film was revived in 1951 with the new cast.
When Mughal-e-Azam was originally announced in 1944 by Mumbai's Movietone Studio, the main cast comprised Chandermohan, Nargis and Sapru.
Chandermohan died of a heart attack and some of the film's cast, including the financiers, migrated to Pakistan after Partition. The film was revived in 1951 with the new cast.
Image: Nutan, Nargis, Vyjayantimala Bali
How well do you know Mughal-e-Azam?
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2. To whom did the film's composer, Naushad, lose the Best Music Director Filmfare Award to in 1961?
a) Shankar-Jaikishen
b) Ali Akbar Khan
c) Ravi
The correct answer is Shankar-Jaikishen.
Naushad lost the Filmfare Award to Shankar-Jaikishen for their film Dil Apni Aur Preet Parayi.
Naushad's music in the epic is particularly remembered for the two songs sung by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Subh din aayo and Prem jogan ke sundari pio chali. For the song Ae mohabbat zindabad, Naushad used a chorus of 100 singers!
Naushad lost the Filmfare Award to Shankar-Jaikishen for their film Dil Apni Aur Preet Parayi.
Naushad's music in the epic is particularly remembered for the two songs sung by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Subh din aayo and Prem jogan ke sundari pio chali. For the song Ae mohabbat zindabad, Naushad used a chorus of 100 singers!
Image: Shankar-Jaikishen, Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi
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3. Who was the cinematographer for the epic?
a) Subrata Mitra
b) Dharam Chopra
c) R D Mathur
The correct answer is R D Mathur.
To picturise the classic song Pyar kiya to darna kya, the crew used every light available to them, including the headlights of 500 trucks! As the Sheesh Mahal set was huge -- 35 feet high, 80 feet wide and 150 feet long -- there was a tremendous glare due to the thousands of mirrors, which was a tough challenge. Mathur had to use over 100 reflectors to deflect the lights.
Most of the film was shot at night so that lights could be borrowed from other studios and returned in the morning. Mathur bagged the Filmfare Best Cinematographer Award for his effort.
To picturise the classic song Pyar kiya to darna kya, the crew used every light available to them, including the headlights of 500 trucks! As the Sheesh Mahal set was huge -- 35 feet high, 80 feet wide and 150 feet long -- there was a tremendous glare due to the thousands of mirrors, which was a tough challenge. Mathur had to use over 100 reflectors to deflect the lights.
Most of the film was shot at night so that lights could be borrowed from other studios and returned in the morning. Mathur bagged the Filmfare Best Cinematographer Award for his effort.
Image: A scene from Mughal-e-Azam
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4. What did the epic film finally cost?
a) Rs 7 million
b) Rs 15 million
c) Rs 10 million
The correct answer is Rs 15 million.
The shooting schedule for the film alone spanned over 500 working days. Craftsmen from across India worked on the production. Tailors from Delhi stitched the costumes, Hyderabadi goldsmiths fashioned the jewellery, craftsmen from Kolhapur made the crowns and ironmongers from Rajasthan fabricated the weapons and armours.
Artisans from Surat-Khambayat created the exquisite zardozi embroidery on the costumes and shoemakers from Agra crafted the ornate footwear.
The shooting schedule for the film alone spanned over 500 working days. Craftsmen from across India worked on the production. Tailors from Delhi stitched the costumes, Hyderabadi goldsmiths fashioned the jewellery, craftsmen from Kolhapur made the crowns and ironmongers from Rajasthan fabricated the weapons and armours.
Artisans from Surat-Khambayat created the exquisite zardozi embroidery on the costumes and shoemakers from Agra crafted the ornate footwear.
Image: A scene from Mughal-e-Azam
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5. Who was the lyricist for the film?
a) Shahir Ludhianvi
b) Kaifi Azmi
c) Shakeel Badayuni
The correct answer is Shakeel Badayuni.
The new Mughal-e-Azam, besides being coloured, enjoys an optimised, digital soundtrack. The original music director, Naushad, worked with Uttam Singh to recreate the music.
Though the notes were rerecorded, the voices of the original singers have been used. Around Rs 6.5 million has been spent on modernising the sound track.
The new Mughal-e-Azam, besides being coloured, enjoys an optimised, digital soundtrack. The original music director, Naushad, worked with Uttam Singh to recreate the music.
Though the notes were rerecorded, the voices of the original singers have been used. Around Rs 6.5 million has been spent on modernising the sound track.
Image: Shahir Ludhianvi, Kaifi Azmi, Shakeel Badayuni
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6. Who, along with Lata Mangeshkar, sang Teri mehfil mein quismat aazmakar?
a) Noor Jahan
b) Suraiyya
c) Shamshad Begum
The correct answer is Shamshad Begum.
A Florida based company, Westlake Inc, was given the colourisation job. A team of 50 Indian technicians who worked on the colouring procedure spent Rs 30 million.
It took 18 months to develop the software to digitise K Asif's Mughal-e-Azam by The Indian Academy of Arts and Animation, and 10 more months to colour all the negatives.
A Florida based company, Westlake Inc, was given the colourisation job. A team of 50 Indian technicians who worked on the colouring procedure spent Rs 30 million.
It took 18 months to develop the software to digitise K Asif's Mughal-e-Azam by The Indian Academy of Arts and Animation, and 10 more months to colour all the negatives.
Image: Noor Jahan, Suraiyya, Shamshad Begum
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7. Who played Empress Jodha Bai in Mughal-e-Azam?
a) Sulochana
b) Nirupa Roy
c) Durga Khote
The correct answer is Durga Khote.
For realism, K Asif used real chains on Madhubala. But as Madhubala was very ill due to a severe heart ailment, the heavy chains would give bruise her skin deeply, and make it blue.
Despite her health, Madhubala was keen on completing her shoot, as she knew it was the role of a lifetime.
Even after all the hardship, it is a travesty that the actress didn't get the Filmfare Award, which she richly deserved.
For realism, K Asif used real chains on Madhubala. But as Madhubala was very ill due to a severe heart ailment, the heavy chains would give bruise her skin deeply, and make it blue.
Despite her health, Madhubala was keen on completing her shoot, as she knew it was the role of a lifetime.
Even after all the hardship, it is a travesty that the actress didn't get the Filmfare Award, which she richly deserved.
Image: Sulochana, Nirupa Roy, Durga Khote
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8. Who played the young Prince Salim?
a) Jalal Agha
b) Zakir Hussain
c) Dharmendra
The correct answer is Jalal Agha.
Tabla maestro Ustad Allah Rakha's son, Zakir Hussain, was considered for the role of the young Salim, which ultimately went to Jalal Agha.
After the makeup was over, a fully costumed Prithviraj Kapoor would look at himself in a full-length mirror before every shot in order to get under the skin of his character.
Tabla maestro Ustad Allah Rakha's son, Zakir Hussain, was considered for the role of the young Salim, which ultimately went to Jalal Agha.
After the makeup was over, a fully costumed Prithviraj Kapoor would look at himself in a full-length mirror before every shot in order to get under the skin of his character.
Image: A scene from Mughal-e-Azam
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9. Who was the film's original financer, who left for Pakistan after Partition?
a) Mehboob Khan
b) Shiraz Ali
c) PS Veerappa
The correct answer is Shiraz Ali.
The massive film included four accomplished writers who crafted delicately nuanced dialogues -- Aman, Kamal Amrohi, Ehsan Rizvi and Wajahat Mirza.
The massive film included four accomplished writers who crafted delicately nuanced dialogues -- Aman, Kamal Amrohi, Ehsan Rizvi and Wajahat Mirza.
Image: A poster of Mughal-e-Azam
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10. Which was the only colour song in the original film?
a) Ae mohabbat zindabad
b) Mohabbat ki jhoothi kahani pe roye
c) Pyar kiya to darna kya
The correct answer is Pyar kiya to darna kya.
The conveniences of digital editing were obviously unavailable in 1960. Neither were there cameras that could take close-ups of emperors and princes atop their elephants.
In Mughal-e-Azam's war scenes, the close-ups of Dilip Kumar and Prithviraj Kapoor in the war scenes were shot in a studio, while the long shots were taken in a field.
The conveniences of digital editing were obviously unavailable in 1960. Neither were there cameras that could take close-ups of emperors and princes atop their elephants.
In Mughal-e-Azam's war scenes, the close-ups of Dilip Kumar and Prithviraj Kapoor in the war scenes were shot in a studio, while the long shots were taken in a field.
Image: A scene from Mughal-e-Azam
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