The Bollywood Muslim

Indira Gandhi (Zakaria 2004: 199)   

The films after the Partition needed a cultural awakening and the spectacle of the Indian Muslim. The Muslims in order to avoid being secluded from Nehru’s vision of a secular state had to show their own history of secularism. Their history in the sub-continent associated with the Mughal rule was famous for justice and tolerance for other religions. If we were to backtrack into the cinematic history of the Hindu Muslim portrayal, almost 75 years of its representation, we will find some very interesting factors.

How did Hindi cinema in the 1960s portray Muslims while promoting secularism? How has the portrayal of Muslims in Hindi cinema changed from 1960s till date?

This essay will trace some of these aspects to near the point of inception. The depiction of Muslims can be understood by zoning back to Mughal-e-Azam (1960 dir, K. Asif) which received a huge welcome on the portrayal of Muslim Emperor Akbar - considered famous for his tolerance towards other religions. With the release of Mughal-e-Azam, cinematic language of 1960s showed the grandeur of Mughal court and most importantly, romance. It had ‘combined poetry with nostalgia of history’ (Rangoonwalla 1975: 148).

Mughal-e-Azam has taken on the legendary love tale of Anarkali and Prince Salim, depicting a recognizable Islamic culture by recreating the Mughal era. The Muslim culture or what some critics have specifically called ‘Islamicate’ culture in Hindi cinema has had a history of being associated with Anarkali and her legendary love affair with Prince Salim since 1920s. The Loves of the Mogul Prince (1928) was also based on the story of Anarkali which was remade in 1935 in sound (Warsi 2009: 17). The film made on Mughal era is a Muslim historical which transports the viewer in an imaginary world of visuals. Hindi cinema in the 1950-60s has produced movies like Mirza Ghalib(1957), Chaudhvin Ka Chand(1960), Mere Mehboob(1963) and Mughal-e-Azam(1960) which were rich in ‘Islamicate’ culture in its true form. These movies have been the ideological mind makers of the audience.

The Islamicate aesthetic is shown through three genres namely, ‘Historical’, ‘Courtesan’, ‘Social’ (Bhaskar and Allen 2009).The films about Muslims or Islamic culture are known as ‘Islamicate’ films, which refer to ‘social and cultural complex’ associated to Muslims and Islam (Dwyer 2006: 97). These films are also rich in the Islamicate culture showcasing images of ‘mosque’, ‘minaret’, ‘crescent’ or the ‘courtesan’ dancing in a Mughal court.

Mughal-e-Azam is about Emperor Akbar (PrithvirajKapoor), his son Prince Salim (Dilip Kumar) and their deep rift caused by Salim’s love which contradicts his royal status. The Prince falls in love with Anarkali (Madhubala), a dancing girl in the Mughal court; Akbar disapproves and the son rebels. The prince goes to war with his father and is sentenced to death for his defiance. Anarkali gives up her freedom to rescue him from death sentence. Akbar orders Anarkali’s execution, but allows her to spend one night with Salim as his queen in answer to her last wish. She is buried alive in a wall, in one of the last sequences of the film, but is secretly set free by Akbar unknown to Salim.

The film starts with the narrator’s voice saying ‘Main Hindustaanhoon…’ (‘I am India…’) and the map of the sub-continent simultaneously appears as the background visual. This serves to be a strong indicator for Indian solidarity, followed by words ‘Akbar ne mujh se pyar kiya’ (‘Akbar adored me’) and goes on to show a version of Mughal rule that embodied love, harmony and tolerance to Hinduism. It has dramatized a strong national culture of Hindu Muslim unity. The voice goes on saying, ‘Sangam of Ganga-Jamuni Sanskriti’, implying a meeting of Hindu-Muslim cultures showing Akbar as an enlightened liberal (Warsi, ibid: 45).

Akbar has been portrayed as a desperate man who wants a son and goes to Hazrat Salim Chisti’s grave to pray. The shrine worship is not just an Islamic ritual; Hinduism and Sikhism are associated with shrine worship as well. Idol-worship finds favourable words from Salim, who after looking at a sculpture admires the creation, saying: ‘’Beshak is bepanaahhusnki tab patthar hi laasaktahai, butonkikhudaa’itasleemkarnekojichaahtahai (Certainly only stone can contain such infinite beauty. I am tempted to accept the divinity of idols)’’. This dialogue holds the idol worship as an acceptance of the Hinduism and tolerance towards the Hindu Gods. This highlights Prince Salim’s secular nature and at the same time promotes the idea of Muslim Indians in a secular state. This Muslim association with the secular Mughals demonstrates the glory of the past, a revival of the self and a need to blend in with the Indian state.

The Muslim-ness is personified in the scene when Anarkali is offering ‘namaz’ (Islamic form of prayer) and there is a background announcement of Salim’s execution. She is shown to be calm and composed while praying. The calmness and composure is a sign of ‘Muslim’ leaving all the worldly worries to the divine being, Allah. The use of the word ‘Khuda’ (God) in the lyrics of the song ‘…Khuda negehbaan ho tumhaara dharakte dil ka payaam le lo (May God protect you accept the message of a quickening heart…)’ has emphasis on the divinity of God. This song has been sung before Anarkali’s execution. The song ends when Anarkali (Madhubala) is in jail and asks for God’s help; words ‘Sarkar-e-Madina (The Lord of Madina)’ highlight the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the holy places for Muslim pilgrimage, the cities of Makkah and Madina. This brings the Indian Muslim back to his religious roots. This song is in a format which is similar to a ‘naat’. The recitation of ‘naat’ is a poetic form praising the Holy prophet (PBUH) usually practised by Muslims of India and Pakistan.

Moreover, Mughal-e-Azamhas captured the Hindu Muslim unity in the Mughal setting and shows diversity by making Emperor Akbar the champion of religious tolerance. He has been shown praying to Allah, the Islamic God, and being a part of the Hindu ritual of ‘Arti’ before going to war with his son Salim. His wife Rani Jodhbai (DurgaKhote) has been shown doing ‘puja’ which shows Akbar’s religious tolerance. His wives were allowed to follow their respective religions in the Mughal harem. His real life historian, Badaoni’s reference may be of some use in this connection:

‘’From early youth, in compliment to his wives, the daughters of Rajahs of Hind, he had within the female apartments (harem) continued to offer the hom (fire) which is a ceremony derived from sun worship…’’ (Nath 2005: 46).

Akbar was the tolerant Mughal who celebrated Hinduism and Islam. Akbar had also formulated the ‘din-i-ilahi’, or ‘divine religion’ –which was a combination of Zoroastrianism, Islam and Hinduism (Turner 2000: 67). Akbar’s secularism shown in the film can be a reaffirmation to Nehru’s vision of a secular India.

The Emperor Akbar has also been shown as the father whose relationship has gone sour with his son, Salim. The scene before father and son are about to go on war against each other, Akbar asks Salim not to go and asks for love for himself. Salim replies by saying: ‘bete ki muhabbat barbaad kar ke muhabbat chaahte hain aap? (You destroy your son’s love and you want love?)’. This is a ‘paradox’ which has been dramatized with brilliance (Bhaskar 2009: 148,149). Another scene captures the relationship between the father and son when Saleem says:

‘Kya parwardigaar-e-aalam se aap ne mujhe issi liye maanga tha ke zindagi mujhe mile aur uske maalik aap hon? Saansen meri hon, aur dil ki dharkan par aap ka qabza rehe? Zill-e-ilaahi, kya meri zindagi aapki duwaaon ka qarza hai jo mujhe apne aansuon se ada karma parega? (Is this why you asked God for me, so I am given life and you rule it? So you control my heartbeat though I may be the one breathing? Your Majesty, is my life indebted to your prayers that I must pay with my tears?)’. Akbar replies and says: ‘ ..Anarkali tum haare qaabil nahin (..Anarkali is unworthy of you)’and then Saleem says: ‘ Yun nahin-ek ladle bête ke baap ban kar mujhe apne kaleje se laga lijiye aur unhein pyaar bhari nazron se dekhiyejin se pehli baaraap ne mujhe dekha tha. Mujhe Hindustaan ka shahzada nahin apna beta samajhiye-aur phir kahiye ke Anaarkali mere qaabil nahin. (Not in this manner. Why not hold me close to your heart as an adored son, and look at me with the love you felt when you first saw me? Think of me as your son, not the Crown Prince of India, and tell me again that Anaarkali is unworthy of me)’. This shows the viewer that Salim and Akbar were fighting their egos and both were craving for the love between a father and son. What transpires as a result that ‘the Muslim story’ works doubly, both as a political and familial tale.

However, Mughal-e-Azam is famous for the love affair of Anarkali and Salim. The history books don’t mention a lot about Anarkali and her romance with Prince Salim.

’’Ah! If I could behold the face of

My beloved (yar) once more, I

Would give thanks unto my

God, until the Day of Resurrection.

                                –MajnunSalimAkbar(Your Lover Salim, son of Akbar)’’ (Nath2005 : 35,36).

These words have been engraved in Persian at Anarkali’s tombstone in Lahore. Prince Salim after his succession ordered her tomb to be built in Lahore and inscribed these words on the marble (Nathibid.). Historical facts might have been distorted to build up the story in the film but the centrifugal points are Mughal power, love and ideologies.

The language of romance in Hindi cinema and especially Mughal-e-Azam gave birth to a new breed of ‘stars’, Muslims like Dilip Kumar born as Yousaf Khan and Madhubala born as Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi. These Muslim stars have stood the test of time and Hindi cinema has yet to discover another Madhubala or Dilip Kumar [1]. However, the new stars of today’s Hindi cinema have been dominated by Muslims as well. Mega stars like Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Amir Khan are a few to be named here.

The use of the Urdu language has reaffirmed the concept of ‘Tehzeeb’ (culture, mannerisms) which is largely associated with the ‘Islamicate’ culture in Hindi cinema. The songs in Mughal-e-Azam have used words from the Urdu language. The song ‘tere mehfil me inaaj..(In your gathering today…)’which has been shot in a style known as ‘bait bazi’ (a gathering where the two parties or persons compete each other by reciting couplets of a poem to build a counter argument)which has been shot with Anarkali and Bahaar (Nigar Sultana) trying to outwit each other by talking about their ideologies on love and life. This song symbolizes the poetic culture of the Urdu language. In a scene when Bahaar (Nigar Sultana) is talking to her maid while she places a crown on her head. She looks at herself in the mirror while the maid says: ‘Koi aanajaaye, Bahaar. Kya tumhein khauf nahin? (Someone may see you, Bahaar. Have you no fear?)’. The maid goes on to say: ‘Tum is shaandaar mulk ki malika banna chaahti ho? Na jaane kitni larkiyaan ye khwaab dekh rahi hongi (Do you want to become the queen of this glorious country? Who knows how many girls share the same dream)’. To which Bahaar asks the maid to look into her eyes. The maid kisses her eyes and says: ‘Uff! Ye aankhen. Jaise kisi sharaabi ne paimaane ke badle talwaar utha li ho. Kya asmaan se tare torne ka iraada hai? (Your eyes are like a drunkard who has reached for a sword instead of a goblet. Do you intend to pluck stars from the sky?)’. The use of Urdu poetic language compliments its richness and hence becomes an affirmative representation of the Urdu speaking Indian. These Urdu speaking Indians are most commonly known as ‘Hindustanis’ both in India and Pakistan. This is again a reaffirmation to the ‘Hindustani’ that he belongs to a rich language, which is made up of Arabic and Persian alphabets and is a recognizable idiom.

Persian has been used in Mughal-e-Azam as the second language, used for announcements in the Mughal courts. The grandeur of the Mughal court has also been shown in the famous song ‘pyaar kiya tu darna kya?…( If one has loved what is there to fear?..)’. This was a dance performance by Anarkali before the courtiers to mark the celebration of her release after Emperor Akbar had made a deal with her. She would have to tell a lie, and make Salim believe that she was not in love with him and only wanted to be the queen. This lie would make Salim question Anarkali’s love for him and make him fall out of love with her. However, Anarkali defies Akbar and sings her heart out and professes her love for Salim in front of the courtiers. This song was to celebrate the Parsee New Year. These celebrations were held in the Mughal era to mark strength, grandeur and most importantly to legitimize their Mughal authority. These events marked the effects of submission in the eyes of the public (implied by Farooqui 2005: 122, 123). These celebrations were a mark of the grandeur of the palace and its working staff mostly comprising of servants, dancing girls and eunuchs. Eunuchs are castrated men mostly known as ‘hijras’ in India and Pakistan. These hijras were mostly used for the women of the harem in the Mughal era. They have been depicted as the domestic staff helping to run the daily workings of the palace.

This portrayal of the Emperor Akbar in K. Asif’s directorial mega hit film of the 1960s had a lasting impact on the viewer of Hindi cinema; the image of the ‘Muslim’ had to be upheld after partition of the sub-continent in 1947. Films made in the 1960s ‘valorised a pan-Indian identity above more specific linguistic or regional identities’ (Ganti 2004:29, 30). The Hindus after partition needed to fix the damage done to their nationalism by over 200 years of British rule and prior to the British, Muslim rule. Their identities and institutions were repeatedly suppressed during the Muslim rule, which was responsible for ‘60,000 temples torn down by Muslim rulers and 3,000 mosques built of those temples’ (Eaton 2003: 83).

The issue of temples being taken down to build mosques or a mosque being taken down to build a temple have been depicted in the film Bombay (1995dir, Mani Ratnam) which has shown a deep rooted matter from a historical point of view. These events have ignited the Hindu Muslim divide and Hindi cinema has tried to bridge the gap over 75 years of its existence. How has the Hindi cinema depicted Muslims in its ‘realist’ and ‘social’ framework that has contributed to the Hindu Muslim unity? Mughal-e-Azam (1960) has not only shown the Islamic culture through Mughal era but laid great emphasis on Hindu Muslim unity through Emperor Akbar’s character.

The battle scene when Salim and Akbar go on war symbolizes defiance to the Mughal rule and Salim can be seen as the metaphor used for occupied India. The Muslim authoritarian rule has been shown as a past event which did not damage India’s worth. When Salim begs for his beloved Anarkali, he says to the Emperor Akbar: ‘Samajh raha hoon. Mujhe apne qeemti Hindustaan mein se ekzarratakna den, magar Anarkali mujhe bheekmein den. Main Mahaaraani Jodhake jaan-o-maal ka sadqa aur shahen shaah Akbar ki saltanat kikhai raat maangta hoon (I understand. You need not give me a single piece of your precious India but I beg you–give me Anarkali. I ask Queen Jodha and the kingdom of Emperor Akbar for his charity)’. The word ‘qeemti’ (precious) used for India is an indication that the Mughals saw India as a gold mine and their ruling position did not take away the value of their empire. Akbar’s grandeur has been shown in a scene where Anarkali and Salim are confronted by him and Akbar doesn’t say a word. This is the first ever confrontation in the film after the news of their affair has reached Akbar. The awkward silence between the three depicts his grandeur and disapproval. Akbar’s greatness has been enhanced by words ‘Zill-e-Ilaahi (Your Majesty)’, ‘Shahen shaahon ke Shahen shaah (Emperor of Emperors)’ in the film. His charitable nature has been shown when he hands over the young intoxicated Prince Salim to Maansingh (Murad) to give ‘sadqa (alms giving in Islam)’ to the poor on behalf of Prince Salim. This giving of alms or ‘sadqa’ is an Islamic ritual to ward off evil occurrences.

The absoluteness and the un-changeability of the old traditions of the Mughal court have been depicted in a scene when Akbar prepares to leave for war and his wife Rani Jodha doesn’t hand him the sword. The sword handing ceremony was a tradition as shown in the film and the Rani cannot go through this ceremony as the war is with her own son, Salim. Akbar disapproves of his wife’s behaviour and says: ‘Puraani rasm badley nahin ja sakti. Hum talwaar unhein ke haathon se lenge (Ancient customs cannot be changed. I will accept the sword only from her hands)’. Akbar responds to Rani’s hesitation and says: ‘Suhaag ki aabru par sati ho jaane waali raajput …. (Rajput queens are known to sacrifice (sati) their lives for their husband...)’ the word ‘sati’ has been used for the Rajput queen’s sacrifice. The Hindu ritual ‘Sati’ takes place when a married woman’s husband dies; she is to be burnt with the corpse of her dead husband. This ritual might have been used as a metaphor to demand sacrifice from the Rajput Princess Jodha.

Rani’s pride in the Mughal rule is shown when she is telling her son Salim, that he should leave Anarkali. She says: ‘Hargiz nahin! Khuddaar mughalon ki aabru itni halki nahin kee knaa-cheez laundi ke baraabar tul jaaye, aur humaara Hindustaan koi tumhaara dil nahin ke laundi jiski malika bane (No, never! The pride of the Mughals is not so minor that it can be weighed against an insignificant slave-girl. And our India is not your heart to be ruled by a queen who is a slave)’. This shows the Rajput allegiance to the Mughal rule and their women being married off to them for the great political and economic benefits of the region. The words ‘humaara Hindustan (our India)’ shows that the Mughal rulers were not considered as foreigners. This shows the unity among the ruled of the Mughal era.

Moreover, Prince Salim upon hearing Anarkali’s death sentence says: ‘Vo agar mar jaayegi to ye Hindustaan, Hindustaan nahin rahega. Ye Hindustaan ek maqbara-e-azeem ban jaayega jismein Mughal saltanat ki laash dafn hogi. Aur qaid-khaanekadar a khula to qaid-khaane ki deewaaron ko girna hoga (If that is how she will die then this India will no longer exist. India will become a grand tomb in which the Mughal dynasty shall be buried. And if the doors of the prison are not opened then its walls must crumble)’. These dialogues might have been used as metaphor showcasing the principles which lead to the downfall of the Mughal dynasty. In a scene when Anarkali and Salim are together and he professes his love for her and wants her to be the future queen of India. Salim says: ‘Hindustaan ke insaanon ki taqdeeren tumhaare gesuon kehalqe main ghir jaayengi, Anarkali. Aur phir tum jidharmurkardek hogi, hazaaron taqdeerenkaanptirahengi, mustaqbillarazterahenge (The fate of India’s people will be entwined in the locks of your hair, Anarkali. Wherever your gaze falls, a thousand destinies will quiver and futures will tremble)’. These words showcase the moments and events that took place in the Mughal era that brought its downfall and changed the map of the sub-continent forever.

The film has not only shown the grandeur and the downfall, it has also mocked the Mughal rule. The scene when Bahaar (Nigar Sultana) goes to the Sculptor to ask for a marble statue for Prince Salim. The sculptor points to the statues engraved on the wall and says: ‘ Merebanaayehuwemujassameshehzaadonaurbaadshaahonkopasandnahinaayenge (The statues I have made have displeased princes and kings)’. The sculptor points to a statue showing an elephant crushing the head of a man and says: ‘ Kyunke ye saachboltehain. Ye dekho, Yeshahenshaahkadarbaarhai. Shahenshaahkizabaan se niklahuwaharlafzinsaaf,jiski koi faryaadnahin.Aur ye haimaidaan-e-jang.Laakhonbegunaahinsaanonkakhoonaurekinsaankifatah.Aur ye haisaachbolnekaanjaam….sazaa-e-maut (Because they speak the truth. Look, at this, this is the Emperor’s Royal Court. Every word the Emperor utters is justice. No one can appeal against it. And this is the battlefield where the blood of thousands of innocent men has been shed for the victory of one man. And this is the result of speaking the truth…the death penalty)’. Bahaar understands the complaint of the artist and says: ‘Aqltumhaarefunnkikhoobsooratikomaantihai, dilnahin. Voteer hi kiyasangtaraashjodilkepaarnaho? Vo but hi kyajis kea age maghroorsarkhud-ba-khudnajhukjaayen? (The mind concedes the beauty of your art but not heart. What good is the arrow that does not pierce the heart, Sculptor? What good is the statue if a proud head does not bow before it?)’. The sculptor replies by saying:

‘To phir main ekaisa but banaaungajiskeqadmonmeinsipaahiapnitalwaar, shahenshaahapnataajaurinsaanapnadilnikaalkarrakh de’ (Then I will make a statue at whose feet a soldier will lay down his sword, an emperor his crown and a man his heart)’. These dialogues were the beginning of the Anarkali saga which started with a statue being sculpted and ended with her becoming a legend. This is a Muslim image of grandeur which has been embedded in the mind of the viewer who sees the Mughal era to be powerful. The statue itself becomes its sculpted apotheosis of the Mughal rule and also its strongest critique.

There have been numerous films about Muslims, their cultural and social settings but none have been made directly on Islam. In the 1970s, films like Coolie (1983 dir, Manmohan Desai) starring the mega star Amitabh Bachchan who plays a Muslim and ‘represents the rise and integration of the Common Muslim’ in the working masses rebelling for a better future’ (Dwyer 2006: 127).

In the 1990s and 2000, the Hindi cinema has shown Muslims as gangsters and terrorists. A film like Satya (1998) has shown the realism of Mumbai’s underworld. The gangs are shown to be a mix of Hindus and Muslims. The stereotype Muslim can be seen in Fiza (2000) and Kurbaan (2009). These two movies have shown Muslims as terrorists giving message that a ‘Muslim’ is a radical fundamentalist who bombs innocent people for the universal goals of Islam. Faana(2006)has the same theme surrounding Muslim terrorism. The portrayal of Muslims is passing through a new age of terrorism.

Do these films represent the Muslim as the ‘stereotype’ or does the ‘realist’ framework of Hindi cinema create an image acceptable to the Muslim audience? 

There are disputes among the Muslim communities about their image projected through media and especially cinema. Some Muslims condemn the Hindi film industry and argue that the cinema doesn’t voice their community or speak for the Indian Muslim. They argue that the film industry doesn’t depict their image accurately on matters of divorce or history (implied by Dwyer ibid). This can be discussed by highlight post 9/11 media coverage. The Muslim portrayal in Hindi cinema has completely changed from Mughal-e-Azam (1960) till date. The words such as ‘‘Islamic holy war’, ‘Islamic Community’, ‘Muslim sect’’ appeared to surface in print media like the Times, Newsweek etc (Zelizer& Allan 2002:102).

The above mentioned terminology has given birth to the image of Muslims as ‘the others’. Hindi cinema like all other media platforms has the responsibility for the image projection of ‘Muslims’ to its audience. These portrayals shouldn’t be based on the idea of ‘the others’ but should encompass a wider range of issues related to the Muslim life or the ‘Muslim Social’. Muslim portrayal in Hindi cinema can focus on other issues beyond religious identity and the cultural norms related to Islam.

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Filmography

Bombay (1995 dir, Mani Ratnam) Starring: ManishaKoirala, ArvindSwamy, TinnuAnandWriters: Mani RatnamMusic: A. R. Rehman

ChaudhvinkaChand (1960 dir, Mohammad Sadiq) Writers: SaghirUsmaniStarring: WaheedaRehman, Guru Dutt, Rehman, Johnny Walker, Mumtaz Begum Music: Ravi

Coolie (1983 dir, Manmohan Desai, Prayag Raj) Writers: K.K Shukla, Prayag Raj, Jeevanprabha M Desai,Kader Khan Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, WaheedaRehman, Rishi Kapoor, RatiAgnihotriMusic: LaxmikantPyarelal

Faana (2006 dir, KonalKohli) Writer: ShibaniBathjiaStarring: Kajol, Aamir Khan, Rishi Kapoor, KiranKher, TabuMusic: JatinLalit

Fiza (2000 dir, Khalid Mohammed) Writers: Khalid Mohammed, JavedSiddiquiStarring: Jaya Bachchan, KarishmaKapoor, HritikRoshanMusic: Anu Malik, A. R. Rehman, RanjitBarot

Kurbaan (2009, dir. RansilD’Silva) Writers: RensilD'Silva, NiranjanIyengar, AnuragKashyapStarring: Saif Ali Khan, KareenaKapoor, VivekOberoi, Om puri, KirronKher, DiyaMirzaMusic: SalimSulaliman

MereMehboob (1963 dir, Harnam Singh Rawail) Starring: Rajendra Kumar, Sadna, Nimmi, Ashok Kumar, PranMusic: Naushad

MirzaGhalib(1957 dir, SohrabModi) Writers: J. K Nanda, Rinjinder Singh Bedi, Sadat Hassan MantoStarring: Nigar Sultana, Bharat Bhushan, Suraiya, DurgaKhote, Murad, Mukri, Ulhas, KumkumMusic: Ghulam Mohammad

Mughal-e-Azam (1960 dir,K. Asif) Writers: Aman, AhsanRizvi, WajahatMriza, Kamal AmrohiStarring: Dilip Kumar, PrithvirajKapoor, Madhubala, DurgaKote, Nigar Sultana, MuradMusic: Naushad

Satya (1998 dir, Ram GopalVerma) Writers: AnuragKashyap, SaurabhShuklaStarring: UrmilaMatondkar, J.D Chakravarty, Manoj Bajpai, ShefaliShah Music:Vishal Bharadwaj (soundtrack)SandeepChowta (background score)

Bibliography

Akbar, K., 1997. MadhubalaHerlifeHerFilms. India: UBSPD

Bhaskar, I. and Allen, R., 2009. IslamicateculturesofBombayCinema. Tulika books

Dwyer, R, 2006. FilmingtheGods: ReligionandIndianCinema.Routledge

.(online)at Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W50cCrHERuY&feature=related

Eaton, R.M, (Eds.) 2003. India’sIslamicTraditions, 711-1750. India: Oxford University Press

Farooqui, A.S., 2005. IslamandtheMughalState. India: SundeepPrakashans

Ganti, T., 2004.Bollywood a guide to popular Hindi cinema.London: Routledge

Nath, R., 2005. PrivateLifeoftheMughalsofIndia (1526-1803A.D). New Delhi: Rupa& Co

Rangoonwalla, F, 1975. 75YearsofIndianCinema. India

Sterling Investment Corporation Pvt.Ltd, 2007. TheImmortalDialoguesofK.Asif’sMughal-E-Azam. India: Oxford University Press

Turner, C, 2000. TheMuslimWorld. UK: Sutton Publishing Limited

Warsi, S,2009. Mughal-e-AzamAnepicofEternalLove.NewDelhi: Rupa&Co      

Zakaria, R,2004. IndianMuslimsWhereHaveTheyGone?2^nd ed. India: RamdasBhatkal

Zelizer, B. and Allan,S., (Eds.) 2002. JournalismafterSeptember11. Routledge

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End Note:

[1]Dilip Kumar and Madhubala’s pair and their on and off screen love affair has been well captured in the iconic scene when Salim meets Anarkali in a secluded terrace and caresses her face with a large feather. This scene has been frozen in time as the ‘love scene’ of the Hindi cinema. ‘’A survey conducted by Filmfare in 1989 on the ‘the most unforgettable romantic scene in our films’ showed that the years had not altered the tremendous impact that this scene created’’ (Akbar 1997: 152).