Anarkali (1955 film)

Production

Anarkali has been the subject of a number of Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani books, plays and films. The lines in Persian inscribed on a sarcophagus housed, rather appositely, in the offices of the Records Department of the Government of Punjab in the bustling Mall Road of Lahore hide within their poetic flourish an ancient tale of love and loss. The musty interiors of the office building do not give away the secret that successive centuries have attempted to camouflage that the building was once the mausoleum that housed the tomb of Anarkali. The century old Bazaar that abuts the Mall Road is called Anarkali Bazaar. Dara Shikoh, in his Sakinat al-Auliya, mentions the tomb.

This love story has always caught the eye of writers, poets, dramatists and film makers, for with its historical backdrop and having a liberal share of the essential elements -palace intrigue, love, loyalty and loss- of a magnificent entertainer, the theme offered infinite exciting possibilities. The stage version by Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj in 1922 which have inspired the subsequent celluloid adaptations. The silent movie Loves of a Mughul Prince in 1928 by The Imperial Film Company had Sulochana as Anarkali, directed by Charu Roy and Prafulla Roy.

The talkie version also by The Imperial Film Company in 1935 also had Sulochana repeating her role directed by R. S. Choudhury. K. Asif, started to make the movie of it as early as in 1944, but the sudden demise of Chandra Mohan who was playing Akbar, the migration to Pakistan of the financier and the riots that the partition brought in its wake all put paid to his plans, which pushes K. Asif to commence afresh in 1951 but only able to complete and released in 1960.

However, in the meantime Director Nandlal Jaswantlal came up with his movie Anarkali in 1953 by Filmistan. The movie had Bina Rai and Pradeep Kumar essaying the roles of Anarkali and Salim. Mubarak, with his ringing voice and regal appearance was well cast as Akbar. Sulochana, played the role of Jodhabai. Ramesh Saigal drafted the screenplay and dialogues. C. Ramchandra’s music was the highpoint of the movie. .

Tamil audience had their first glimpse of Anaarkali when Kannadasan incorporated a stage play Anarkali in the movie Illara Jyothi in 1954 by Modern Theatres as it was the norm of Tamil cinema at the time to have stage plays. The drama was also published subsequently as a book by Vanathi Padhippagam.

Inspired by the decisive success of Filmistaan’s Anarkali, P. Adinarayana Rao set about making his movie in Telugu and got it dubbed simultaneously in Tamil as Anarkali in 1955 under Anjali Pictures which was mounted on a magnificent scale. He brought on board some of the best technicians to work on the movie.

In Pakistan, another Anarkali film was released in 1958 with Noor Jehan in the lead role.

The same movie was remade in Hindi as Mughal-e-Azam by K. Asif in the year 1960, music by Naushad. This movie was dubbed in Tamil & released in the name Akbar. Madhubala in the role of Anarkali and Dilip Kumar as Prince Salim.

Iman Ali portrayed Anarkali in Shoaib Mansoor's short music video series on the theme Ishq (love) in 2003.

Plot

Sharfunissa alias Nadira is a dancer in the Emperor’s court. She is bestowed the name Anarkali meaning pomegranate blossom, on account of her dazzling beauty. Prince Salim is smitten by her and they fall in love. Learning that his son has fallen for a lowly courtesan, Akbar is furious and warns them to stay away from each other. Howeverlove has never bowed to convention or authority. Events move to a tragic climax where Akbar sentences Anaarkali to death. She is entombed alive before Salim could reach her.

Crew

Soundtrack

The music was composed by P. Adinarayana Rao. Playback singers Ghantasala, Jikki & P. Suseela. All the tunes for all the songs and singers for both languages are the same.

Telugu Songs

Lyrics were by Samudrala Raghavacharya.

Tamil Songs

Lyrics were by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass.