Mughal-e-Azam, India's Gone With The Wind

[dangermousie]

I bring you some images from a Bollywood behemoth, Mughal-e-Azam, India's Gone With the Wind (IMO). It's a huge sprawling epic that took years to film. It deals with Prince Salim, who is sent away by his father Akbar to learn to be manly in the fields of war. When he returns many years later, he is indeed manly. If by manly you mean "good at killing stuff and sulking at the same time," that is. Also, estranged from his father, and falling madly in love with the slave girl Anarkali. Who could blame him as she is played by the beautiful and fragile Madhubala who is gorgeous enough to make me want to change my sexual orientation. But there are court intrigues to come between the lovers, and at last, the desperate Salim (played by the classic BW star Dilip Kumar) starts an open rebellion against his father to be with his true love. Bet Akbar wishes he never sent him to learn battle tactics! Needless to say, the ending is...Just watch it.

This movie is an amazing, opulent feast for the eye. This is what those cheesy 50s movies were going for when they tried to film "exotic" pseudo-Arabian tales with Tony Curtis and other unsuitable actors. And somehow, the scale and the opera of the whole thing drags you in, even though the acting is very stylized and the pace slow.

Some shots from it (from the recently colorized version. I don't mind, for once, because the original director wanted it in color).



That's why you should watch. The opulence will put your eyes out:


The gorgeous Anarkali:





Prince Salim (no, not my idea of hottie either, but on the plus side? Prince):



Angst (i.e. Dangermousie's favorite thing):






Sultan:


Oooooh, she is evil:


Colors:

Comments

[wasabi-girl1.livejournal.com]

I so want to see this movie, and I actually have it, I've just never gotten to it yet. This and Deewar (the old one) are two movies I want to see! :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It's really slow but hey, that's what the ff button is for!

[rajni.livejournal.com]

no, not my idea of hottie either Hehehehehe.

This reminds me of Hrithik in Akbar-Jodha. My anticipation for this movie is just ridiculous, and it won't even start for a year.

Oh, did you see that Hrithik finally cut his hair? YAY!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, Hrithik makes a MUCH better prince :)

[jonaki.livejournal.com]

Just when I thought Madhubala cannot look more breathtaking than the black and white pictures, I see the colour pictures.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, she was gorgeous, wasn't she?