Osian's Auction Catalogue The Greatest Indian Show On Earth | September 2014

45 Dilip Kumar in MUGHAL-E-AZAM.1960 Directed by K. Asif Photographic Still mounted on Lobby Card / PHL 18.9 x 15.2 in (47.9 x 38.6 cm) Provenance Private Collector, New Delhi ` 48,000 – 72,000 US$ 800 – 1,200 GBP 480 – 720 To know of the complications of personal relationships in the film fraternity, please read this paragraph on Mughal-e-Azam and all should take heart at the relative simplicity regarding the ‘complications’ in the 21st centry: “Incidentally, back in 1945, when he was yet to establish his credentials in the industry, Dilip Kumar had been rejected by Asif for the very same role of Prince Salim! And Nargis had been brought in initially because Veena could not continue in the film with Asif: at one stage she had got him thrown out of Heer Ranjha. Asif’s second wife Nigar sultana played Bahar in the film. The role was initially conceived for Sitara Devi, the Kathak dancer, who happened to be Asif’s first wife. Interestingly, Sitara Devi happened to be the wife of Nazir, Asif’s uncle, before she became close to Asif during the making of Phool, Asif’s directorial debut in the early 1940s. And before the film (Mughal-e-Azam) was wrapped up the director had married Akhtar, Dilip Kumar’s sister, much to the heartburn of the hero! And Madhubala had stepped into the film despite her real life break-up with Dilip Kumar during the shooting of Naya Daur, the BR Chopra film in which ultimately Vyjayantimala replaced her. Incidentally, at various stages of production, Suraiya, Naseem Banu and Begum Para, were all considerred for trhe pivotal role which ultimately was to go down as the most important role of Madhubala’s career.” Ziya Us Salam, reprinted in Ziya Us Salam (Editor).’Housefull: The Golden Age of Hindi Cinema’. New Delhi: Om Books International 2012; p.107. “Not to be left behind in sincerity, Prithviraj Kapoor insisted omn walking barefoot on hot burning sands for the opening sequence in which Akbar goes to Salim Chishti’s mausoleum seeking divine blessings for an heir. He ended up with blisters on the feet just like Dilip Kumar who had boils at the end of the war sequence in which he wore heavy armour. And to think that neither Prithviraj Kapoor nor Dilip Kumar were to be part of the film when it was conceived, the first choice being Sapru and Chandramohan, respectively!”Ibid; p.108 86 THE “RAJ-DILIP-DEV” TRINITY DILIP KUMAR AS FOCUS