Flashback: The many Jodhaa-Akbars in Bollywood History 
By HT Café, February 20, 2008 - 09:25 IST
Mughal-time stories
Raju Bharatan in a recap mode on the movies that spoke of Jodhaa, Akbar and Anarkali
The Jodhaa-Akbar connection enjoys the visual sanction of so many Anarkali remakes that I see no controversy here. In fact, the beauty
of being Aishwarya - with no grey areas in the screen development of her role by Ashutosh Gowariker - stands out as already
underscored in the Jodhaa-Akbar TV promos.
Playing Jodhaa in1960, opposite Prithviraj Kapoor as Akbar in K Asif's Mughal-e-Azam, was Durga Khote,
looking the picture of regal dignity. Before that, in Filmistan's '53 Anarkali, it was the stately Sulochana as Jodhaa to
Mubarak's Akbar.
Imagine, before so vividly scoring as Salim (Pradeep Kumar's) Rajput mother; Sulochana (Anglo-Indian Ruby Mayers in real life), in
her heroine-playing days, had distinguished herself as Anarkali, not once, but twice. First, as Anarkali in the 1928 silent movie. Then as
Anarkali again in the '35 talkie era. D Bilimoria was her Salim both times. Directing Sulochana, in these two Anarkali productions of
Ardeshir (Alam Ara) Irani was R S Choudhury.
You think controversy surrounds only Jodhaa-Akbar? Over then to K Asif announcing, in 1944 itself, Nargis as Anarkali in his
Mughal-e-Azam.
Back in history
With Anil Biswas composing that epic's music. Opposite Nargis here, in Salim's role, was Sapru, her Kashmiri leading man-to-be in
Romeo & Juliet. If Sapru was Salim, Akbar (in Mughal-e-Azam then ) was Chandramohan of the fiery eyes. Nargis even donned
make-up at Bombay Talkies Studios for this Anarkali role. Bur the partition saw K Asif dropping the idea as Shiraz Ali Hakim, the
Anarkali theme originator, moved to Pakistan.
When K Asif revived Mughal-e-Azam in '52', even as Nutan replaced Nargis as Anarkali, Naushad displaced Anil Biswas as the
theme's music-director. But Nutan insisted she looked a misfit as Anarkali, she felt the role should revert to Nargis as her senior.
More plots
Side by side in '52 Kamal Amrohi announced his own Anarkali with Meena Kumari in the name-role. Meanwhile, Filmistan chief S
Mukherji quietly handpicked Bina Rai as his Anarkali following that collegian's sensational '51 Kali Ghata breakthrough as Sonia.
S Mukherji's director, Nandlal Jashwantlal, a master at shot composition, finished Filmistan's Anarkali in record time for the movie
released early in January 1953 - its milestone music scored by our fastest composer, C Ramchandra.
Personified
This while K Asif and Kamal Amrohi were still installing their first sets. How Lata Mangeshkar turned Filmistan's Anarkali into a screen
legend overnight should be manifested from a London papers noting - "Bina Rai sings like an angel." The papers angelic reference was pointedly to
Lata-Bina's Yeh zindagee usee kee hai.
Halim Jaffer it is on the transcendental sitar as Yeh zindagee unfolds in the Kaafi thhaat. The komaldhaivat here is in
Kaafi. From there, CR has Lata, in Yeh zindagee, moving to Raag Kirvani. For his lady-love finally to settle euphoniously, on Bina
Rai's luscious lips, in Raag Bhimpalasi. Could anything crafted by A R Rahman on Ash Rai to match Yeh zindagee on Bina
Rai?
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Subhash K Jha speaks about Jodhaa-Akbar
