Flashback

You will be surprised to know that I saw Mughal-E-Azam seven years after it was released. I wasn’t present for the premiere of the film in 1960 because I had to go out of town. So I missed watching it on the big night. But I had seen it before it went for the Censor Board’s approval, so I knew that I could take it easy.

Ironically, my wife Saira Banu, who was not my wife then, was present at the premiere. She tells me that she came especially to meet me, and was heartbroken to find me absent.

So far, I’ve seen the film three times. I can’t pinpoint one favourite scene from the film. Itni detail mein yaad nahin hai. Ab dekhenge to batayenge. I do remember the dialogues, though. People think they are quite bhaari-bharkam, I think they are the best dialogues ever written. Urdu zabaan mein likhe gaye the sab dialogues. Aur kya dialogues the sahab. At that time, Urdu was our national zabaan but then Pakistan declared it as theirs. I think Urdu is everyone’s national language.

Naushad’s music is beautiful. Till now, every defiant lover in this country sings Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya but do you know that I have no song in the film? Mera koi gaana hi nahin tha. Aise hero the hum (Laughs). Madhubala ke saath kaam kiya tha. Unhone kaafi mehnat ki thi. Kaafi achcha kaam kiya tha.

It’s unique that my film is releasing on the same day as Shah Rukh saab’s Veer-Zaara. This happens in the film industry. It’s not that he or I wanted it to happen, it’s just a coincidence. But it is interesting that hum dono ki filmein ek hi dhang ki hain. It would have been better if there were some faasla in the films, but it’s okay. I wish Shah Rukh all the luck and he wishes me luck.

They tell me that even Naya Daur is being re-released in colour. Hamein toh kuch pata nahin hai…par woh bhi dekh lenge.