When Jodhaa met Akbar

So, Jodhaa and Akbar show up today, in infinitely younger versions of the Mughal-Rajput royal pair engraved in the public mind as a heavyweight Prithviraj Kapoor in snowy whiskers and Durga Khote exuding the milk of maternal kindness.
In fact, Mughal-e-Azam, completed and released by K Asif 47 years ago after over a decade of labour — if not more — is so revered as ‘a historical’ film that it is an unmoveable benchmark, never mind its reissue in a falooda-tinted colour print.
Ironically, the classic hinged on the half-requited love between Prince Salim and the courtesan Anarkali whom most believe to be pure pulp fiction. She has inspired several movie chronicles, reeling off with a silent version in 1928 to spin-offs in Bombay as well as the southern film-producing centres. An account by director Nandlal Jaswantlal with Bina Rai in 1953 is still remembered, although for its excellent music score. Yet, even the most devout admirer of the Anarkali story is unsure whether she was made of flesh and blood or pen and paper, extended to the movie camera.