A short 🧵
Set in the 16th century, Mughal-e-Azam was a monumental film for its time. The film has exceptional production value and grand sets. But, this thread is about the incident when it was to be released in Pakistan.
Set in the 16th century, Mughal-e-Azam was a monumental film for its time. The film has exceptional production value and grand sets. But, this thread is about the incident when it was to be released in Pakistan.
Through the 1930s and the 1940s, Shapoorji Pallonji built some of Mumbai’s landmarks around the Fort area — the Hong Kong Bank, Grindlays Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Reserve Bank of India building. He also built the 'Famous Studios' at Mahalaxmi for Shiraz Ali Hakim.
Mr. Hakim was in talks with K Asif and had agreed to produce his magnum opus. But then Parttision happened and Mr. Hakim decides to leave for Pakistan. But he did match up Shapoorji with Asif and the film got started. The cast members went through significant changes.
K Asif and Shapoorji Pallonji had major issues as did Dilip Kumar and Asif when the director married his sister Akhtar. And, above all the real-world drama of Madhubala, Attaullah Khan, Dilip Kumar.
https://twitter.com/sidart_misra/status/1256919200884568066
Nevertheless, on its release <5 August 1960>, It became a major commercial success in India. As the businessman Shapoorji started to think for its global reach, starting with Pakistan.
Jimmy Mehta (along with Sumant Misra) had reached the doubles quarter-finals of Wimbledon in 1947 and 1948. He was a good friend of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and also Shapoorji Pallonji’s son-in-law. He was given the task to convince Mr. Bhutto, who was then a foreign minister.
Jimmy agreed and rang his friend. "Zulfi, this is Jimmy."
"I am coming to Karachi; my plane will be there for two hours at Karachi airport. You send me a car. I shall meet up with you and then catch the flight to London."
"I am coming to Karachi; my plane will be there for two hours at Karachi airport. You send me a car. I shall meet up with you and then catch the flight to London."
At Karachi, Bhutto was at the airport to meet his old friend and took him to his house. It was evening by then. He took him to a dark room, put the lights on and revealed a hidden bar, Pakistan being a Muslim country where drinking was frowned on.
They drank whisky and talked about old times.
Then Bhutto asked, "Jimmy, what have you come for?"
"Have you heard about Mughal-e Azam?" "Yes." "My father-in-law was the producer. If this film is released in this country, then the two countries will come close."
Then Bhutto asked, "Jimmy, what have you come for?"
"Have you heard about Mughal-e Azam?" "Yes." "My father-in-law was the producer. If this film is released in this country, then the two countries will come close."
What happened next was out of some horror movie. Jimmy would later tell, "His eyes became red. He banged the glass table so hard I do not know how he did not break it. ..,' Not for a 1000 years can these two countries become one. I shall catch you by the throat .."
The poor Jimmy somehow escaped and get into his plane for London. He later died in 1978, when Air India’s first-ever Boeing 747 crashed into the Arabian Sea, killing all 213 people on board.
And, the movie would have to wait till April 2006 to be officially released in Lahore.
And, the movie would have to wait till April 2006 to be officially released in Lahore.
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