15 years into making and produced at a staggering cost of Rs 1.5 crore, film wizard K. Asif‘s Magnum Opus Mughal-e-Azam is Indian Cinema’s First Most Expensive Film!
The exorbitant expense of Mughal-e-Azam can be gauged from the fact that Mughal-e-Azam‘s budget was almost 5 times more than filmmaker Mehboob Khan‘s most ambitious film, Aan (1952). Readers would be surprised to know that Aan was Mehboob Khan‘s most expensive film as it was India’s first Technicolor film and they processed it in London. Despite such technical expense, they produced Aan at a budget of 35 Lakh, but Mughal-e-Azam despite being black and white, costing Rs 1.5 Crore!! Wanna know the reason?
A Timeless Epic: Mughal-e-Azam’s Legacy
K Asif, a perfectionist filmmaker, spared no expense in creating the iconic Sheesh Mahal set for “Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya…”, spending Rs. 15 lakhs and importing glasses from Belgium, with expert artisans crafting intricate mirror work over two years.
Asif meticulously crafted the film’s sets over months before shooting commenced. He built extravagant sets with lavish furnishings. Asif sourced costumes and props from skilled Indian artisans. Attire came from Surat, footwear from Agra, jewelry from Hyderabad, crowns from Kolhapur, and armory from Rajasthan.
Revolutionizing Indian Film: Mughal-e-Azam’s Impact
Asif filmed a massive battle sequence with 8,000 troops in Rajasthan’s desert. Asif paid Rs 25,000 to Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali for one song and invested in Technicolor, prioritizing perfection over budget concerns. Shapoorji Pallonji had tears of joy in his eyes and he hugged Asif and forgave all his antics. Asif meticulously crafted the film’s sets over months before shooting commenced. He built extravagant sets with lavish furnishings. Asif sourced exquisite costumes and props from artisans across India.
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