Mughal-e-Azam enthralls fans in Pak

Karachi: Pakistan film fans thronged to watch the Indian historical epic film Mughal-e-Azam released for public on Friday (June 30), in the southern city of Karachi.

The film was released in 10 cinemas in Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Sialkot, Gujrat and Faisalabad. The movie received a mild response when it was exclusively released at one cinema in Lahore on April 23 before its wide release.

However, in Karachi the crowd, a little warmer, most of them nostalgic about the past movie, recalled the days when they had watched the classic in 'black and white'.

Queues of cinema enthusiasts were seen outside the Nishat cinema in Karachi, some from the distant places had arrived to watch the classic movie.

"We had seen this movie (in black and white) before our marriage, now we have come to watch it again in colour. We are going to enjoy it because it is a love story. The most important thing about this film is that this is a story of love," said Mohammad Afzal Khan, a great fan of Mughal-e-Azam, with a big smile while standing by his wife and recalling past, perhaps his own love.

Set in the 16th century AD during the rule of the emperor Akbar, Mughal-e-Azam brings to life the tale of the doomed love affair between Crown Prince Salim and the beautiful court dancer Anarkali.

Originally shot in black-and-white, Mughal-e-Azam was re-released in India in colour last year. Haji Mohammad Rafi, an elderly fan, said movies like Mughal-e-Azam could bring cinema lovers back to the theatres.

"This (film) will be worth enjoying on big screen. It is so good that displeased cinema goers will return," he said.

Another movie fan Jan Mohammad was for epic's teamwork that made it a piece of art.

"It's an old film and a good one. Its songs are good, its photography, its direction, and the performance everything is nice," he said. Indians and Pakistanis regard the film with great affection as it harks back to the glory of the Mughal Empire and their common heritage.

Some top Bollywood stars, including famous lyricist Javed Akhtar, could not come to Pakistan to attend the special screening of the film.

PTV had invited Indian stars Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, beauty queen-turned-top-star of the eighties Zeenat Aman, Urmila Matondkar, Celina Jaitly, Shilpa Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Dino Morea and Aftab Shivdasani, among others to attend the launch of the film on PTV, but the show could not be held.

Indian films have been banned in Pakistan for 40 years - a legacy of decades of animosity - but a peace bid launched two years ago saw cultural and sporting ties revive.

Since then, the ban has been selectively relaxed, and in recent months at least three Indian films have been screened publicly in Pakistan.

Indian films are hugely popular in Pakistan, and a flourishing bootleg DVD industry and the advent of satellite television means Pakistanis can now watch Bollywood movies at home, even if they cannot see them at the cinema.

But older Pakistanis living close to the border recall tuning into Indian television stations especially to watch Mughal-e-Azam when it was first aired decades ago.

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