All About The Costumes in K. Asif’s Mughal-E-Azam

Mughal-E-Azam which released on August 5, 1960 has turned 65 this year. The iconic movie dramatizes the forbidden love story between Prince Salim (later emperor Jahangir) and court dancer Anarkali. Being set in the backdrop of the mighty Mughal emperor, it shows the conflict between love and duty. Prithviraj Kapoor starred as Akbar. He gave one of the most commanding performances ever in Indian cinema. Dilip Kumar plays the tragic lover Salim. Madhubala, on the other hand, was ethereal and hard-hitting as Anarkali.

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While the movie is praised for its plot and performances, the costumes have also elevated the overall appeal. Interestingly, the primary characters are part of Akbar’s court. They wore luxurious costumes made with heavy fabric. Most of the fabric included fine silks and thick brocades. One can observe that the costumes worn by the primary character are detailed and woven intricately with zardozi work. The courtesans wore ensembles with diamond and crystal detailing. The ensembles include red, blue, purple, pink, green and yellow.

For those unaware, the costumes were designed by Makhanlal and Company. The tailors perfectly carried out the zardozi embroidery in the Mughal-inspired costumes. In fact, the footwear was ordered from Agra and goldsmiths from Hyderabad made the jewellery. However, Kolhapur is where the crowns were designed. The armours, including shields, swords and more, were brought from Rajasthan.

The most iconic costume is the one Madhubala wore in the timeless track Jab Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya. The blue and red costume is embellished with golden accents. The belt in the middle comprise golden design with a blue stone at the centre. The fitted ensemble with the flowy bottom is now popularised as Anarkali after Madhubala’s character.

She paired the ensemble with a fine head gear of similar colours. She wore red and golden jewellery. For her makeup, she paired highlighted cheeks with smokey eyes and red lips.

The men, Akbar and Salim wore bagalbandhi costumes and short fitted jackets with large open fronts. In fact, some of Anarkali’s dance sequences also featured her wearing lehenga cholis.

Also Read: Mughal-e-Azam takes New York City by storm, watch video inside