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6 things to know about 'Mughal-e-Azam,' the lavish Indian musical playing Houston this weekend
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The story gets a spectacular treatment in "Mughal-e-Azam," an Indian musical based on the 1960 film of the same name. The show, currently playing North America for the first time, is here Friday-Sunday at the Wortham's Brown Theater. Tickets are on sale.
Here are a few things to know about the lavish stage production.
1. What is "Mughal-e-Azam" about?
Emperor Akbar and his wife Jodhabai have a baby boy, Salim, who grows up as a "spoiled, flippant and disrespectful teen." His father skips military school and sends him directly to war for a few life lessons. Salim returns home 14 years later and falls in love with Anarkali, a courtesan. Cue the drama. A dancer named Bahar wants Salim for herself and tells the king about the affair. A fierce battle ensues between father and son, threatening to destroy the kingdom.
2. How popular was the show overseas?
"Mughal-e-Azam" the musical ran for more than 200 performances across six Asian countries and is known as India's most popular play. It won seven BroadwayWorld India Awards, including best play, director and ensemble cast.
3. How expensive is the show to put on?
Mughal-e-Azam is the most expensive production in the history of Indian theater, with a reported budget into the tens of millions. It's the first large-scale Indian Broadway-style musical and was in production for ten months. Manish Malholtra designed 550 costumes for the show. After producers were unable to find a suitable stage, they revamped a weightlifting auditorium in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, India.
4. How much are tickets?
Tickets start at $50.15 and go all the way up to $349. They are still available at etix.com.
5. What about the movie it's based on?
The 1960 film "Mughal-e-Azam" by K. Asif was the most expensive Indian film ever made at the time, around $3 million at the time. The budget for a single musical sequence cost more than most films. Once it was released, people often waited all day in line for tickets, and it was the highest-grossing film of all time in India for 15 years. Souvenir tickets, about $21 in 1960, are now collector's items. "Mughal-e-Azam" was also the first black-and-white Hindi film to be digitally colored for a 2004 re-release.
6. Can I see the movie today?
Unfortunately, it's not on streaming services such as Prime Video or Netflix. But it is available free on YouTube.
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