Mughal-e-Azam: The Musical Play Leaves Toronto Spellbound!

Giggling girls in elegant ethnic wear sporting Anarkali caps, posing and pouting next to colourful posters. Men dressed in snazzy summer wear looking pale compared to mogul courtiers parading in ethnic costumes and mojhdis. 

Royalties lining up in fineries of silk and chiffon, waiting to enter Emperor Akbar’s eloquent darbaar. Soft beats from music composer Naushad’s love anthem, “Pyaar kiya to darna kya…” playing the background with kathak dancers posing and doing a shy “adaab,” inviting you in. 

And, in you go. Into the hearts and lives of royalties and commoners from India’s Mughal dynasty. With the rich ambience around, you are transported to the 16th century court of Emperor Akbar, where two courtiers in shining amours and booming voices announce, “Shahehshaon ke shehenshah, Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar tashreef laa rahe hai.” 

And, if your Urdu is a bit amiss like mine, there are English subtitles on large LED screens to help. Courtesans giggle and scramble to get in line, as the mighty Emperor Akbar takes long, powerful strides to ascend India’s theatrical throne.

As you prepare to be part of the shenanigans of Emperor Akbar’s court – a soft vibration from your cell phone, brings you back to reality. That is the power of theatre. And Mughal-e-Azam, the musical play, amplifies the magic hundred-fold.

Rooted in Indian classical music and dance, nostalgia returned to Toronto as romance intersected with royalty. Music met magic. And legends got a new life!

Combining a rich tapestry of puns, phrases and romantic exchanges, the remarkable dialogue (based on the original film Mughal-e-Azam by the legendary K. Asif), Mughal-e-Azam, the musical play is truly a theatrical marvel and a visual wonder that leaves audiences spellbound. With the play, one can proudly state that Indian theatre has come of age.

Travelling on a tour across North America, the play has been to Atlanta, New York, Baltimore, Orlando, Chicago, New Jersey with a stop in Toronto. It later travels to Houston, Dallas, Seattle, Vancouver, San Jose and Phoenix before returning home to India.

Playing to packed audiences at Toronto’s Meridian Hall last weekend, those who attended were left in awe of the 3-hour play, filled with scintillating dialogues and live singing by lead performers to pre-recorded orchestral and choral scores.

The Broadway-style musical, adapted from K Asif’s 1960 cinema classic by the same name, enthralled Toronto audiences with its grandeur, opulence, and magical moments. Both the film and the play are based on the 1922 play, “Anarkali” by playwright Imtiaz Ali Taj. 

Mughal-e-Azam the play, is directed by Feroz Abbas Khan, known for bringing plays like Tumhari Amrita, featuring Shabana Azmi and the late Forooq Sheikh, to global audiences. Abbas Khan received thunderous applause from Torontonians after the show’s closing. A well-deserved accolade, indeed.

A cinema on Stage presentation, the musical play has renowned names linked to it. Manish Malhotra (costumes); Mukesh Chhabra (casting); Sherbahadur K Singh (hair and make-up); and Ronnie Fraser (technical director) among others.

In an earlier interview, director Abbas Khan said that he was not looking to make an imitation of the original film, but rather wanted to pay tribute to the one and only K. Asif. For him, the play would be an interpretation of the original masterpiece, but in a different medium.

Abbas Khan approached Shapoorji Pallonji Group for the stage rights of Mughal-e-Azam and was given these on the condition that the play keep both the tradition and authenticity of the film. And the play undoubtedly does full justice to the epic film.

The cast for the show playing Saturday night included: Emperor Akbar played by Nissar Khan (of Crime Patrol) fame; Anarkali played by Priyanka Barve; Salim played by Dhanveer Singh; Bahar played by Rupsha Mukherjee and Maharani Jodhabai played by Sonal Jha.  

Nissar Khan deserves special mention for his power-packed performance, steely voice and flawless dialogue delivery. Priyanka Barve and Rupsha Mukherjee had audiences mesmerized with their melodious voice and live singing. Both performers recreated magic with the qawwali, “Teri mehfil mein kismat aazmaan ke hum bhi dekhenge.”

Incidentally, the film Mughal-e-Azam took 16 years in the making and released in India almost 60 years ago, featuring legendary stars like Prithvi Raj Kapoor (Emperor Akbar), Dilip Kumar (Prince Salim), Madhubala (Anarkali) and Durga Khote (Maharani Jodha Bai).

The epic film is widely considered to be a milestone of its genre, earning praise from critics for its grandeur and attention to sets, costumes, music, dance and depiction of the Mughal dynasty and opulence.

The film was also the most expensive film production of its time, comprised twelve melodious songs composed by music director Naushad and lyrics by Shakeel Badayuni. The song “More panghat pe nand laal” is credited to Raskavi Raghunath Brahmabhatt. The film was also the first black-and-white film to be digitally coloured and re-released in 2004.

And, like the film, Mughal-e-Azam, the musical play is also the most expensive production in the history of Indian theatre. In 2017, Mughal-e-Azam, the Musical, won seven out of the fourteen Broadway World India Awards including Best Play, Best Director, and Best Costume Design.

Set in the 16th-century, the plot is set in the Mughal court of Emperor Akbar. It revolves around the heir to the throne, Prince Salim, who falls in love with the beautiful courtesan Anarkali. Emperor Akbar refuses to let his son marry a commoner and a mighty battle of wills ensues. Underpinning this doomed story of love is the troubled relationship between father and son and a magnificent romance that meets a tragic end.

Says director Abbas Khan, “Many people from across the globe would approach me to take the play to the US and other countries. However, after watching a day of rehearsals, they never came back.”

That is until the duo Anand Dawda and Dushyant Kansara from Cinema on Stage met Abbas and the rest, as they say is history. Or rather, history that was brought live to Toronto, and the rest of North America thanks to the duo. 

Mughal-e-Azam the film and the play will be remembered for many things. Elaborate costumes, melodious songs, a fantastic cast, technical expertise and magical sets.

But, most of all for a poignant love story that threatened an entire empire.