Karan Johar, the filmmaker with a profound understanding of the film industry in the 1960s and 1970s, gained this insight from his late father, Yash Johar. Recently, he shared a fascinating anecdote about his father’s involvement on film sets, particularly during the making of K Asif’s iconic film Mughal-E-Azam.
Yash Johar recounted a specific incident from the production, recalling a day when K Asif unexpectedly called for a pack-up, leading to a hiatus in shooting for the following three days. Evidently, he aimed to organize a pond of ittar (fragrant perfume) specifically for the actress Madhubala.
Karan Johar recalls K Asif halted Mughal-E-Azam’s shoot for three days to arrange ittar pond for Madhubala
In a conversation with Film Companion, Karan Johar shared that his father, Yash Johar’s presence on the sets of Mughal-E-Azam provided him with extensive insights into the occurrences during that time. This included details about the dynamics between actors and directors, as well as actresses and directors.
Karan said, “My father told me about a moment how K Asif announced pack-up because they didn’t have real ‘ittar’ and he wanted real ‘ittar’ in the pond so that Madhubala could give up that close-up as a result of that whiff that she would get. She had to give that whiff to give that beauteous expression.”
KJo went on to reveal that, despite the production team having initially filled the pond with water as one normally would, K Asif was dissatisfied. He refused to proceed with the shoot until a real ittar was arranged. The Kuch Kuch hota hai director emphasized the unique production demand, explaining that a pond full of real ittar couldn’t be quickly filled. The production team committed to taking three days to accomplish this task. As a result, the director decided to pack up, and no shooting occurred for three days until the pond was entirely filled with ittar.
About Mughal-e-Azam
Released in 1960, Mughal-e-Azam stands as a timeless masterpiece and is often hailed as one of the greatest Indian films. The enduring love saga of Salim and Anarkali, coupled with the compelling tale of a son’s rebellion against his father, Emperor Akbar, continues to be a quintessential representation of Indian cinema worldwide.
Noteworthy performances by Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, and Madhubala contribute to the film’s cinematic brilliance. The visionary filmmaker K Asif embarked on the project in 1944, investing 16 years to bring this monumental creation to fruition.
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