Anarkali (1966 film)
Encyclopedia
Anarkali is a 1966 Malayalam
romance film
based on the historical love story between Prince Salim and Anarkali
. Directed and produced by Kunchacko
, the film was a direct adaptation of the 1953 Hindi
film of the same name
. The film stars Prem Nazir
and K. R. Vijaya
in the lead, with Sathyan
, Thikkurissy
, Ambika and Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair
playing other major roles.
, a courtesan in his father Akbar's kingdom. Akbar forbids Salim to prolong this affair as he wanted his son to marry a Rajput
princess and thereby strengthen communal harmony. So Akbar forbade Saleem from seeing Anarkali again. But Salim becomes blind in his love for Anarkali leading to a struggle between father and his adamant son. All the attempts of Akbar and Minister Man Singh
to separate the lovers fail.
Prince Saleem and Akbar had an argument that later became very serious that even he leads a campaign against his father. In the ensuing war Salim is defeated and sentenced to death. Empress Jodhabai begs to her husband Akbar for the life of their son. But the dutiful emperor does not accede to her request. Anarkali is sentenced to be buried alive. Salim escapes from the jail and rushes to save Anarkali from the punishment. But before he reaches the burial ground, Anarkali's punishment is executed.
The film's cast includes playback singer K. J. Yesudas and music director L. P. R. Varma playing small roles. Yesudas played Tansen, who was a pioneer in Indian music and one of Akbar's Navaratnas
. In a scene, Yesudas lip-sync a song which was sung by P. B. Sreenivas.
.
Malayalam language
Malayalam , is one of the four major Dravidian languages of southern India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India with official language status in the state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry. It is spoken by 35.9 million people...
romance film
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
based on the historical love story between Prince Salim and Anarkali
Anarkali
Anarkali ; Anārkalī ) was a legendary slave girl from Lahore, Punjab . During the Mughal period, she was supposedly ordered to be buried alive between two walls by Mughal emperor Akbar for having an illicit relationship with the Prince Nuruddin Saleem later to become Emperor Jahangir...
. Directed and produced by Kunchacko
Kunchacko
Kunchacko was a Malayali Indian film producer and director who heavily influenced the Malayalam film industry by redefining the commercial film scenario. His venture Udaya Studios influenced the gradual shift of Malayalam film industry from its original base of Madras, Tamil Nadu to Kerala...
, the film was a direct adaptation of the 1953 Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
film of the same name
Anarkali (1953 film)
Anarkali is a 1953 film based on the historical legend of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. As per the legend Jahangir revolted against his father Akbar over his love for a common girl called Anarkali....
. The film stars Prem Nazir
Prem Nazir
Abdul Khader , better known by his stage name Prem Nazir , was an Indian film actor. He is considered one of the all time super stars in Malayalam cinema...
and K. R. Vijaya
K. R. Vijaya
K. R. Vijaya is a popular Indian actress who has starred in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. She started her career in the 1960s. She has been acting for more than four decades now in South Indian cinema. K. R...
in the lead, with Sathyan
Sathyaneshan Nadar
Manuel Sathyaneshan Nadar commonly known by his stage name Sathyan, was an Indian film actor known for his work in Malayalam cinema. He has won the Kerala State Film Award twice and is renowned for his acting skills...
, Thikkurissy
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair
Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair was a Malayali Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padmashri from the Government of India, which is one of the highest civilian honours in India....
, Ambika and Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair
Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair
Sreedharan Nair , popularly known as Kottarakkara and Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, was an Indian film actor in Malayalam movies. He hailed from Kottarakkara in Kollam district of Kerala.Sreedharan Nair won two Kerala state film awards...
playing other major roles.
Plot
Prince Salim falls in love with AnarkaliAnarkali
Anarkali ; Anārkalī ) was a legendary slave girl from Lahore, Punjab . During the Mughal period, she was supposedly ordered to be buried alive between two walls by Mughal emperor Akbar for having an illicit relationship with the Prince Nuruddin Saleem later to become Emperor Jahangir...
, a courtesan in his father Akbar's kingdom. Akbar forbids Salim to prolong this affair as he wanted his son to marry a Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
princess and thereby strengthen communal harmony. So Akbar forbade Saleem from seeing Anarkali again. But Salim becomes blind in his love for Anarkali leading to a struggle between father and his adamant son. All the attempts of Akbar and Minister Man Singh
Man Singh I of Amber
Raja Shri Man Singh Ji Saheb was the Kacchwaha King of Amber, a state later known as Jaipur...
to separate the lovers fail.
Prince Saleem and Akbar had an argument that later became very serious that even he leads a campaign against his father. In the ensuing war Salim is defeated and sentenced to death. Empress Jodhabai begs to her husband Akbar for the life of their son. But the dutiful emperor does not accede to her request. Anarkali is sentenced to be buried alive. Salim escapes from the jail and rushes to save Anarkali from the punishment. But before he reaches the burial ground, Anarkali's punishment is executed.
Cast
- Prem NazirPrem NazirAbdul Khader , better known by his stage name Prem Nazir , was an Indian film actor. He is considered one of the all time super stars in Malayalam cinema...
as Prince Salim - K. R. VijayaK. R. VijayaK. R. Vijaya is a popular Indian actress who has starred in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. She started her career in the 1960s. She has been acting for more than four decades now in South Indian cinema. K. R...
as AnarkaliAnarkaliAnarkali ; Anārkalī ) was a legendary slave girl from Lahore, Punjab . During the Mughal period, she was supposedly ordered to be buried alive between two walls by Mughal emperor Akbar for having an illicit relationship with the Prince Nuruddin Saleem later to become Emperor Jahangir... - SathyanSathyaneshan NadarManuel Sathyaneshan Nadar commonly known by his stage name Sathyan, was an Indian film actor known for his work in Malayalam cinema. He has won the Kerala State Film Award twice and is renowned for his acting skills...
as Akbar - ThikkurissyThikkurissy Sukumaran NairThikkurissy Sukumaran Nair was a Malayali Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padmashri from the Government of India, which is one of the highest civilian honours in India....
as Man SinghMan Singh I of AmberRaja Shri Man Singh Ji Saheb was the Kacchwaha King of Amber, a state later known as Jaipur... - Ambika as Jodhabai
- Kottarakkara Sreedharan NairKottarakkara Sreedharan NairSreedharan Nair , popularly known as Kottarakkara and Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, was an Indian film actor in Malayalam movies. He hailed from Kottarakkara in Kollam district of Kerala.Sreedharan Nair won two Kerala state film awards...
- Gracy
- Adoor BhasiAdoor BhasiAdoor Bhasi was an Indian film actor and film director from Kerala. Adoor Bhasi was almost always cast as the man who stands next to the hero. His hilarious actions and roles became the cynosure of comic scenes in the Malayalam films of the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. He is also famous for his...
- S. P. Pillai
- Alummoodan
- PhilominaPhilominaPhilomina was a veteran Malayalam film actress. She had acted in more than 750 films in her career. She played mostly character and comedy roles, besides that of grandmother and mother. She started acting on the stage. This experience stood her in good stead when she was offered her first film role...
- Manavalan Joseph
- K. J. YesudasK. J. YesudasKattassery Joseph Yesudas is an Indian classical musician and playback singer.Yesudas sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in many languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi,...
as TansenTansenMia Tansen is considered among the greatest composer-musicians in Hindustani classical music. He was an extraordinarily gifted vocalist, known for a large number of compositions, and also an instrumentalist who popularized and improved the rabab .He was among the Navaratnas at the court of the... - L. P. R. Varma
The film's cast includes playback singer K. J. Yesudas and music director L. P. R. Varma playing small roles. Yesudas played Tansen, who was a pioneer in Indian music and one of Akbar's Navaratnas
Navaratnas
Navaratnas Nauratan was a term applied to a group of nine extraordinary people in a emperor's court in India...
. In a scene, Yesudas lip-sync a song which was sung by P. B. Sreenivas.
Historical inaccuracies
- The film was completely shot from Kunchacko's Udaya Studio and miserabily failed in setting the Moghul era on screen.
- Akbar's wife Mariam-uz-Zamani is called Jodhabai in the film. Though she has been also referred to by this name in modern times, she was never known as such during her lifetime.
- In the climax, Anarkali is buried alive by Akbar. However in the mostly accepted version of the real story, Anarkali is saved by Akbar unknown to the world.
Songs
The film had twelve songs composed by Baburaj and lyrics penned by VayalarVayalar Ramavarma
Vayalar Ramavarma , often known as Vayalar, was a modern Malayalam poet and lyricist. His famous works include Sargasangeetham, Mulankaadu, Padamudrakal, Aayisha, Oru Judas janikkunnu.-Biography:...
.
- "Nadikalil Sundari Yamuna" – Yesudas, B. Vasantha
- "Ezhu Chirakulla Theru" – P. SusheelaP. SusheelaPulapaka Susheela is an Indian playback singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, she has recorded songs in many Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Tulu, Badaga and Sinhalese.-Personal life:She is the daughter of Pulapaka...
- "Sapta Swarasudha Sagarame" – P. B. Sreenivas, M. Balamuralikrishna
- "Maadhalappoove Maadhalappoove" – P. SusheelaP. SusheelaPulapaka Susheela is an Indian playback singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, she has recorded songs in many Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Tulu, Badaga and Sinhalese.-Personal life:She is the daughter of Pulapaka...
- "Chakravarthikumara Nin Premasamrajyam" – L. R. EswariL. R. EswariL. R. Eswari is a Veteran playback singer of the Tamil movie industry. She also sang in other languages like Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tulu, and English.-Early Life:...
- "Pranayaganam Paaduvaanai" – P. SusheelaP. SusheelaPulapaka Susheela is an Indian playback singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, she has recorded songs in many Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Tulu, Badaga and Sinhalese.-Personal life:She is the daughter of Pulapaka...
- "Bashpakudeerame" – P. SusheelaP. SusheelaPulapaka Susheela is an Indian playback singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, she has recorded songs in many Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Tulu, Badaga and Sinhalese.-Personal life:She is the daughter of Pulapaka...
- "Ee Rathrithan Vijanathayil" – P. SusheelaP. SusheelaPulapaka Susheela is an Indian playback singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, she has recorded songs in many Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Tulu, Badaga and Sinhalese.-Personal life:She is the daughter of Pulapaka...
- "Mukilasimhame" – P. SusheelaP. SusheelaPulapaka Susheela is an Indian playback singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, she has recorded songs in many Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Tulu, Badaga and Sinhalese.-Personal life:She is the daughter of Pulapaka...
- "Thaalathil Mugdha" – Yesudas
- "Vidarumo" – P. SusheelaP. SusheelaPulapaka Susheela is an Indian playback singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, she has recorded songs in many Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Tulu, Badaga and Sinhalese.-Personal life:She is the daughter of Pulapaka...