Mughal-e-Azam

In the sixteenth century Prince Salim falls in love with Anarkali, a dancer at court. His father, Emperor Akbar, will not accept it: an heir cannot marry a courtesan. When Salim refuses to step back, the matter stops being a family disagreement and becomes a war between armies. Akbar has to decide as both emperor and father, and the two roles do not give the same answer. K. Asif's film was the product of a nine-year production. The Sheesh Mahal sequence and the song sung in it, Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, are among the best-known passages in Indian cinema. Asif wanted to shoot the whole film in colour but the distributors refused to wait; it opened on 5 August 1960 with about fifteen per cent in colour and the rest in black and white. It broke box-office records and remained the highest-grossing Indian film for fifteen years. In 2004 it was digitally colourised in full and released again. Who it's for: Viewers who like classic Indian cinema, historical epics, and musical drama. Who it's not for: It runs over three hours and the narrative proceeds in a theatrical register. Anarkali's story is also a legend rather than a historically confirmed event.