Mughal-E-Azam: Feroz Abbas Khan's Epic Musical Reaches Ahmedabad this March

When a peaceful candle march agitating against film Padmavat turned into an attempt of ruckus, on the evening of 23rd January 2018 in Ahmedabad, it ended up disrupting the whole of city’s vivacity, we could see unmindful delinquents torching and destroying public property, while the authorities concerned were still figuring out measures to control mayhem. But amidst these loathsome undertakings where creativity is being choked in the name of personal preferences, the connoisseurs in the city were able to hear the pleasant news – Playwright and Director Feroz Abbas Khan announced to bring his magnum opus, the Broadway World India Award-winning play Mughal-e-Azam: The Musical to the heritage city of Ahmedabad.

Coming on March 8, 2018 at TransStadia, Maninagar this lavish theatre production will continue ticketed shows until March 11, 2018. The drama has been brought by Coconut Media Box LLP in the city and produced by Shapoorji Pallonji, who played a prominent role in financing K. Asif’s magnum opus motion picture Mughal-E-Azam in 1960. The critically acclaimed play includes more than 100 onstage artists and luminary personalities like Manish Malhotra as the Costume Designer, Mayuri Upadhyay as the choreographer, Neil Patel as the set designer and Deepesh Salgia, the man who gave the creative vision to the play.

Mughal-e-Azam is the epic historical film, that has attained legendary status in the minds and hearts of every Indian cinegoer. Directed by K. Asif the film, till date, stands tall as a grand spectacle, that is rich enough to move the viewer emotionally. Feroz Abbas Khan, took up the challenge of adapting the film onto a stage musical format and give the live audiences an opportunity to experience the grandeur that underlines K. Asif’s work.

After gaining numerous standing ovations at Mumbai and Delhi, the epic love story is coming to heritage city of Ahmedabad, the playwright who has given us profound dramas like Mahatma Vs Gandhi and Salesman Ramlal and films like Gandhi My Father. While talking to CreativeYatra Khan expresses his delight by saying, “Originally the film was inspired by the play Anarkali, so it already carried the essence of a dramatic narration. Although we didn’t alter the music and poetic dialogues of the film here, we asked the actors to have their take on the character. We wanted to give the contemporary declamatory punch in language and use technology to make it more wooing to our current audience. My tribute to Asif sir has completed more than 96 shows till now.”

The two hours twenty minutes play narrating the story of a prince who falls in love with a danseuse and revolts against his father against his disapproval is an adaptation of the three and half hour-long film. The play has the character Santraj as a raconteur, who played the role of the painter in the epic film. The music of play is unaltered and continues with the timeless magic of Naushad’s melodies from the original film. To suit the musical format all the onstage singing is performed LIVE by most of the actors.

We are sure Ahmedabad will lap up the grand musical.

Image source: Organisers