Mumbai, June 13: K. Asif, born Asif Karim on June 14, 1922, in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, left school after the eighth grade due to a lack of interest in traditional studies and moved to Bombay (now Mumbai). His journey as a director began in 1945 with the social-family film ‘Phool.’
This film, adorned with dialogues by Kamal Amrohi, was the first grand multi-starrer of its time, showcasing the story of a daughter of Safdar (Prithviraj Kapoor) who strives to complete an incomplete mosque amidst a conservative society, a theme that was revolutionary for that era.
‘Phool’ became the fourth biggest hit of 1945. Following this success, he directed ‘Halchal’ in 1951, featuring Dilip Kumar and Nargis, which taught him the practical skills of managing big stars and complex sets.
The pinnacle of K. Asif’s dreams was ‘Mughal-e-Azam.’ Released in 1960, he dedicated nearly 12 precious years of his life to this film. Despite facing numerous challenges, including the partition’s impact, the untimely death of lead actor Chandramohan, and financier Shiraz Ali’s departure to Pakistan, Asif’s determination remained unshaken. With the support of Parsi businessman Shapoorji Pallonji, the film resumed production, breaking all boundaries of grandeur.
It is said that the total budget for this film was 1.5 crore rupees, making it the most expensive film in India at that time. The song “Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya” was written 105 times to satisfy composer Naushad.
While K. Asif immortalized love on the silver screen, his personal life was tumultuous. He had four marriages, the last being to Dilip Kumar’s younger sister, Akhtar Begum, which Dilip Kumar strongly opposed. During the remaining shooting of ‘Mughal-e-Azam,’ communication between the two ceased, and Dilip Kumar did not attend the film’s historic premiere.
After ‘Mughal-e-Azam,’ K. Asif began work on ‘Love and God,’ India’s first full-colour epic film based on the immortal tale of Laila-Majnu in 1963 with Guru Dutt. However, work halted due to Guru Dutt’s sudden death in 1964.
Undeterred, K. Asif resumed the film in 1970 with Sanjeev Kumar, but he passed away on March 9, 1971. Sanjeev Kumar also died in November 1985. The film was released in a fragmented state on May 27, 1986, but was a box office failure. Due to the untimely deaths of three prominent figures—Guru Dutt, K. Asif, and Sanjeev Kumar—this film is often regarded as one of the most ‘cursed’ films in history.
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.
