61 years of Mughal-e-Azam: Rare photos from Dilip Kumar- Madhubala's epic historical drama

Starring legendary actors Dilip Kumar, Madhubala and Prithviraj Kapoor, the epic historical drama Mughal-e-Azam was released on August 5 in 1960. The film has broken all the box office records and became the highest-grossing Indian film of all time.

Mughal-e-Azam was the first black-and-white Hindi film to be digitally coloured, and the first in any language to be given a theatrical re-release in 2004.

Actors Dilip Kumar and Madhubala gave life to the characters of Salim and Anarkali and set an example of pure and undying love. The film's grandeur and attention to detail still manage to leave the fans in awe.

Directed by K. Asif, Mughal-e-Azam was not just a commercial success but the film earned praises from the critics as well. It has turned out to be a classic in the Hindi Film Industry. 

While Dilip Kumar played the role of Prince Salim to perfection, do you know that director K. Asif had rejected him at first for the role? Even Kumar was hesitant to star in a period film. however, after the film's producer's convincing, Dilip Kumar came onboard.

On the other hand, the role of Anarkali was first offered to Suraiya but later went to Madhubala. The actress has to overcome many health related problems to finish the film. She used to faint on sets due to her congenital heart disease and also endured skin abrasions.