Akbar Salim Anarkali

Akbar Salim Anarkali is a 1979 Telugu, Historical film produced & directed by N. T. Rama Rao on his Ramakrishna Cine Studios banner. Starring N. T. Rama Rao, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Deepa in the lead roles and music composed by C. Ramchandra. The film is based on Bollywood epic Mughal E Azam^[2][3][4]

Plot

The film is a historical love story, based on the 14th century Mughal Emperor Akbar's Mughal E Azam.

Akbar (N. T. Rama Rao), who does not have a male heir, undertakes a pilgrimage to a shrine to pray that his wife Jodha (Jamuna) give birth to a son. Later, Tansen (Gummadi) the singer in his court, brings the emperor news of his son's birth. Overjoyed at his prayers being answered Akbar gives Tansen his ring and promises to grant him anything he desires.

The son Salim grows up to be spoiled, flippant, and self-indulgent. His father sends him off to war, to teach him courage and discipline. Fourteen years later Prince Salim (Nandamuri Balakrishna) returns as a distinguished soldier and falls in love with court-dancer Nadira, whom the emperor has renamed Anarkali (Deepa), meaning pomegranate blossom. The relationship is discovered by the jealous Bahar (Madhavi), a dancer of a higher rank, who wants the prince to love her so that she may one day become queen. Unsuccessful in winning Salim's love, she exposes his forbidden relationship with Anarkali. Salim pleads to marry Anarkali, but his father refuses and imprisons her. Despite her treatment, Anarkali refuses to reject Salim, as Akbar demands.

Salim rebels and amasses an army to confront Akbar and rescue Anarkali. Defeated in battle, Salim is sentenced to death by his father but is told that the sentence will be revoked if Anarkali, now in hiding, is handed over to die in his place. Anarkali gives herself up to save the prince's life and is condemned to death by being entombed alive. Before her sentence is carried out, she begs to have a few hours with Salim as his make-believe wife. Her request is granted, as she has agreed to drug Salim so that he cannot interfere with her entombment. As Anarkali is being walled up, Akbar is reminded that he still owes Tansen a favour, as it was he who brought him news of Salim's birth. He pleads for her Anarkali's life. The emperor has a change of opinion, but although he wants to release Anarkali he cannot, because of his duty to his country. He, therefore, arranges for her secret escape into exile with Tansen but demands that the pair are to live in obscurity and that Salim is never to know that Anarkali is still alive.

Cast

• N. T. Rama Rao as Akbar
• Jamuna as Jodha
• Nandamuri Balakrishna as Salim
• Deepa as Anarkali
• Gummadi as Tansen
• Sridhar
• Madhavi as Bahar
• P. J. Sarma
• Chalapathi Rao

Soundtrack

Music composed by C. Ramchandra. Lyrics was written by C. Narayana Reddy. Music released on Saregama Audio Company.

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Others

• VCDs and DVDs on - Universal Videos, SHALIMAR Video Company, Hyderabad

References