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. He moved to Mumbai, where his directorial journey began with the social drama film ‘Phool’ in 1945.
This film, adorned with dialogues by Kamal Amrohi, was one of the first grand multi-starrer films of its time. It depicted the story of a daughter, Safdar (played by Prithviraj Kapoor), who strives to complete an incomplete mosque in a conservative society, a narrative that was quite revolutionary for that era.
‘Phool’ became the fourth highest-grossing film of 1945. In 1951, Asif directed ‘Halchal’ featuring Dilip Kumar and Nargis, which taught him the practical skills needed to manage 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 impact of partition, the untimely death of lead actor Chandramohan, and financier Shiraz Ali moving to Pakistan, Asif’s determination never wavered. 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 the time. The song “Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya” was written 105 times to satisfy composer Naushad.
While K. Asif showcased eternal 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 working on the country’s first full-color epic film ‘Love and God,’ 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, Asif resumed the film in 1970 with Sanjeev Kumar. Unfortunately, K. Asif 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 it flopped at the box office. The premature deaths of three prominent figures—Guru Dutt, K. Asif, and Sanjeev Kumar—led to this film being regarded as one of the most ‘cursed’ films in history.
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