MUMBAI: Anirudh Pathak, creator and producer of "Dastaan-e-Mohabbat: Salim Anarkali", says his show is different from other movies or plays based on prince Salim and Anarkali. It is a story about how a kaneez (servant) becomes Mallika-e-Hindustan later.

The general story which everyone perhaps is aware of is that a young prince named Salim fell for a kaneez named Anarkali which was not appreciated by emperor Akbar and he made sure that Salim and Anarkali don't get to be together. 

"The journey of their separation is the crux of our story as no one knows what happened then. Our show is a story about how a kaneez becomes Mallika-e-Hindustan later," Pathak told. 

Their story has been told a number of times in the form of a movie, which starred Dilip Kumar and Madhubala, a musical and play.

Pathak pointed out that his show has no connection with the earlier projects. 

"We are bringing in a new show with the concept of a classical cult love story based on the love track of Salim and Anarkali," said the "Chandrashekhar" producer.

Asked about the research that went into it, he said: "Mughal era was extremely high on costumes, drama, plots, conquests, attacks and everything. That era was not that primitive that one could not find anything on it. 

"Akbar and Babur wrote autobiographies. What you cannot find much is the story about Anarkali and who she was. It took us about nine to 10 months to do research for this show. We met a few historians in Delhi to have more knowledge and light on the lives of Salim and Anarkali." 

What's the budget of the show?

"We have tried to do a decent job and used exactly what the show demanded. It is neither too huge nor too small," he shared.

"Dastaan-e-Mohabbat: Salim Anarkali" features actor Shaheer Sheikh as Salim and actress Sonarika Bhadoria as Anarkali. 

(Source: IANS)