"Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya" () is a song from the famous Indian movie ''
Mughal-e-Azam
''Mughal-e-Azam'' () is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film produced and directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went ...
'' (1960), which is directed by K. Asif. The song is composed by
Naushad
Naushad Ali (25 December 1919 – 5 May 2006) was an Indian music director for Hindi films. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest and foremost music directors of the Hindi film industry. He is particularly known for popularising the ...
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her con ...
Madhubala
Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress and producer who worked in Hindi-language films. She ranked as one of the highest-paid entertainers in India in the post-independence era, ...
, who plays the role of beautiful courtesan Anarkali in the film. It is shot in technicolour in a set inspired by the Sheesh Mahal of the
Lahore Fort
The Lahore Fort ( ur, , lit=Royal Fort, translit=Shāhī Qilā, label= Punjabi and Urdu) is a citadel in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The fortress is located at the northern end of walled city Lahore, and spreads over an area greater than 20 ...
.
Development
The composition of "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya" was especially time-consuming – on the day of the song's recording, Naushad rejected two sets of lyrics made by Shakeel Badayuni. Subsequently, a "brainstorming session" was held on Naushad's terrace, beginning in the early part of the evening and lasting until next day. Late in the night, Naushad remembered a folk song from eastern
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
with the lyrics going as "Prem kiya, kya chori kari hai..." ("I have loved, does it mean that I have stolen?"). The song was converted into a '' ghazal'' and subsequently recorded. It was also one of Lata's
Urdu
Urdu (;"Urdu" '' Bade Ghulam Ali. His part in the song is meant to represent the voice of
Tansen
Tansen ( – 26 April 1589), also referred to and commonly known as Sangeet Samrat () , was a Hindustani classical musician. Born in a Hindu Gaur Brahmin family, he learnt and perfected his art in the northwest region of modern Madhya Pr ...
, one of Akbar's Nine Jewels, considered to have had the ability to bring rain from the sky and light candles in the dark with his singing. This rendition is followed by a
solo
Solo or SOLO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Comics
* ''Solo'' (DC Comics), a DC comics series
* Solo, a 1996 mini-series from Dark Horse Comics
Characters
* Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character
* Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''S ...
by Lata Mangeshkar, composed as an
ode
An ode (from grc, ᾠδή, ōdḗ) is a type of lyric poetry. Odes are elaborately structured poems praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally. A classic ode is structured in three majo ...
by the lead character in the film, Anarkali, to the Prince for whom she declares her love. She does this in front of the King and the whole court, knowing well enough that the king is opposed to their love and such an open declaration might be considered as rebellion.
In many lines of the song, the courtesan taunts the great emperor by repeatedly declaring her refusal to hide her true feelings even in the face of likely death. The song ends with a chorus singing the refrain (the titular ''"Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya"'').
Filming
The song "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya" was filmed in a set inspired by the Sheesh Mahal of the
Lahore Fort
The Lahore Fort ( ur, , lit=Royal Fort, translit=Shāhī Qilā, label= Punjabi and Urdu) is a citadel in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The fortress is located at the northern end of walled city Lahore, and spreads over an area greater than 20 ...
, in the Mohan Studios. The particular set was noted for its size, which measured 150 feet in length, 80 feet in breadth and 35 feet in height. A heavily discussed aspect of the set was the presence of numerous small mirrors made of Belgian glass, which were crafted and designed by workers from
Firozabad
Firozabad is a city near Agra in Firozabad district in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the centre of India's glassmaking industry and is known for the quality of the bangles and also glasswares produced there.
During the reign of A ...
. The set took two years to build and cost more than (), equivalent to () adjusted for inflation.
The sequence cost more than 1 million to execute, a price higher than the budget of an entire film at that time. The high cost increased fears that the financiers of the film would face bankruptcy. It was the most expensive Indian music video up until then, and remained the most expensive for decades.