Set in the 16th century AD, the film follows the fate of Prince Saleem, son of Emperor Akbar, who meets the disapproval of his father when he falls for the beautiful, ill-fated court dancer Anarkali, whose fervor and intensity perpetrates a war.

Based on the play Anarkali written by Imtiaz Ali ‘Taj’, Mughal E Azam is a landmark in Indian cinema. With its poetic dialogue and popular story elements—passionate lovers cannot be together because of social taboos and orthodox parents—the film gathers its larger than life and universal appeal.