When we talk about Mughal-E-Azam, it is regarded as one of the most iconic films in the history of Indian cinema. It was also among the most expensive Indian films of its time, reportedly made on a budget of Rs 1.5 crore. Adjusted for inflation, that amount would be worth well over Rs 150 crore today. Directed by K Asif, the film is remembered for its grand scale, elaborate sets and celebrated dialogues. However, Kamal Amrohi’s son Tajdar Amrohi has claimed that his father wrote the film for Rs 10,000 per scene, nearly Rs 10 lakh per scene in today’s money when adjusted for inflation, but was not given sole credit for the writing when the film was released.

Speaking to Vickey Lalwani, Tajdar claimed that Kamal Amrohi was responsible for all the dialogues in the films he worked on, including Pakeezah, Mahal and Razia Sultan, as well as Mughal-E-Azam.

Kamal Amrohi wrote all dialogues of Mughal-E-Azam

He said: “Every dialogue in Pakeezah was written by my father. Nobody else could write dialogues in my father’s movies. Be it Pakeezah, Mahal, Razia Sultan… even the dialogues in Mughal-E-Azam. With all due respect to K Asif, he didn’t want Kamal Amrohi to get full credit.”

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When asked why, Tajdar replied: “Then people would think Kamal Amrohi has written the entire film. The film also had Aman Khan, Vajahat Mirza, who are not credited with any other film than Mughal-E-Azam as a writer. However, Kamal Amrohi has proved time and again that he is a writer. He is a big writer.”

‘Writers were calles Munshis’

Tajdar further claimed that his father played a significant role in raising the stature of screenwriters in the Hindi film industry.

“Earlier, writers were called Munshis, the ones with pencil on their ear. People who wrote dialogues and stories for movies, they were widely referred to as munshis in the industry. None of them ever charged over Rs 2000. Kamal Amrohi was the only man who charged Rs 10,000 per scene in Mughal-E-Azam.”

Kamal Amrohi’s Mughal-E-Azam fallout

According to Tajdar, the fee was unusually high for the time. He also recalled that his father eventually fell out with Asif while working on Mughal-E-Azam and walked away from the project. However, Tajdar claimed that Asif later realised he could not complete the film without him.

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“He accompanied Zeenat Aman’s father, Amanullah Khan and came to our house. Baba came out. But none of them were speaking. They used Aman as the mediator. While sitting in the same room, Asif told Aman to communicate to Amrohi that he has to complete his film Mughal-E-Azam. A confused Aman sahab looked towards my father, who said: ‘Tell him I can’t write it.'”

The communication continued for some time, with Amanullah Khan acting as the mediator.

“Finally Asif sahab got up from his place, shouted at baba, and hugged him. You will have to complete my film Amrohi, nobody’s writing is impressing me.”

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Tajdar added: “My father’s way of writing was extremely unique. Prithviraj Kapoor was a huge fan of my father.”

‘He was paid 10,000 per scene’

According to Tajdar, it was during this reconciliation that Asif, through Amanullah Khan, asked Amrohi what it would take for him to return to the film. Amrohi, who was still upset, demanded Rs 10,000 per scene.

“My father in anger said: ‘Tell him I would charge Rs 10,000 per scene.’ Asif sahab quickly agreed to it.”

Tajdar claimed that while writers at the time generally earned between Rs 200 and Rs 4,000, Amrohi eventually earned around Rs 2 lakh for his work on Mughal-E-Azam.

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He added: “At a time when people charged between Rs 200 to Rs 4000, Kamal Amrohi earned about Rs 2 lakh for Mughal-E-Azam. When the producer raised concerns, Asif put his foot down and said, ‘I can’t let anyone else write the script.'”

Tajdar Amrohi on Mughal-E-Azam credit

However, Tajdar claimed that despite his father’s contribution, three other names were included in the writing credits when Mughal-E-Azam was released — Vajahat Mirza, Amanullah Khan and another writer.

“Asif sahab divided the credit. My father was too hurt. He was so hurt that he confronted Asif and asked him to pull his name completely from the film. When Asif said that it will reduce the value of the film, my father said then let me warn you that these three writers won’t get any work because the writing is completely mine. They won’t be able to recreate it. Even choti ammi (Meena Kumari) noted that it was my father’s writing.”

Kamal Amrohi earned around Rs 2 lakh for his work on the film — a figure that would be worth nearly Rs 2 crore today after adjusting for inflation.