A Disappointing Take on Mughal-e-Azam: Maan Gaye Mughal-e-Azam Review

Maan Gaye Mughal-e-Azam attempts to blend political satire with comedy but ultimately disappoints. Despite a talented cast, including Kay Kay Menon and Mallika Sherawat, the film struggles to deliver genuine humor and falls flat in its execution. With a confusing narrative and lackluster dialogue, it leaves viewers yearning for the charm of the original Mughal-e-Azam. This review delves into the film's missed opportunities and the performances that could not save it from mediocrity.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 22, 2025, 11:36 IST

A Lackluster Attempt at Comedy

This film aims to be quirky and humorous but ultimately falls flat, leaving audiences bored. The sound of its failure resonates like the sound of plaster props crashing on stage, as the cast delivers a lackluster rendition of K. Asif's timeless romance, 'Mughal-e-Azam.'

Often, a film can seem more appealing in its script than in execution. The talented ensemble cast likely understood the humor and agreed to participate in this satire about a theater group navigating the chaos of the 1993 Mumbai blasts.

Regrettably, K. Asif would be disheartened by this adaptation, and so are we.

This film combines political satire with a cheeky take on theatrical infidelity, featuring Paresh's alluring wife Mallika, who finds herself pursued by the infatuated Rahul, who is quite different from his character in 'Pyar Ke Side Effects.'

Kay Kay Menon, known for his serious role in 'Black Friday,' transitions into this satirical role with surprising ease. As a clumsy ghazal singer with ties to terrorism, he brings a witty charm to the film, a quality that the overall production fails to match. The film does not do justice to the talents of its esteemed cast.

Pavan Malhotra also shines as an exaggerated gangster, equally confused about the characters played by Kay Kay and Paresh, mirroring our own confusion regarding the film's purpose.

Is this a theatrical piece about acting, or a cinematic portrayal of theatrical antics? Regardless, while Kay Kay shifts from 'Black Friday' to a more lighthearted role, Mallika transitions from 'Murder' to a comedic disaster. Her remix of 'Pyar kiya to darna kya' would likely elicit a smirk from Madhubala in the afterlife.

If Mallika's portrayal in 'Murder' was groundbreaking in terms of sexual boldness, her flirtations from the stage under her husband's watchful gaze can only be likened to a poor rendition of 'Pati Patni Aur Woh.' Chhel has proven himself a skilled writer and director, having previously shone in 'Khubsoorat,' where he transformed Urmila Matondkar into a swan.

By the film's conclusion, it remains unclear whether Mallika is the duck or the swan in 'Maan Gaye Mughal-e-Azam.' What is evident is that this painfully exaggerated tribute to a theatrical troupe's desperate attempts to save Mumbai from the underworld offers little more than seven minutes of genuine humor throughout its runtime.

The dialogue is filled with either cringeworthy double entendres or juvenile jokes. The film attempts to draw laughs by comparing RDX and R. D. Burman, yet it lacks the melodic charm of Burman's music or the explosive energy of RDX.