K. Asif

K. Asif (born Asif Karim; 14 June 1922 – 9 March 1971) was an Indian film director, film producer and screenwriter who is known for his epic film, Mughal-e-Azam.

Early life Asif was born in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India to parents Dr. Fazal Karim and Bibi Ghulam Fatima. Asif went to Bombay and later took the professional name K. Asif. He eventually became a successful film director and producer.

Career His directorial debut, Phool (1945), did very well at the box-office. In 1944, Asif planned to make a film called Mughal-e-Azam based on the life and times of Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great's court dancer, based on the Urdu novel Anarkali ' written by Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj, with Chandramohan as the male lead and the then upcoming actress Nargis as the female lead. However, in 1946, before the production of the film could begin, Chandramohan, died. Asif temporarily shelved the film. He produced the film Hulchul and released it in 1951. who appeared in bit roles in a number of films. She became the second wife of the underworld gangster Iqbal Mirchi, a close associate of India's most wanted criminal, Dawood Ibrahim. Among other crimes, Iqbal Mirchi is said to have been a drug-dealer and to have laundered Dawood Ibrahim's ill-gotten wealth through his business ventures.

Asif's fourth and last wife was Akhtar, the younger sister of actor Dilip Kumar. Asif and Akhtar became acquainted with each other since Asif used to visit Kumar's house frequently during the making of Mughal-e-Azam. It is said that Kumar was extremely unhappy about his sister marrying Asif, and the consequent rift between Kumar and Asif never healed. Akhtar Begum and Asif remained married until his death in 1971. It was Akhtar Begum who ensured the completion and release of Asif's last movie, Love and God, which was released in 1986, fifteen years after Asif's death. Kamal Amrohi