History is usually loud about its heroes and meticulously silent about its inventions. Yet, every once in a while, a name slips through the cracks—unrecorded, undocumented, and still unforgettable.

In the era of the Mughals, Emperor Akbar's desire of a son is fulfilled when his wife, Jodhabai, gives birth to Salim, who grows up to be a spoiled brat filled with disrespect and self-indulgence.

In 1922, the Indian playwright Syed Imtiaz Ali Taj wrote the play "Anarkali," based on the historical legend of a tragic romance between the Mughal Prince Salim and Anarkali, a dancer in his royal ...