NEW DELHI, Dec 14: President Gen Pervez Musharraf was recently presented in London with a copy of Indian cinema's acclaimed magnum opus Mughal-i-Azam, amid hopes that it would pave the way for the film's screening in Pakistan, The Hindustan Times said on Tuesday.

Mr Akbar Asif, son of the late K. Asif, the film's director, presented the digitally coloured celluloid copy of the 1960 black and white movie to Gen Musharraf. They met in Dorchester recently when Gen Musharraf stopped over in London for a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

While Mr Asif presented the film to Gen Musharraf for personal screening, "the President said he felt honoured to receive it," The Hindustan Times said quoting from an interview with Mr Asif.

Mr Asif pointed out that the film's heroes Prithviraj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, K. Asif himself and many others in the movie hailed from what is now Pakistan, thus the film's screening there, for which he has the exclusive rights, would be in a way 'return journey' to familiar territory.

The period drama in its new full colour incarnation could help break the ban of almost 40 years and open the screening of Indian films in Pakistan, said Mr Akbar Asif. Pakistani officials visiting New Delhi as part of the ongoing confidence-building dialogue and other assorted bilateral visits have been making a beeline for the movie which is making box office history even as a re-released film.

"It will further strengthen relations and understanding between people on either side of the border and help cement relations between the two countries," Mr Asif said.

He told The Hindustan Times that all the proceeds from the screening in Pakistan, which on a conservative estimate could reach a billion rupees, would be put in charity for good causes. "I do not want to make any money from its screening in Pakistan and would spend it all on good causes," he said.

Mr Asif revealed that he 'sort' of acted in the film. The morning after the night his mother, Nigar Sultana, finished the shooting of the song sequence Jab raat hai aisi matwalli, subha ka alam kya hoga, he was born. "So I too sort of acted in the film."