Indian thespian Dilip Kumar is expected to attend a special premiere of "Mughal-e-Azam" in the Pakistan port city of Karachi next month.

The film's Pakistan distributors say they have received a letter of consent from the actor, who played Prince Salim in the epic love story by K. Asif. His doctors permitting, he would be there.

"If there will be an issue about his coming here, it will be something relating to the great actor's health. Otherwise there is nothing which can hamper his voyage," Nadeem Mandviwalla, the owner of Nishat cinema and the proprietor of Mandviwalla Entertainment that has viewing rights of the movie in Pakistan, told the Daily Times.

The movie was released in Lahore on Saturday and Mandviwalla said the turnout had been excellent.

"I am travelling to Mumbai in the first week of May. I will return by May 24 and will confirm his attendance then," Mandviwalla told the paper.

Dilip Kumar is probably the only actor alive from the cast of the 1960 classic that is being screened in Pakistan - legally - after 45 years. Pirated videos and CDs of the film are available.

Among the few other survivors of those who contributed to its creation are composer Naushad, who lives in Mumbai and makes occasional public appearances.