Umrao Jaan (1981) User Reviews

Unusually well-made Urdu film

[JuguAbraham · 9/10 · 24 February 2002]

For many in India, this is a film famous for its haunting songs. To some, it was a film that brought an average, good-looking actress a dream role that fetched her a national best actress award.

"Umrao Jaan" did not create ripples among most critics when it was made because the story line revolving around a singer/dancer who sells her body was old hat for most Hindi/Urdu film-goers.

What made "Umrao Jaan" stand out? It was the director Muzaffar Ali's flash-in-the-pan directorial effort. His earlier film "Gaman" lends poor comparison to "Umrao Jaan." Ali was able to get superb performances from the ensemble of Bollywood actresses to whom subtlety is still a foreign concept. Rekha is quite restrained (wish she were more), so is Prema Narayan in this film. The effect is stunning. Some of the Indian actors could do so well, if only they were well directed!

But good direction does not come merely in dealing with actors. Each and every shot of cameraman Pravin Bhatt could have been mistaken for the work of Sven Nykvist in the early Bergman movies. The composition of each frame, taking three objects in perspective (faces, chandeliers, minarets, etc..) and juggling with the one, two, or three objects for composition within the frame brought a maturity to Indian cinematography rarely seen. This is a film to be enjoyed by sight and sound--not merely at the level of the story. This is probably why twenty years after it was made the film attracts audiences as it did before. It has stood the test of time. It was unfortunate that Indian critics by and large grouped it with commercial cinema churned out from Mumbai merely because of its song and dance component and its all too familiar theme for Indian audiences.

The screenplay was well written and mature in comparison to most Urdu/Hindi films. Melodrama was reigned in, yet music and song held sway. The melancholic thread in the film is developed right up to the dried leaves in the final scenes knitting together a very feminist tragedy by a male director. In many respects, this film was a major movie from India in the Eighties, on par with the efforts of some of the more notable directors like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Adoor Gopalakrishnan.

For Ali, this was his swansong--he never made a film that flashed his brilliance after this effort. Probably he knew he could not improve upon this effort....

One of the best Indian movies

[ahmadaYAZ100 · 9/10 · 26 November 2006]

I saw it again, after 25 years! I think it is one of the best movies (Indian or otherwise), at par with any famed-Satyajit Ray. It should NOT be even compared with the new Umrao Jaan. The problem is that it is so good that Muzaffar Ali (the producer from Lucknow where most of the movie unfolds) perhaps cannot make a better movie all his life.

The film is very restrained, and therefore, a believable story of a Lucknow tawa-if (courtesan, geisha). There are no brave heroes (all flee 1857 Sepoy Mutiny against the English), the robber Faiz Ali dies in an unheroic escape. Owner of house of tawaifs, Madam Khanum, is selfish and exploitative. Nawab Sultan, one of the first clients of Umrao, sees Umarao what she is - a tawaif and abandons her with no compunctions to marry into the wealthy family of her cousin; others hurl insults at Umrao. There is a thin line (if any) between a tawaif and a prostitute/hooker - Umrao sleeps with Nawab Sultan as a matter of routine, and then with the robber Faiz Ali.

Urdu poetry (ghazal) is shown to be pervasive in the lives of tawaifs and all around her. The dialogs are in lyrical, delicate and local Urdu, difficult to be appreciated in translation. Acting is superb by all. Songs and Indian Kathak dances (minus one by Nawab Sultan) are mostly in context.

Good movies like good books can enrich and teach. Most Indian movies are trash, fantastic escape from reality but not old Umrao Jaan. You could see Lucknow of a bygone era. Sample these:

• pigeon flight contests (or kabootar baazi, a flock breaking pigeons mid flight from a rival flock) - Indian hop scotch (ikkal dukkal) - the earthen stove (or choolha) - the custom of eating with hands in the kitchen on the floor near choolha - the custom of offering for a saint's shrine (nazar at durgaah) - the custom of arranged marriage between Muslim cousins - the custom of purdah, - the custom of eating betel leaf (or paans) and hookah smoking - the tradition of sellers of bangles and shawls coming home - the incompetent and indolent nawabs who would sell part of the estate for a courtesan

See it if you have not yet; see it again if you have once. Technically, the photography is not as high quality as now - but then in 25 years movie cameras have improved a lot.

The unforgettable Umrao Jaan

[Peter_Young · 9/10 · 5 March 2021]

Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan is a work of great mastery. Ali adopts Mirza Hadi Ruswa's novel and does it skillfully. Telling the story of Amiran, who was kidnapped as a young girl and sold in brothel in Lahore to become a renowned courtesan and poetess, Umrao Jaan is what people call an art film, and it is a very good art film at that. The film is, indeed, benefitted by a stark atmosphere of authenticity, and coupled with its poignant and heartbreaking story, as well as its poetic tone, keeps engaging the audience as they feel for the heroine as the proceedings unfold. And if that is not enough, it is a true visual treat, boasting of extraordinary sets and costumes and providing a fascinating glimpse into the ancient years and places where the story is supposed to take place. Ali's direction is excellent, and he manages to make it much more than just a costume drama. The cinematic quality of this film in both writing, production values and aesthetics cannot be doubted, but the film actually has soul.

But Umrao Jaan, both the film and the character, will always be remembered for one reason. It is Rekha who creates, understands, inhabits and immortalises Umrao Jaan, breathing life, passion, soul and mountainous strength into her troubled character. In a subtle and heartbreaking performance, she conveys much of her loneliness and yearning through her hauntingly expressive eyes, refined dialogue delivery and extraordinary depth, and sometimes merely through just her nonverbal, electrifying presence. Her Umrao is relatable and mysterious at the same time, and is just fascinating altogether. Few scenes can compare to those in which she poignantly recites her poetry; or desperately tears away her past lover's shirt when he invites her to his wedding; or reacts to the long-awaited encounter with her mother and brother; and the one in which she finally accepts her fate. Her superb dance numbers are very much a part of her soulful performance because through them one can see Umrao's entire essence and inner feelings, and in them she actually finds solace and a way to cry her heart out.

Speaking of the music, this is one of those films where the songs are not just pastime but an integral part of the story in that they convey a whole range of emotions that the character goes through and help forward its story. Asha Bhosle's divine, sharp and sensual voice is surely one of the film's trumpcards, and without her soulful, highly-skilled renditions, this film would not have been complete. Her singing and Rekha's acting complement each other in a true example of superb playback singing. To sum it up, Umrao Jaan is a difficult story and a poignant film of unmatched excellence and artistry. Its many great advantages notwithstanding, it is Rekha's devastating portrayal which tugs at the heartstrings and resonates in mind after the film is over. This is one of the best performances by an Indian actress, and well, her name will obviously always come first to mind the moment Umrao Jaan is mentioned.

A classical and poetic memoir of existential subtlety

[arnab_dasswayam · 29 June 2002]

Who among the Indians failed to get moved by the advertised displays and cutouts of the Indian actress Rekha in context of Umrao Jaan. Those who saw the film carefully recall it in the silence of sadness and as a class of its own. Umrao, a true character of a highly sensitive female artist of nineteenth century India, could write the wonderful lyrics of her songs, tune the classical melody herself, achieved a magical voice and presented the class of a dance-style, called Kathak. Though finally she came up on top of her fame and popularity in a wide region of India, she remained deserted by her relatives. Her love relations failed to acquire any meaningful social end. Only the audio-visual experience of the film can take one near the heart of the poetic portrayal, brilliantly done by Muzaffar Ali. Ali comes of such a lineage of aristocracy, which had much bearing on the time and cultural milieu of Umrao Jaan in Lucknow. A sensitive Indian viewer might also intuit such a living philosophical background of the spectacular details and technically rare presentation of an excellent narrative.

Abducted from her home village along with another friend Ramrey in her childhood Umrao alone was purchased by a pander. She lost the last link to her past, even the whereabouts of her birthplace. Umrao Jaan grew up as a professional dancer and singer in certain art-loving space of Lucknow, where the performer--even the sexually virgin one-- entertained the elite with performance, but could have no legitimate social relation with them. Umrao had to leave her first love, a connoisseur of her performance and a good-hearted handsome prince, whom after many years she finds as married to Ramrey. It was also a matter of chance that one family adopted Ramrey and paid satisfactorily to the same kidnaper. The mature Umrao as a paid entertainer--on the family occasion of the happy and her beloved couple--could readily responds in songs to her amazing feelings of relentless drift of life.

All along the narrative of the film the genius of Umrao is shown to expand as an artist and as an author from inside her existential experience. Her songs and dances--wonderfully matching the shifting contexts of her biography--move gradually from deep passion for life to profound existential quarries. A period of historical unrest in the region keeps Umrao floating and troubled to procure her livelihood and to maintain her prestige. After all the un-thought-of turns of life and an effective exposure to the out-world she unknowingly (re)appears in her lost paradise, the forgotten shelter of her birthplace and patriarchal family of origin. On deepest agony and not incredibly the Indian spectators see Umrao herself to accept her social death and ruthless rejection from her family belonging to orthodox Indian patriarchy. Crying her heart out she had to leave her mother, the ever-missing reconciliation perhaps for all. Finally the major associates of her troop also got detached from Umrao. She had to return to the deserted house of Lucknow and starts cleaning the dust spread over the old things. The pale sight of disheveled Umrao reflected in an old mirror concludes the film. The still of a drifting individual on the edge of her career and tormented life suspends an air of subtle nostalgia.

Except editing all the aspects of the film making is overwhelming. Such an extraordinarily articulate film needs to be (re)viewed over again, especially in the inter(con)textual backdrop of a memoir of a loner, a genius, a beggar, a performing artist, an author and above all a female that is successfully reproduced by a director as a stream of nostalgic images.

Ye Kya Jagah Hai Doston, Ye Kaun Sa Dayaar Hai

[jmathur_swayamprabha · 10/10 · 30 August 2014]

Umrao Jaan(1981) is based on the novel - 'Umrao Jaan Ada' of Mirza Mohammad Haadi Ruswa. I happened to watch the movie first and read the novel later. And undoubtedly, director Muzaffar Ali's cinematic version of the story originally written in the nineteenth century and said to be the true story of a true character, is better than the written work.

The story belongs to the Tawaayaf(courtesan) Umrao Jaan who was born at Faizabaad as Ameeran. After getting kidnapped and sold to a Kotha(brothel) in Lucknow, she grows up and becomes famous among the rich and the elite because of her Shaayari(Urdu poetry) sung in her melodious voice and coupled with her enchanting dances. However she finds almost everybody around him as greedy for her earnings and she continue to move through her journey of life with a sense of complete loneliness within her. Certain males enter her life and raise false hopes in her heart for being able to live a normal married life containing a loving husband, social acceptance and motherhood but finally, she finds that loneliness only is her destiny.

Taking the story from the said novel, producer-director Muzaffar Ali himself has written the screenplay and dialogs of this movie in association with Shama Zaidi and Jaaved Siddiqui. This script has been written quite crisply without giving undue footage to anything and not allowing the focus to divert from the principal character and her woes. The narrative with the gloom and loneliness of the principal character prevalent in every moment of it, moves at a reasonable pace without allowing any laxity or boredom to creep in. The audience is not only kept engaged in the narrative and glued to the screen for more than two hours but also made to feel the pain, the feelings and the stuffiness of the pivotal character. It is a very impressive movie, no doubt.

The ending scene is just superb in which Umrao Jaan wipes the mirror to see her face in that. It's an example of sheer brilliance on the part of the filmmaker who conveys the permanent sense of loneliness in the courtesan to the audience leaving the theatre without any spoon-feeding. Anybody who has watched this movie on the big screen must have left the theatre with a throbbing in his / her heart.

Umrao Jaan can be termed as pain-filled poetry written on celluloid. It stirs, moves, pinches and brings tears to eyes. It's a journey made by the spectator alongwith the courtesan known as Umrao Jaan. Within a few minutes, the narrative envelops the viewer and makes him a part of the unusual story of the protagonist being told to him.

The art director has brought the period of the 19th century alive on the screen. The complete milieu including the architecture, the dialect, the clothes, the style of living etc. are authentic. The cinematographer has also left no stone unturned from his side in this regard and thus a realistic account of that era is presented to the audience who also happen to witness the turbulence due to the Gadar or the mutiny of 1857 by a section of the Indians against the British rule.

Rekha quite deservingly won the national award for the best actress for the title role played by her in this movie(though Jennifer Kendal Kapoor was a stronger contender for that award for that year for her performance in 36 Chowringhee Lane). Rekha does not seem to be acting, she appears to be actually living the life of Umrao Jaan. Originally a Tamilian, this talented actress has portrayed the Urdu speaking Shaayara cum Tawaayaf in an amazing manner.

Farooque Sheikh as Umrao Jaan's lover and all the other characters have also done exceedingly well. Even the small characters of Maulvi Saheb(Gajaanan Jaagirdaar) and Bismillah(Prema Naarayan) are able to leave their imprint in the movie. The romance between Farooque and Rekha is so delicate that the audience can't help falling in love with them and their relationship.

Khayyam has composed immortal music with the great Shaayari of Shaharyaar for this movie. All the ghazals and nazms are so touching that any lover of music and Shaayari can keep on listening to them again and again. Dil Cheez Kya Hai Aap Meri Jaan Leejiye, In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke Mastaane Hazaaron Hain, Zindagi Jab Bhi Teri Bazm Mein Laati Hai Hamen, Justujoo Jiski Thi Usko To Na Paaya Humne etc. are heart-conquerors. Most of these are gems in the voice of Asha Bhosle whereas Zindagi Jab Bhi Teri Bazm Mein Laati Hai Hamen is a memorable ghazal of Talat Aziz. The album contains a couple of folk songs also and a classic written by Amir Khusro. However the pain-soaked ghazal (which is placed at the end of the movie) which always brings a flood of tears in my eyes is - Ye Kya Jagah Hai Doston, Ye Kaun Sa Dayaar Hai, Hadd-e-Nigaah Tak Jahaan Gubaar Hi Gubaar Hai.

Umrao Jaan is a true classic. A masterpiece. It was remade by J.P. Dutta in 2006 by taking Aishwarya Rai in the title role. Though I found J.P. Dutta's movie as closer to the novel of Mirza Haadi Ruswa, it lacked the soul of the story. If anybody wants to meet the real Umrao Jaan that used to exist some 150 years ago, then this movie only is the perfect choice for him / her.

Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan

[sakagaze · 8/10 · 13 November 2006]

Muzaffar Ali's UMRAO JAAN was a classy, niche-audience oriented film. Rekha's performance, Khayyam's musical score and the authentic period details, thanks to the discerning filmmaker who is known for subtlety and class, make it a masterpiece. The true appreciation for the film is more than due at this very moment when the entire world is exposed to the crass and glossy remake of the film (or call it the adaptation of the same literary classic by Mirza Haadi Ruswa) by J. P. Dutta. Aishwarya Rai in the 2006 film pales in comparison to Rekha, who played the quintessential tawaaif in Muzaffar Ali's film with perfect poise and elan. Abhishek Bachchan is nothing compared to Farouque Shaikh, and the same can be said when one tries to draw parallels between Suniel Shetty and Raj Babbar, the counterparts in the new and the old films respectively.

Exceptionally well-crafted 80's Hindi-Urdu gem.

[Amyth47 · 9/10 · 20 February 2019]

My Rating : 9/10

Hauntingly beautiful songs. A dream role for Rekha. This won her the National Award for Best Actress. 'Umrao Jaan' is poetry on screen and director Muzaffar Ali weaves a delicate yet sad tale of a 19th Century courtesan who, much like Rekha in her real life, has to deal with unrequited love.

The cinematography is extremely striking and every frame is lavish with glamorous costumes and intricate, sparkling jewellery.

'Umrao Jaan' is a classic - a poetic memoir of love and loss and the yearning for a happily ever after that never seems to come.

Poetry

[IPyaarCinema · 9/10 · 31 January 2022]

Review By Kamal K

Ultimate creation of Muzzafar Ali Saheb. Fantastic picturization of lucknow during 1840s. Composition of Khayyam Saheb along with lyrics of shehayar makes this movie unforgettable.....we are very fortunate that we are having such kind of film in our bollywood bucket.

The maximum points are for Rekha and the songs!

[JPEI64 · 10/10 · 24 September 2022]

Never before and never after will there be a Rekha and such a performance. Where does one start? For an actress who took acting so casually and then evolved into a powerhouse of acting not just in this but several other movies says a lot for her talent - which honestly remains untouched till today.

Stories about her initial awkward days to her metamorphosis to a swan are legendary. She is definitely a class apart and the saddest part is she never took herse or her career seriously otherwise she would have leapt to even greater heights. Not a single director has explored her full talent till today and sadly it will probably remain so. Alia's Gangubai comes nowhere close.

The movie itself is very slow but poetically do e. Every scene and dialogue is beautiful and poetry in motion. I doubt we will ever see such a movie ever again and such an actress too.

But I still wait in hope Rekha will grace us with presence again very soon.

Takes you back to the lavish era of Lucknow!

[ankurkrazyy · 10/10 · 26 December 2018]

First of all let me start with a famous old quote "Love blossoms in Lucknow"!

As the above quote says love really did blossomed in Lucknow in the Tawaif era, which is very clearly highlighted in this movie. The entire culture, the entire set up and everything from the cosmetics to the acting easily glues you to the screen.

Now coming to the direction, Ali does a fabulous work here and brings the urdu old feeling brilliantly out here.

Performances wise Rekha is brilliant. No words to express her role in here. She is a wonder to see. Her chemistry with every single lead be it Raj Babbar or Farooq Sheikh is a pleasure to watch.

Supporting her is a wide range of actors like Prema Narayan, Dina Pathak and Yunuz Parvez.

Overall a brilliant experience of old Lucknow.

Could've been better edited ...

[WWmoviejunkie · 5/10 · 5 November 2018]

Little Amiran is getting decked by her mother in gold & flowers on her engagement day . When he mounts his horse , she asks her father to get her oranges & dolls , amusing her mother .

While Amiran's father is away , she's abducted by Dilawar, who has just completed a 12 year stint in prison , thanks to Amiran's ' daroga ' father . In a desolate place , she's locked up with Ramdei - another tearful little girl , abducted from a fair . The two children embrace each other in the dark and cry for their families .

Soon a buyer arrives - a representative of a local begum who purchases Amiran to be part of her household . In the last moment the broker changes her mind & takes Ramdei since the begum had specified a fair girl & Amiran was dusky .

That leaves Amiran by default to the only other buyer - Khanum Jaan , the madam of a luxurious establishment catering to the wealthy louches of Lucknow in 1840 , British India .

Amiran is ushered into a vast courtyard to be presented to a bejewelled , hookah - smoking , brocade - swathed , reclining Khanum & sold . Khanum flanked by her lieutenant , Husseini ( a retired courtesan ) & protege Bismillah renames Amiran , Umrao .

Khanum casually claims her innocence in the child-trafficking by snorting in derision at the kidnappers , commenting to Husseini that she had no idea where the little girls were procured from & that if it wasn't at her establishment - the traffickers would've sold Amiran at another , anyway . Husseini agrees & adds that Amiran would grow under Khanum in luxury .

Neither Khanum nor Husseini hypocrtically act on Amiran's claims that she was kidnapped from Faisabad & that her father is a ' Daroga ' there . ( To show their true colours , Amiran receives a beating from Khanum when she attempts an escape in the middle of the night )

Umrao tries to forget her life as Amiran & Faisabad & embraces her gilded cage , losing herself in expensive classical music & dance training with Bismillah . She leaves behind her oranges & dolls , & instead grows up being decked in jewellery & expensive fabrics in Khanum's opulent mansion , surrounded by persian carpets , marble columns , musical instruments & luxury . She channels her melancholy by showing a flair for composing ' shayari ' & learns under Maulvi , Husseini's paramour - an aging , sedate man .

A grown up Umrao quickly attains fame as an accomplished courtesan with her fine dancing , melodious singing & her mellifluous ghazals attracting well-heeled , aristocratic black-sheep from all over Lucknow , including the affluent Nawab Sultan , a bachelor .

Her illicit , poetry-infused romance with with Nawab Sultan ( a paying customer ) was idyllic ( including when Nawab Sultan confided to her that he was being pressurized to marry ) . Umrao advices him to obey his mother ( getting upset only when he tells her that he can't be her patron once he marries ).

Just like Umrao , Bismillah also favours one of her patrons more than the others & carries out a pointless romance with that aristocrat . When Khanum Jaan after being paid off by the aristocrat's mother , gets rid of him , Bismillah , in the light of her doomed romance , loses her loyalty to Khanum .

When Khanum Jaan's entourage goes for a picnic in the countryside , Bismillah is carried off by dacoits . The entourage is devastated at the horrors that Bismillah maybe subjected too & are paralyzed that they don't even have a body to bury .

Later , a wealthy , dark stranger arrives at the mansion in pursuit of Umrao . Faiz Ali quickly becomes Umrao's confidant with his warmth & genuine interest in her .

He gets concerned after he secretly witnesses Umrao illogically ripping up Nawab Sultan's robes when he announces his wedding . Faiz's heart bleeds for Umrao & he offers to take Umrao away to his estate to divert her from her melancholy . Umrao asks Faiz Ali to make arrangements with Khanum - to which he readily agrees & leaves .

After her showdown with Nawab Sultan , Umrao is desolate & withdrawn . Khanum gets a contract for Umrao to perform a ' mujra ' at an event in Sitapur . Umrao in her depression refuses to perform . This is when an outwardly motherly Husseini gets rough & dictates that Umrao has no choice .

After many years of living with Khanum's household , Umrao thought of them as family , forgetting her childhood trauma , singing & dancing willingly .

Now Umrao could see again that she was part of the ' family ' only because she was their cash cow who was being ' lovingly ' exploited all these years . They were her ' family ' only as long as she brought in the cash to maintain their lavish lifestyles .

This realization makes Umrao take drastic measures . The next time the gallant Faiz Ali rides into town , Umrao doesn't ask him to leave a deposit with Khanum , like she did on his last visit ; she instead elopes with Faiz , who obliges by helping her up on his horse .

Unknown to Umrao , Faiz is a wanted man who gets hunted down by the soldiers of a local ruler . He's shot dead in front of her . Umrao is captured by the soldiers & interrogated by the ruler .

He lets go of her when he finds out that she used to be Bismillah's companion . Umrao is surprised to find that Bismillah instead of being dead or worse , had gotten a new lease of life & was thriving as the ruler's wife ( after his soldiers captured the dacoits who'd kidnapped her )

Though she was pleased to see Umrao - she was clear that she wanted nothing to do with Khanum or her entourage & wouldn't inform them that she was alive .

Umrao also longs to get away from Khanum ; Bismillah sets her up in Kanpur . Inspite of losing Faiz , Umrao bravely starts a new life alone where she freelances as a ghazal singer , barely surviving .

She accepts an invitation to sing at a little boys party , when the mother recognizes Umrao as Amiran . It was Ramdei .

After seeing Bismillah's horror turned to redemption , Umrao marvels sadly at how a last minute change in the sale made Ramdei the daughter-in-law of respectable people while Umrao fell into Khanum's hands .

To make matters worse , she discovers that Ramdei is Nawab Sultan's wife & was originally purchased as a companion by his mother. The begum , to subvert Nawab Sultan's estranged father's efforts to marry him off to his niece had got him married to her trusted Ramdei , who grew up in her care .

Though all three girls started from the same unlucky circumstances - Ramdei & Bismillah were miraculously delivered from their bleak destinies , while Umrao's last effort to restart life as Amiran , had failed with Faiz's death .

Husseini & Gauhar find Umrao in Kanpur & plead with her to return , claiming Khanum's ill health . Umrao returns to Lucknow to find Khanum looking well & realizes she was duped by Husseini & Gauhar - at that point Umrao declares her intent to return to Kanpur . Khanum feigns a casual reaction & asks Umrao to stay over for the festival before returning to Kanpur .

While Umrao is out of ear-shot , Khanum chillingly says that it didn't look like Umrao would stay with them willingly anymore & that other measures needed to be taken to restrain Umrao . They accomplish that with a false certificate of marriage between Umrao & Gauhar . Umrao is trapped . All of Khanum's machinations come to an end when the 1857 rebellion breaks out & they have to flee the city en-masse .

Umrao just walks away from the camp one night while the others are asleep . Maulvi sees her leaving & says nothing out of love for Umrao .

She returns to her place in Kanpur & restarts freelancing , but doesn't make much money with plain ghazal singing ( without lucrative ' mujras ' )

When she does finally get a gig for a ' mujra ' , she recognizes her old neighbourhood from her childhood days as Amiran . Full of hope , Umrao locates her family home & finds her tearful old mother who hugs her . Her father is no more .

The reunion is cut short when Umrao's brother refuses to acknowledge Amiran , instead telling his mother that she's ' Umrao Jaan - a famous courtesan from Lucknow ' . He implies that Amiran should've drowned herself than submit to her profession . Umrao runs away in tears . Her wailing mother is stopped by her brother .

Umrao has failed a fourth time at finding a place for herself in the outside world after her failure at trying to escape Khanum's mansion as a child , her doomed romance with Nawab Sultan , her elopement with Faiz Ali & finally her rejection by her brother .

Realizing that there was no place in the world for Amiran - she returns to Khanum's mansion in Lucknow & finds it looted & empty , symbolic of Umrao being emptied of hope at redeeming herself .

Muzaffar Ali introduces her on screen but Rekha immortalizes her

[Chrysanthepop · 26 June 2007]

Though 'Umrao Jaan' has been re-brought to screen just last year. Muzaffar Ali's adaptation of Mirza Hadi Ruswa's novel remains the most memorable. Ali does not exaggerate with lavish set designs and his adaptation is of a rather lower budget. He gracefully shows us Umrao mastering the art of poetry and dance. The songs are beautiful and poetry is itself a character in Umrao's life, like a traveling companion. In some of the songs we are shown flashes of old elegant paintings, old fashioned settings and what Lucknow may have looked like. takes us back in time to what the late 1800s may have resembled.

The performances are subtle except of Khanum Jaan's character. Muzaffar really Farooq Sheikh is brilliant as the young naïve prince and Nasseeruddin Shah is superb as Gohar Mirza. Shaukat Kaifi and Dina Pathak are adequate. Prema Narayan is decent.

However, Umrao Jaan clearly belongs to Rekha. With subtlety and grace she underplays her part. There is no melodrama or unnecessary loudness and this allows us to really feel for Umrao. We see that Ramdei, who was kidnapped like her but sold to slavery, has now become a happy wife of a Nawab. We see her friend and fellow dancer Bismillah finding happiness in her life. Finally we see Umrao moving along the path of life: trying to forget the past, trying to find happiness and love or trying to escape from it all. She manages to independently make a living reciting poetry, ghazals and dancing but though people yearn to hear her sing and watch her dance, they refuse to give her the respect of a 'decent' woman. As we see Umrao travelling through life trying to find her own place, in the end she returns to that very place (now abandoned) picking up from where she left as she has no place else to go. She looks in the mirror that reflects her destiny

Epitome of Sophistication & Ettiqutes.

[sudhirkumarpal8 · 9/10 · 5 July 2021]

It's all about the most beautiful language and the city of the world.

A beautiful poem unveiled on screen

[chezshay · 10 May 2009]

Umrao Jaan - Beauty, grace, class and that "something" called 'ada', blend it with memorable poetry, soul stirring vocals, lilting music, detailed art direction, classical choreography, memorable and rich costume design, sensitive direction, lucid screenplay and brilliant performances, and of course the magic called Rekha.

Too many good things to list? Well these are all there in the immensely memorable Umrao Jaan. The whole film is like a beautiful poem being unveiled on screen. It is about a renowned 19th century female artist who achieved the pinnacle of glamour and fame, and yet remained deserted by her loved one's. It is also the story in a widely acclaimed Urdu novel of the same name.

The film is rich in several departments. Performances, set design, costume design, music, vocals and an eye for detail. Authentic hookahs, hand spun rich brocades and Jadau jewellery celebrate the artistry of Lucknow craftsmen in the most authentic and beautiful manner. The dances are classy and it remains screen diva Rekha's most treasured performance. She brings the character alive in classy fashion. The film celebrates the various arts it's maker Muzzafar Ali is a patron of, it's a harmonious amalgamation of all his interests and that reflects very well on screen.

Want to watch movie

[priyaraghunath · 15 June 2021]

How can we watch movie Umrao Jaan here. Very much excited to watch it but I try so many time and I failed please help me.