Re-release of ‘Umrao Jaan’ an emotional catharsis: filmmaker Muzaffar Ali

“Umrao Jaan” had lost some of its sheen but has come to life in “full flesh and blood” after a restoration, says filmmaker Muzaffar Ali, who describes the re-release of the Rekha-starrer period drama as a moment of “emotional catharsis”.

The 1981 movie has been restored and will be re-released in cinemas on June 27. The film has been restored by the National Film Development Corporation-National Film Archive of India under the National Film Heritage Mission.

“We are bridging relations, generations, gaps, and emotions. This is not a new film. It is a film that your mother has already seen. So, it is an emotional allure that people are going to see it as they have not experienced it on any OTT platform either. It had lost its sheen before it was restored; now it is coming to life in full flesh and blood. It is an emotional catharsis,” Ali told PTI in an interview.

Set in the 19th century, the film traces Amiran’s (Rekha) arrival in a brothel in Lucknow and her relationships with three key characters played by Farooque Shaikh, Raj Babbar and Naseeruddin Shah.

Ali, who grew up in Lucknow, called “Umrao Jaan” a seminal film that authentically deals with Awadh culture, its angst, and the trials and tribulations of being a woman.

“My challenge was to present Awadh the way (Satyajit) Ray was presenting his Bengal, and there was nobody to present Awadh in that sense so I took it upon myself to present a truthful slice of reality of Awadh.

“It’s a challenge to bring all those elements into the fold of cinematic expression with the same kind of intensity, force and authenticity,” Ali, who has also directed “Gaman”, “Aagaman”, “Anjuman”, and “Jaanisaar”, said.

An adaptation of Mirza Hadi Ruswa’s historical 1899 novel, “Umrao Jaan Adaa”, the film garnered wide acclaim for its nuanced storytelling, songs and performance by Rekha, who earned her first National Award for her portrayal of Amiran.

The film also won the National Award for Best Music Direction, Best Art Direction, and Best Female Playback Singer as well as three Filmfare awards.

“I’m proud of every moment of the film. When I chose to do the film… From the choice of Rekha to music, everything is kind of memorable. It’s all integrated into one cohesive emotional experience,” he said.

Despite being an adaptation, “Umrao Jaan” carries a lot of Ali’s interpretations of Lucknow’s culture and ethos.

“It had to be my experience, it had to be what I lived through, it had to be what the walls had spoken to me, what clothes meant to me, it had to be what feelings, festivals and art meant to me. I had to find parallels between the book and my own experience of Lucknow, the culture of Lucknow, the ethos, and my understanding,” Ali added.

Rekha had previously portrayed courtesans in films like “Suhaag” and “Mukaddar Ka Sikandar”, but Ali said he wanted to explore a different facet of her talent. He aimed to depict her character as a nuanced human being rather than just a glamorous figure.

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“It (roles in ‘Suhaag’, and ‘Mukaddar…’) was a kind of traditional courtesan that has been appearing in Bollywood. Here (in ‘Umrao Jaan’), I wanted people to look at her as a human being, as a vulnerable person,” the director said, adding that he simply wanted Rekha to drown herself in the character.

“All the work that was being done was culminating in what she had to become, like all the dialogues, poetry, clothes and the music, all that was prepared on one level, and her immersing herself into the character on another level. I was organically getting her into a state of method acting, getting into the role and disturbing her as little as possible to bring the best out of her,” Ali added.

Ali said he cast Shaikh, Babbar and Shah as they would not “overpower” Rekha’s performance in the movie.

“They were all my first choices; they couldn’t be any better. I didn’t want anybody to overpower. I wanted the relationships to be gentle, natural as they could have been in those days, with a person like that. So, these were not overpowering performers; they were very understated method actors. They brought out the character in its true sense.”

The timeless soundtrack of “Umrao Jaan”, composed by Khayyam with lyrics by Shahryar, is integral to the film’s storytelling and its success.

Songs like “Dil Cheez Kya Hai“, “In Aankhon Ki Masti” encapsulate the essence of the protagonist’s journey, reflecting her evolution from hope to heartbreak, Ali said.

“…You have to see the whole trajectory of poetry in her life, as an evolution of a character, from optimism to disillusionment to total abandonment. So, the draft had to be created between her first and before the audience.

Ali is also releasing a limited-edition coffee table book featuring behind-the-scenes photographs from the movie’s set.