Umrao Jaan (1981 film)

Umrao Jaan
Umrao Jaan
	File:Umrao Jaan movie poster.jpg Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Muzaffar Ali
Produced by	Muzaffar Ali
Written by	Muzaffar Ali; Javed Siddiqui; Shama Zaidi;
Based on	Umrao Jaan Ada; by Mirza Hadi Ruswa
Starring	Rekha
Music by	Mohammed Zahur Khayyam
Cinematography	Pravin Bhatt
Edited by	B. Prasad
Production; company	Integrated Films; S. K. Jain & Sons;
Release date	2 January 1981;
Running time	145 minutes
Language	Hindustani
Budget	₹50 lakh

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Umrao Jaan is a 1981 Indian musical film directed by Muzaffar Ali and starring Rekha as the eponymous character. Based on the 1905 Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada, the film tells the story of a Lucknow courtesan and her rise to fame.

Plot[edit]

In the year 1840, a girl named Amiran is kidnapped from her family in Faizabad and sold to Khanum Jaan, the madam of a brothel in Lucknow who teaches young courtesans. Renamed Umrao Jaan, Amiran turns into a cultured woman trained to captivate men of wealth and taste.

Umrao catches the eye of Nawab Sultan and the two fall in love, but the relationship comes to an end when Nawab reveals he must marry in order to please his family. Umrao then becomes infatuated with bandit chieftain Faiz Ali, who woos and wins her heart. She elopes with him, but is forced to return to Lucknow after Ali is killed by local police.

Sometime later, British soldiers attack Lucknow and the residents are forced to flee. Umrao's party of refugees stops in a small village, which Umrao recognizes as Faizabad. The residents fail to recognize her, however, and ask her to dance for their pleasure.

Afterwards, she reunites with her family, who believed her to be dead. Her mother is happy to welcome Umrao back, but her brother forbids it and orders Umrao to never return. She returns to Lucknow to find the brothel looted and deserted.

Cast[edit]

Rekha as Amiran/Umrao Jaan
- Seema Sathyu and Umme Farwa as young Amiran
Farooq Shaikh as Nawab Sultan
Naseeruddin Shah as Gohar Mirza
Raj Babbar as Faiz Ali
Ishtiaque Khan as Khan Ghilzai
Gajanan Jagirdar as Maulvi Saheb
Shaukat Kaifi as Khanum Jaan
Dina Pathak as Husseini
Prema Narayan as Bismillah Jaan
Bharat Bhushan Bhalla as Khan Saheb
Mukri as Parnan Aziz
Satish Shah as Daroga Dilawar

Crew[edit]

Art Direction: Muzaffar Ali, Bansi Chandragupta, Manzoor
Choreography: Gopi Krishna for the song " Dil Cheez Kya Hai ", Kumudini Lakhia^[3]
Costume Design: Subhashini Ali

Release and reception[edit]

According to author Anitaa Padhye's Ten Classics (English), Umrao Jaan was released theatrically on 2 January 1981.^[4]

Rekha was praised for her acting, and she was awarded the National Award for her portrayal of the central character.^[5] But the box office returns were just average.^[6] The supporting characters were played by Naseeruddin Shah, Farooq Shaikh, Raj Babbar and Bharat Bhushan. Critics responded favourably to the carefully done historical setting.

The soundtrack was composed by Khayyam and the lyrics were penned by Shahryar. Several songs from the film, sung by Asha Bhosle, are considered classics of filmi music: "Dil Cheez Kya Hai", "Justuju Jiski Thi", "In Ankhon Ki Masti Ke", and "Yeh Kya Jagah Hai Doston". Today, Umrao Jaan is considered at par with other cult classics such as Pakeezah (1972) and is widely acclaimed as one of India's great cinematic magnum opus.^[5]

Soundtrack[edit]

The music of the film was composed by Khayyam, while the lyrics were penned by Shahryar.

No.	Title	Lyrics	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Dil Cheez Kya Hai"	Shahryar	Asha Bhosle	6:06
2.	"In Ankhon Ki Masti Ke"	Shahryar	Asha Bhosle	5:42
3.	"Jab Bhi Milti Hai"	Shahryar	Asha Bhosle	1:28
4.	"Jhoola Kinne Dala"	Shahryar	Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, Shahida Khan Nizami	2:31
5.	"Justuju Jiski Thi"	Shahryar	Asha Bhosle	4:37
6.	"Kahe Ko Byahi Bides"	Amir Khusrow^[7]	Jagjit Kaur	4:52
7.	"Raagmala"	Shahryar	Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, Runa Prasad, Shahida Khan	5:22
8.	"Yeh Kya Jagah Hai Doston"	Shahryar	Asha Bhosle	6:07
9.	"Zindagi Jab Bhi"	Shahryar	Talat Aziz	4:51
10.	"Pratham Dhar Dhyan"		Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan

Accolades[edit]

Award	Category	Recipient(s) and nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
National Film Awards	Best Actress	Rekha	Won	^[8]
	Best Music Direction	Mohammed Zahur Khayyam	Won
	Best Female Playback Singer	Asha Bhosle	Won
	Best Art Direction	Manzur	Won
Filmfare Awards	Best Director	Muzaffar Ali	Won	^[9]
	Best Actress	Rekha	Nominated
	Best Music Director	Mohammed Zahur Khayyam	Won

Musical[edit]

Salim–Sulaiman adapted the film into a musical play, Umrao Jaan Ada - The Musical, in 2019. The theatrical adaptation was directed by Rajeev Goswami with Pratibha Baghel in the titular role of the courtesan.^[10]

References[edit]

↑ "National Film Archive of India". nfai.gov.in. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
↑ Subramaniam, Chitra (15 April 1980). "Umrao Jaan attempts to recapture aristocratic grandeur of Awadh". India Today. Living Media. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
↑ Cast and crew IMDb.
↑ Padhye, Anitaa (2020). Ten Classics. Manjul Publishing. p. 313. ISBN 978-93-89647-82-2.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 A.k, Arun (24 June 2021). "What made 'Umrao Jaan' iconic". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
↑ Umrao Jaan topactresses, boxofficeindia
↑ Pankaj Rag (2006). Dhuno Ki Yatra. Rajkamal Prakashan. p. 345. ISBN 978-81-267-1169-7.
↑ "29th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
↑ "Filmfare Nominees and Winners" (PDF). The Times Group. 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
↑ Khan, Murtaza Ali (8 August 2019). "The aroma of Awadh". The Hindu.

External links[edit]

Umrao Jaan on IMDb

[1] "National Film Archive of India". nfai.gov.in. Retrieved 11 February 2020.

[2] Subramaniam, Chitra (15 April 1980). "Umrao Jaan attempts to recapture aristocratic grandeur of Awadh". India Today. Living Media. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.

[3] Cast and crew IMDb.

[4] Padhye, Anitaa (2020). Ten Classics. Manjul Publishing. p. 313. ISBN 978-93-89647-82-2.

[:0-5] 5.0 ^5.1 A.k, Arun (24 June 2021). "What made 'Umrao Jaan' iconic". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 August 2021.

[6] Umrao Jaan topactresses, boxofficeindia

[7] Pankaj Rag (2006). Dhuno Ki Yatra. Rajkamal Prakashan. p. 345. ISBN 978-81-267-1169-7.

[29thawardPDF-8] "29th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 31 October 2020.

[9] "Filmfare Nominees and Winners" (PDF). The Times Group. 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2020.

[10] Khan, Murtaza Ali (8 August 2019). "The aroma of Awadh". The Hindu.

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v t e Muzaffar Ali
Directed	Gaman (1978) Umrao Jaan (1981) Aagaman (1982) Anjuman (1986) Kali Mohini (1986) Semal Ki Darakht (1986) Khizan (1995) Jaanisaar (2015) Zooni (unreleased)
Produced	Gaman (1978) Umrao Jaan (1981) Anjuman (1986) Jaanisaar (2015)