Umrao’s choice at the very end (I’m trying hard not to spoil) makes total sense to me – what are her options?
It’s an interesting (though appalling) comment, considering the fact that she was to have been killed at the beginning, and was only spared because of greed – and her kidnapper probably congratulated himself later on his humanity in selling her rather than killing her.
WATCH UMRAO JAAN 1981 FULL
Not an object, not a religious relic, but a person.Īt the end of the film, when Umrao comes full circle, she is told that it would have better if she had died. Rekha makes her elusive and mysterious, but also very (and tragically) real. There are thousands of Umraos - they can be found in every city and village in the world. In a way, Umrao is a very mundane character. She is just another woman torn between loyalty to the people to have raised (and used) her, and the desire to be someone else. She is vulnerable, in need of affirmation and support. Without ever really letting go of the reserve, mystery and ‘stature’ of the character, she lets you see that at heart, Umrao is just another woman desperate to be loved and accepted. Rekha makes Umrao, despite her exquisite beauty and elegance, a woman I could instantly relate to. She really becomes ‘Umrao Jaan’, and I think Aishwarya must be very brave (or unwise) to take on a role that was so wonderfully inhabited in the original film.
WATCH UMRAO JAAN 1981 MOVIE
Rekha is absolutely stunning in this movie – she infuses so much life into her character with every look, every movement, and every word. Supported by a very good cast, however, this movie belongs to Rekha. But, altogether, it's a very good movie and everyone involved did very well. It's not perfect - there are some glaring continuity errors, and the fake-pretend instrumentalists accompanying Umrao's songs are a bit jarring. The script is excellent, the movie is beautifully shot (great directing), and the music is out of this world – fantastic songs. More often than not, I get the sense that the courtesan is used as an object (albeit one that arouses extremely ambivalent and complex feelings), a relic, not a person. She is also often presented as a woman with a goddess-like ability to love and forgive unconditionally. Tainted, loved, lusted after, reviled, envied, despised, praised, used, adored, hated, worshipped… she is usually presented as a doomed woman – one who has no option but to continue to entertain strangers, because she can never be anything more. Watch a few movies and you’re bound to meet one. The courtesan is a familiar figure in Indian cinema. She also becomes an accomplished poet in her own right.
She is raised in the dysfunctional family that exists in the brothel, and learns to sing and dance beautifully – no, exquisitely. He intends to kill her, but later decides to sell her to the madam of a brothel in Lucknow. Umrao (then known as Amiraan) is kidnapped from her parents as a child by a man who holds a grudge against her father. The movie is set in the 19th century, and is based on a famous Urdu novel (which I now badly want to read). ‘Umrao Jaan’ is the story of a courtesan of the same name. The only other person I can see in this role (although she would never be given it) is Madhuri Dixit.Īnyway, to the old movie. Having said that, I guess Ash is the natural choice for this character. I can’t really think of any other reasons to remake this movie without updating it (as was done with ‘Don’) or trying to put a new spin on it. I guess they just couldn’t resist putting Ash in ornate costumes and jewelry (I always think Ash is at her most gorgeous dressed in traditional Indian outfits) and showcasing her dancing skills. Guess I’ll have to wait awhile to find out if I agree.Īfter seeing the original ‘Umrao Jaan’, though, I wonder why they’re doing a remake. The review also says Ash looks beautiful (the reviewer even compares her beauty to Rekha’s, as though that has anything to do with anything) but that her performance isn’t great, and that Abhishek was woefully miscast, although he and Ash have great chemistry in their scenes together. According a review I read on the radiosargam website, the new movie is a poorly-directed disappointment. The new ‘Umrao Jaan’ stars Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan. Produced and directed by Muzaffar Ali, and released in 1981, the original film stars Rekha in a performance that is seen as the defining role of her career. In view of the release of the new ‘Umrao Jaan’ film, I finally got round to watching my 'Umrao Jaan' DVD.
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