Umrao Jaan (2006)

Director:

J.P. Dutta

Writers:

J.P. Dutta (screenplay)
O.P. Dutta (story)

Release Date:

3 November 2006 (India)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

J.P. Dutta's adaption of the Urdu novel "Umrao Jan Ada" by Mirza Haadi Ruswa (1905).

Plot Keywords:

Male Female Relationship | Muslim | Friendship | Indo Pak | Kidnapping

Cast

Aishwarya Rai	...	Ameeran / Umrao Jaan
Shabana Azmi	...	Khanum Jaan
Sunil Shetty	...	Nawab Faiz Ali (as Suneil Shetty)
Abhishek Bachchan	...	Nawab Sultan Khan
Divya Dutta	...	Bismillah
Himani Shivpuri	...	Bua Hussaini
Puru Rajkumar	...	Gauhar Mirza
Kulbhushan Kharbanda	...	Maulvi Sahab
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Maya Alagh	...	Umrao's Mother
Ayesha Jhulka	...	Khurshid
Javed Khan	...	Peer Baksh
Bansree Madan	...	Young Amiran
Sakshi Madhwani	...	Young Ameeran
Vishwajeet Pradhan	...	Dilawer Khan
Parikshat Sahni	...	Umrao's Father
Bikram Saluja	...	Ashraf

Runtime:

Germany:188 min (European Film Market)

Country:

India

Language:

Urdu | Hindi

Color:

Color

Trivia:

This film was originally set for a release date of July-August 2006. It was changed to November 2006 to finish up post production, as well as avoid any competition with other big films.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The movie is set in the period of the late 19th century but the hand pump shown is of India Mark II which came into existence much later.

Movie Connections:

Version of Umrao Jaan (1981)

Soundtrack:

Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya

Finally we have a movie with a heart.

There are less reasons for why you should not watch Umraao Jaan than why you should watch. If you're looking for a movie with heart, then this is the one. In a rush of making comic, action and exotic foreign locale movie, this movie is the answer to all those who think the only way of making a good movie is by going to foreign counties and spending big cash with a exaggerated larger than life image to the movie.

The biggest heroes of Umraao Jaan are its screenwriter, the veteran Mr. O.P. Dutta and the director himself J.P. Dutta, music director Anu Malik, lyricist Javed Akhthar, singer Alka Yagnik, choreographers Saroj Khan and Vaibhavi Merchant, and of course most importantly Aishwarya Rai. The original story by Mirza Muhammad Hadi Ruswa is bigger than just saying fabulous. Abhishek Bachchan and Shabana Azmi too deliver great performances. Thorugh the only place I find the movie obtrusive is its production design and prop department, the rest of the movie is perhaps the best movie of the year. No doubts Aishwarya Rai will be nominated for at least Best Actress this year.

So what is bad about this movie.. Well just one fact that the movie is a bit too long and one easily loses patience till he reaches the end. Expect for those dozing heads in the theatre I saw, I must say it is a film I really like and though musical classics is not really my cup of tea, this one is. If I slightly compare it with Devdas, I see Umraao Jaan has got a bit drier texture as Devdas was more juicier.

The obvious comparison I would like to draw is with Don that release two weeks ago. Well, both are adapted screenplays but see how Don was full of errors while this one Umraao Jaan done by a veteran who has spent about 50 years making movies. Well, breathtaking exhilarating and what more I can say? The artists and the producers have made a 100% input and its worthwhile but the question is if today's crowd likes such movies? That now depends upon the public to make this movie a success or a failure.

This is a great movie. Go and watch it.