Umrao Jaan (2006)

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

Director:

J.P. Dutta

Writers:

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

Stars:

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Sunil Shetty

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan	...	Ameeran / Umrao Jaan (as Aishwariya Rai)
Shabana Azmi	...	Khanum Jaan
Sunil Shetty	...	Faiz Ali (as Suneil Shetty)
Abhishek Bachchan	...	Nawab Sultan
Bikram Saluja	...	Ashraf
Ayesha Jhulka	...	Khurshid Jaan
Puru Rajkumar	...	Gauhar Mirza (as Puru Raj Kumar)
Parikshit Sahni	...	Ameeran's father
Kulbhushan Kharbanda	...	Maulvi
Divya Dutta	...	Bismillah Jaan
Himani Shivpuri	...	Bua Hussaini
Maya Alagh	...	Ameeran's mother
Vishwajeet Pradhan	...	Dilawar Khan (as Viswajeet Pradhan)
Javed Khan	...	Pir Baksh
Anwar Madeem	...	Mirza Hadi Ruswa

Storyline

Ameeran lives a poor-lifestyle with her mom, dad, and brother, Jamal, in Faizabad, British India. When her dad testifies against the local corrupt cop, Dilawar Khan, Khan swears to avenge this humiliation, and several years later, abducts Ameeran, holds her for ransom. When no money is forthcoming, he sells her. Ameeran ends up in a brothel run by Lucknow's Madame Khanum Jaan, where she is taught dance and poetry, and is subsequently re-named Umrao Jaan. Years later, Umrao has matured, is a well-known Courtesan with many patrons, chief amongst them are Nawab Sujat Ali Khan and his son, Sultan. Umrao and Sultan fall in love with each other, much to the chagrin of Sujat, who instructs Sultan either to give up Umrao or to lose his inheritance, and Sultan chooses Umrao. He gives up his father's palatial house and goes to live in the brothel, but re-locates to live with his uncle in Gadi after being taunted by Khanum Jaan. Umrao has a new admirer, Nawab Faiz Ali, who proposes to take her ...

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Plot Keywords:

courtesan | whipping | bare chested male bondage | kidnapping | singing | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Saroj Khan was selected to choreograph the dances, but backed out owing to disagreements with director J.P. Dutta. She was replaced by Vaibhavi Merchant.

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Goofs

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.

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Connections

Version of Umrao Jaan (1981)

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Soundtracks

Main Na Mil Sakoon Jo Tumse
Written by Javed Akhtar
Music by Anu Malik
Performed by Alka Yagnik
Courtesy of T-series

User Reviews

Hand pump scene distracted me

Though I haven't watched the entire film, but I got to see one of the scenes which shows how poor is the imagination of J.P. Dutta. In an emotional scene when the protagonist comes back to her home and saw old things of childhood, she saw hand pump among other things and pumped it. But the scene's emotion were spoiled as hand pump shown was government hand pump introduced quite later. Had it been the old ones as there are in Indian villages, scene would probably have been worth feel. Give this same scene to any other sensitive director like Yash Chopra or Ashutosh Gowarikar, see the difference how they capture the emotion when a person returns home after many many years and after facing many sad events. This scene was enough to pull me off the film.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States]

Country:

India

Language:

Urdu Hindi

Release Date:

3 November 2006 (India)

Also Known As:

Umrao Jaan: Losy pieknej kurtyzany

Filming Locations:

Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$485,000, 5 November 2006

Gross USA:

$485,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,371,723

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

188 min (European Film Market)

Color:

Color