It's a miracle to have found Rekha to play Umrao Jaan

On the occasion of the release of the restored Umrao Jaan, filmmaker Muzaffar Ali looks back at adapting Mirza Hadi Ruswa's novel, recreating Awadh, and casting Rekha in the lead role

- NAMRATA JOSHI

UZAFFAR ALI is a man who wears several hats. The filmmaker, designer, author, artist, and cultural and social activist, Ali, made his debut with the feature film Gaman (1978), about a migrant from Uttar Pradesh working as a taxi driver in Mumbai. He followed it up in 1981 with the classic Umrao Jaan, based on Mirza Hadi Ruswa's 1899 novel, Umrao Jaan Ada, about the famous Lucknow courtesan and poet. Even subsequently, be it Aagaman (1982), Anjuman (1986) or Jaanisaar (2015), Ali has kept going back to his roots in Awadh through his films.

Umrao Jaan won Rekha her first National Award for playing the lead role of Amiran/Umrao Jaan, despite a tough challenge from Jennifer Kendal, who played the lead in Aparna Sen's 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981). The film also won the National Awards for music for Khayyam, female playback singer for Asha Bhonsle for the song 'Dil Cheez Kya Hai', and art direction for Manzur.

Ruswa's novel was adapted for the screen yet again, years later in 2006 by JP Dutta with Aishwarya Rai in the lead. Ali's Umrao Jaan has now been restored by the National Film Development Corporation and National Film Archive of India under the aegis of the National Film Heritage Mission. It will be re-released this Friday, June 27.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Ali spoke to us about adapting Ruswa's novel, recreating culturally rich Awadh on screen, casting Rekha in the lead role, her alchemy with the co-stars, and the restoration of the film.