Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali on re-release of Umrao Jaan starring Rekha: Even I wouldn't attempt Umrao Jaan again
'Rekha is not easy to find! You don't people with such commitment — what she did, no one else can do today. Every person in the film was as real as Rekha, and she, too, became part of that milieu. It reflected in everything: Shahryar's lyrics, Khayyam's music, Kumudini Lakya's choreography, Asha Bhosle's playback singing, the characterisation, the actors, the cinematography, and the costumes. Everything was crafted in layers,' he says.
Muzaffar adds, 'The film has reached such a level that anything new should surpass it. Films aren't made just with budgets; they're made with commitment and passion. I haven't felt that same passion again, and even I wouldn't redo it. Closure is important — you can't make it better than this. It can't be recreated. Others have tried and failed, so why should I? Instead, I'd rather tell new stories with the same passion.'
The film has been restored in 4K by the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). On the release date (June 27), he will also launch his coffee table book, featuring archival pictures and write-ups, including contributions from Rekha and Naseeruddin Shah.
He recalls, 'We shot it for a year in two seasons in 1980. We shot it extensively in and around Lucknow, Faizabad and a set in Mehboob Studio in Mumbai where we created a kotha with original elements (old doors and artifacts) so it became a real place where we can play with lights and shades. Rerelease is a reassurance that the film is alive. The life and warmth I am feeling is very inspiring as people are taking interest and exploring different shades in it. Umrao Jaan was like discovering my inner world, the past and my Lucknow. It was going back in time.'
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Next, his dream project Zooni will see the day of the light. 'My son (Shaad Ali, director) has given closure to it. It's now like a dialogue between father and son with a past. The film is being edited now. I have a few scripts ready with me which I will start upon soon.'
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