Description
Since its debut on celluloid, Umrao Jaan has enchanted audiences and critics alike, winning hearts with its nuanced storytelling, haunting melodies, and unforgettable visuals. Over the decades, it has found new life across mediums—from theatres to television, from vinyl to cassette, from VHS to DVD—and now, in a landmark moment, it returns to the big screen in a newly restored 4K digital format by the National Film Archives of India.
Produced in conjunction with the film’s re-release, this volume is more than a tribute—it is a journey through the many lives of Umrao Jaan. Curated by the film’s director, Muzaffar Ali, it is a richly illustrated narrative that captures his vision of poetic realism. The contributing essays take readers through the historical and imaginative breadth of its making: exploring the film’s roots in 1850s Lucknow; its literary origins and the evolution of the screenplay; the restrained yet opulent cinematography; the aesthetic intricacies of the resplendent costumes and set design; and the soul of the film—its music and lyrics.
Featuring memoirs by Rekha, who brought the character to life, and recounting the quiet conviction of producer SK Jain in making this ethereal dream possible, the book celebrates the creation of this masterpiece. Packed with rare behind-the-scenes photographs, handwritten notes, costume sketches, calligraphic scripts, and reflective essays, it offers a window into a world where cinema met tehzeeb, and art became eternal.
Book Specifications:
- Category: Cinema
- Pages: 240 pages | Illustrations: 130 photographs
- Dimensions: 9.5 x 13.5” (241 x 330 mm), HC-PLC, GILT EDGE, Limited Edition
- ISBN: 978-93-94501-78-2
- Price: ₹10,000 | $150 | £120
- Year of Publication: 2025
- Association: Published in association with SK Jain & Sons and Kotwara Studios
Praise for the Book:
“… a keepsake for those who love the film and wish to relive its soul. … a tapestry of memories, rare images, and untold stories from its making along with reflections by writers immersed in cinema, culture and aesthetics.” — Anita Horam, Architectural Digest India “… the volume unfurls like the film itself: layered, lyrical, and steeped in nazaakat. … a reawakening of what was once framed in celluloid and now preserved in paper, image, ink, and memory. It is an ode to [the] craft and grace…” — Sakshi Salil Chavan, Outlook
