Exclusive - 'Rekha was always in my mind for Umrao Jaan: Muzaffar Ali

Uness pic of Rekha with Muzaffar Ali from the sets of Umrao Jaan (Photo Credit: Instagram/MuzaffarAli)

The soul-stirring Umrao Jaan, which was a poetic cinematic classic that released in 1981, is set to captivate audiences once again. Restored with high-tech sound and enhanced visuals, the film returns to the big screen for a whole new generation.

We at Moneycontrol spoke exclusively with its creator - director Muzaffar Ali and asked him about what the re-release means to him.

Muzaffar Ali said even he is eager to see how a younger generation receives a film that many hold close to their hearts.

"There will be some kind of a continuity of emotion in the audience. It's some kind of a nostalgia, also it's going into some unknown zones also. People who've never heard of this before. It will be either something very, very unusual and different that'll happen. Or something very predictable... I can't say anything how it'll pan out," Muzaffar Ali reflected.

Muzafaar Ali told us that the timeless quality of Umrao Jaan lies in its layers - poetry, music, textiles, and an inimitable performance by Rekha.

"Basically, I looked at it as a musical. I looked at it as a kind of a poetic musical," Ali said.

The renowned director, who also founded his own fashion label, House of Kotwara, recalls structuring the narrative through a single poetic line that resonated with him and building the film's soul around it.

"The creation of the poetic structure of the film was the main authorship of the film. To get into the psyche through poetry."

It was only Rekha for the role of Umrao Jaan 

Muzaffar Ali also said that the film could never have existed without Rekha or poet Shahryar.

Umrao Jaan's music, which is a hauntingly beautiful tapestry composed by Khayyam with lyrics by Shahryar, formed the emotional backbone of the movie. Muzaffar Ali said has

"We just gelled and vibed for about a year before something substantial and memorable could come out. It’s not done overnight," he said.

But it wasn’t just poetry and music—it was also craft. Ali’s commitment to authenticity extended to costume and design. "The language of textiles and craft... I think what is hugely ignored in Indian cinema. Everything has to be felt and dreamt and authenticated and tactile."

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A post shared by Muzaffar Ali (@muzaffar.ali.kotwara)

Ali credits the heritage of Lucknow, the birthplace of Umrao Jaan’s story and his own emotional grounding, as a muse. “The challenge was this, how true can I be to Lucknow?”

Also Read: Exclusive - Muzaffar Ali on Aishwarya Rai starrer remake of Umrao Jaan: 'Some classics should never be touched'

With the restored film set to debut in cinemas before eventually arriving on OTT platforms, Ali hopes audiences—both old and new—will once again be moved by its timeless beauty.

"Rekha is not born out of ten. She’s born out of music. She’s born out of poetry."

Excerpts from the exclusive interview:

Ques: How does it feel to see Umrao Jaan releasing again, this time for a completely new generation?

Muzaffar Ali: I think there will be some kind of continuity of emotion in the audience. It evokes a sense of nostalgia, but it also explores some unknown areas. There are people who've never heard of the movie before. I don’t know how it will pan out, it could be something very unusual and different or something predictable. But I’m sure it’ll be good. It’s going to be in a restored format with high-tech sound and better viewing conditions. And then maybe, it’ll have a strong OTT impact once it reaches people’s homes.

Ques: Do you think the music has remained the connecting thread across generations?

Muzaffar Ali: Definitely. The songs will bring a lot of nostalgia back. I looked at the film as a kind of poetic musical. The story was simple — a girl being abducted and returning home, and what happens in between. But I needed poetry to express it. That became the authorship of the film.

Ques: Tell us about your collaboration with Shahryar and how essential his poetry was to Umrao Jaan?

Muzaffar Ali: If I hadn’t found Shahryar, I don’t know what I could have done. Maybe I could have found another poet, but he was a big asset to the movie. He had a classic yet modern sensibility. I wanted to use a modern poetic language to tell a classic tale. I worked backward from one line of his and structured the film around it. That journey of poetry was the making of the film.

Watch this exclusive interview:

Ques: Was Rekha always the first and only choice for Umrao Jaan?

Muzaffar Ali: From the moment the character started taking form in my head, I started looking around. And I felt maybe only Rekha's image, felt she could only do it. Rekha is not born out of ten. She's born out of music. She's born out of poetry. The music too was born out of soulful creations. So when everything else was ready — the poetry, the design, the character — then Rekha became the final layer. Then it was a full-fledged takeoff, no looking back.

Ques: How did you ensure authenticity in telling a story rooted so deeply in Lucknow’s culture?

Muzaffar Ali: The challenge was, how true can I be to Lucknow? It’s part of my bloodstream. If I’m not faithful or creative about that, I lose everything. I always say, dark people tell deeper stories. Rekha embodied that depth. The city, the poetry, the textiles, the music — everything came together organically.

Ques: And what about the craft and design elements in the film?

Muzaffar Ali: One of the biggest languages I learned while making films was the language of textiles and craft. It’s a line hugely ignored in Indian cinema. Garments need to be worn, felt, and dreamt — they’re a testimony of the character’s truth. That journey of textiles is as important as the journey of poetry. It’s become my way of looking at the world.

As Umrao Jaan readies for its re-release, its legacy continues to echo through generations — in verse, in voice, and in the unforgettable presence of Rekha.