Umrao Jaan

Are you into modern Bollywood or tradtional/arthouse?

I was lead by the ratings, fine actors and description to try this movie. I have been heavily into Bollywood of late.
I was disappointed in this one - not because it wasnt well done. It was but my taste, I now find, is more modern. This is more traditionally Indian in its solo female dances, presentation etc. The songs are almost entirely of the female voice and there are none of the group dances I love.
The chemistry between Ahbishek and Aishwarya is more powerful than they've often done (was this when they were dating?), and the acting throughout was excellent, yet for me there was a sameness to the movie and I found myself bored.
From the other critiques I see this is about my taste and not the movie.
So I am just posting this for others like me looking at Bollywood. If your taste is more modern and popular this may not be for you either. If you like traditional and arthouse this may be just the thing you're after -and it is well done.
Perhaps I shouldnt have made it the next one to watch after Jodha Akbar which, while having an arty historical feel I found very compelling and memorable. Perhaps that was a hard act to follow. November 2, 2008

painful beauty

bollywood is seldom subtle: it is in this flick. first and foremost, this flick is B E A U T I F U L! the two leads, aishwarya and abhishek are two of the more beautiful actors on the planet (they are a couple in real life: what beautiful children they shall have); they both shine in this flick. this is not a feel-good flick: it has all the pain and bad consequences which infect real life, but seldom show up on the silver screen. if you have to have a "HAPPY ENDING" to enjoy a flick, by all means, pass this one by, but if you want a beautifully acted, filmed, produced STORY with a real ending, get this -- you'll never regret it. October 25, 2008

A mesmerising period piece!

Having been a fan of the 1981 classic starring Rekha in the title role, I wasn't sure what to expect, but was more than staisfied by the amazing performances in this movie. The story centers around an aging courtesan Umrao Jaan Ada who tells her life story to another poet through a series of flashbacks.

The title character is played to convincing effect by Aishwarya Rai. It is not just her luminous beauty that shines through here - every facial expression, the lift of an eyebrow, her smile, her tears, are all beievable in conveying her character's emotions. The dance sequences were also very good - I never thought of Aishwarya as a great dancer until this movie, the movements are so natural, and authentic. Rekha, in the original was an amazing dancer too, and both in their own unique ways bring the character of Umrao Jaan to glorious life on screen.

Umrao Jaan's love interest, Nawab Sultan is played convincingly by Abshishek Bachchan, and their on-screen chemistry practically sizzles [they are now a real-life married couple]. Each love scene is beautifully and subtly done, and comes across as tender with an underlying passion that is hard to miss.

There are also secondary characters in this movie that deserve mention - namely, the brothel owner, Khanum Sahib, played by veteran actress Shabana Azmi. Her character's greed for wealth is also touched by some shred of humanity, and very well done. Sunil Shetty plays the dacoit who lusts after Umrao, and his character comes across as savage and ruthless whilst also tender when faced by Umrao's dazzling beauty and finesse.

The songs are all beautiful, and the costumes and sets simply sumptuous. This is definitely one of the best Bollywood musicals to come along, enhanced by a compelling plot and credible acting. Highly recommended period piece! January 15, 2008

Very Enjoyable

I am not such a fan of Aishwarya, but her performance here is good. I still feel she comes out a little fake here and there, and granted, she can manipulate her eyes as much as technology manipulates the color of them. The worst part of the movie is Abhishek... he plays a very very lame Sultan, never seems to accomplish a genuine facial expression, and for some reason can't stand quite straight showing a hunchback. Shabana Azmi is just spectacular, as always. I am no expert in South Asian music and singing, but I am a musician and I found the music and the singer to be just exquisite! The photography is also outstanding, not to mention the perfect costumes. The dancing performances are good, but for some reason I find Aishwarya to be a little too technical with limited natural grace (I wonder how Madhuri Dixit would have uplifted this character with her limitless grace).
I think the story (without watching Rekha's version) has a strong feminist message in the sense that Shabana's character was able to attain a very powerful position in society as a lonely woman. I know I know it is a brothel, but it is supposed to be a very high-profile one! For the time, the location and the whole setting of the story, the brothel I think represents a way in which women find enourmous power, voice and independence, even more than being a respected wife. At the end, women's arms are strongest around a man's neck right? In the microcosmos of the brothel, women are protected from the cruel oppresion of outside; beautifully explained by Shabana's character. The 'love' aspect is questionnable in real life; if any, it is South Asian society which has proven that infatuation-based love does not persist as much as reason-based relationships such as arranged marriages, and love as a result of time spent together, and not butterflies in the stomach. I think women at the brothel enjoyed of more liberties (artistic preparation, fame, jewels, fine dresses, great standard of living, servitude, and the option of choosing one's sex partner) the trade-off is the reputation of course. Looking at Ameeran's mother, and at Shabana's character, I think Shabana's had a much better life overall.
Good movie, nice slow pace and very very enjoyable experience. January 3, 2008

Unbelievable story!

This is story-telling at its finest. Director JP Dutta deserves an Oscar, and so does Ashwarya Rai. A few reviewers mentioned that the movie was too long or that there were too many climaxes. Hindi films typically average 3 hours because Indian audiences really get into the story-telling and the melodramatic love themes.

Unlike a lot of Bollywood films, Umrao Jaan shows not one one streak of campiness. The story is bittersweet and extremely poignant. You can truly identify with Umrao Jaan's plight, but some Western audiences might miss that because they're conditioned to shorter length films and incongruency with the bright coloring. Western films with dark themes tend to be dark overall: dark mood, dark lighting, dark soundtrack--everything is dark. Bollywood films don't follow this formula. Sad films still have color to them. Songs tend to be more melodramatic. The characters often cry silently and part slowly from one another. While their reactions are overtly sad, the feeling in the scene is very well conveyed. I dabbed at my eyes a few times myself. You don't see much poignancy in Western films lately which is a shame.

The screenplay was superb. Talk about unlucky. This poor lady was just kicked to the curb by nearly everyone. At least she was able to enjoy a few moments of happiness in her troubled life. Your heart really goes out to her. And I liked the ending. It was not a cheater's ending. What a challenging role, and Aishwarya Rai mastered it! In fact, the acting was excellent all around. Additionally, the dancing, costumes, cinematography, bittersweetness, and lyrics to the songs were all in line with the theme of the story. This film was very well done and thought through. Next to Lagaan and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, this is my third favorite Bollywood film.

This film deserves at least an award or two. October 23, 2007

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