Ali, who grew up in Lucknow, called “Umrao Jaan” a seminal film that authentically deals with Awadh culture, its angst, and the trials and tribulations of being a woman.”My challenge was to present Awadh the way (Satyajit) Ray was presenting his Bengal, and there was nobody to present Awadh in that sense so I took it upon myself to present a truthful slice of reality of Awadh.”It’s a challenge to bring all those elements into the fold of cinematic expression with the same kind of intensity, force and authenticity, Ali, who has also directed Gaman, Aagaman, Anjuman and Jaanisaar said.An adaptation of Mirza Hadi Ruswa’s historical 1899 novel, Umrao Jaan Adaa, the film garnered wide acclaim for its nuanced storytelling, songs and performance by Rekha, who earned her first National Award for her portrayal of Amiran.The film also won the National Award for Best Music Direction, Best Art Direction, and Best Female Playback Singer as well as three Filmfare awards.”I’m proud of every moment of the film. When I chose to do the film. From the choice of Rekha to the music, everything is kind of memorable. It’s all integrated into one cohesive emotional experience,” he said.Despite being an adaptation, “Umrao Jaan” carries a lot of Ali’s interpretations of Lucknow’s culture and ethos.It had to be my experience, it had to be what I lived through, it had to be what the walls had spoken to me, what clothes meant to me, it had to be what feelings, festivals and art meant to me.I had to find parallels between the book and my own experience of Lucknow, the culture of Lucknow, the ethos, and my understanding, Ali added.Rekha had previously portrayed courtesans in films like Suhaag and Mukaddar Ka Sikandar, but Ali said he wanted to explore a different facet of her talent.He aimed to depict her character as a nuanced human being rather than just a glamorous figure.It (roles in ‘Suhaag’, and ‘Mukaddar’) was a kind of traditional courtesan that has been appearing in Bollywood.Here (in ‘Umrao Jaan’), I wanted people to look at her as a human being, as a vulnerable person, the director said, adding that he simply wanted Rekha to drown herself in the character.
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