tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post146423446886290365..comments2024-03-24T08:18:33.058-04:00Comments on Conversations Over Chai: Umrao Jaan (1981)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-91390374722297066552013-05-01T11:22:35.863-04:002013-05-01T11:22:35.863-04:00Thank you, SoY. I'm not seeing Faiz as a benev...Thank you, SoY. I'm not seeing Faiz as a benevolent man - like all men (in the film) he is exploiting her too. But he seems to genuinely like her, and his offer, be it what it is (and Umrao has no delusions), is honest. Mirza, is both exploiter and exploited. He is not beyond emotional manipulation, but he is so much under Khanoum's control that he cannot but do as she asks. He is mean, yes, but he is not evil. It was Nawab saheb who made me feel like choking him - of the three men, he is the one who is genuinely in love with Umrao. And he doesn't make a push to be with her at all. Yes, he is a prisoner of the social constraints of the time, but he is so, so spineless! I ask more of my men than jelly for a spine.Anu Warrierhttp://anuradhawarrier.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-81239773138731043072013-05-01T09:13:22.303-04:002013-05-01T09:13:22.303-04:00Anu,
This is a lovely review of a lovely film, wh...Anu,<br /><br />This is a lovely review of a lovely film, which I am never tired of watching again and again. Some nuances I remember very differently. I didn't see Faiz Ali (Raj Babbar) as 'kind hearted'. To me he appeared as selfish as others who exploited Umrao Jaan. I think there is something in his eyes, or his facial mannerisms, which make it appear as if he has never grown out of <i>Insaaf Ka Tarazu</i>. Same with the pimp Gauhar Mirza (Naseeruddin Shah). When he stoops down to use a false legal case on a hapless Umrao Jaan, he appears quite mean, and not helpless on account of his circumstances. I can grant Farooq Sheikh is a prisoner of his circumstances.<br /><br /><br /><br />Besides <i>Ye kya jagah hai dosto</i>, another song that gives me goosebumps is <i>Justjoo jiski thi</i>. A lyrical beauty permeates the film throughout, which is on account of Muzaffar Ali himself being a man of great aesthetic taste across literature, music and painting. I have steadfastly refused to see the Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai version, I cannot visualise any other Umrao Jaan. This is one film which should be left untouched.Songs Of Yorehttp://twitter.com/SongsOfYorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-89547709489361254382013-04-24T14:32:04.981-04:002013-04-24T14:32:04.981-04:00Funny you should say that about the audio tape - m...Funny you should say that about the audio tape - my copy of <i>Umrao Jaan</i> is a twin DVD set with <i>Bazaar</i>. :) <br /><br /><br /><br />Agree with you about the movie - worth watching for the story, the acting and the songs. :)Anu Warrierhttp://anuradhawarrier.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-55119484416297409482013-04-24T14:08:37.020-04:002013-04-24T14:08:37.020-04:00What a gem of a film. Excellent performances, heav...What a gem of a film. Excellent performances, heavenly melodies, a story well told. Must watch again. I have an audio tape of the film's songs and they are often heard in the kitchen as I cook dinner. That and the ones from Bazaar (on the other side of the same tape).Lakshminoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-78150665179178708362013-04-22T19:57:23.756-04:002013-04-22T19:57:23.756-04:00Thanks for reading, Yves, and I'm glad you lik...Thanks for reading, Yves, and I'm glad you liked it. As for the quality of the film, the DVD companies have a lot to answer for, don't they?Anu Warrierhttp://anuradhawarrier.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-53860913571728184432013-04-22T08:19:41.460-04:002013-04-22T08:19:41.460-04:00[Grins]. My reading has reduced so much these days...[Grins]. My reading has reduced so much these days, it's a shame.Anu Warrierhttp://anuradhawarrier.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-63788799699153682362013-04-22T08:18:49.603-04:002013-04-22T08:18:49.603-04:00The funny part, pacifist, is that I like both Abhi...The funny part, pacifist, is that I like both Abhishek and Aishwarya. My problem is that their body language (as you say) doesn't fit this sort of a film - or rather, JP Dutta couldn't bring it out. (Because I thought Ash was really good as Jodha.) And then, today's actors, barring a few exceptions, don't really have it in them to disappear into their characters - they are almost always themselves playing a role. :( <br /><br /><br />Aishwarya's beauty, I think, is more of a curse than a blessing. One cannot look past it.Anu Warrierhttp://anuradhawarrier.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-34247578437318992802013-04-22T08:15:12.830-04:002013-04-22T08:15:12.830-04:00Thank you so much for the appreciation, Ashokji. ...Thank you so much for the appreciation, Ashokji. I'm glad you enjoyed the review and the article.Anu Warrierhttp://anuradhawarrier.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-4415772284168566802013-04-22T04:28:01.041-04:002013-04-22T04:28:01.041-04:00My love of period films (and its dearth in present...My love of period films (and its dearth in present times) made me watch the later Aishwaraya version of Umrao Jaan too :-)<br /><br /><br />I loved the previous one and didn't mind Aishwaraya's. The filmi world is so artificial and speak so much English in their interviews and films that it is very difficult to relate to their sudden changes which doesn't exclude their modern body language.<br />That was the main flaw of the later UJ. <br />Both Abhishek and Aishwaraya are so anglicised (as most stars) that one couldn't relate to it as much as to Rekha and Farookh etc.<br />Aishwaraya of course looked too beautiful, and made up (as Rekha did too) which shouldn't go against the profession they were in anyway, I guess.<br /><br /><br />The details of 19th century Lukhnow were indeed so well brought about. I think I'll watch this again soon. :-) Thanks for the review Anu.pacifistnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-22596350925166483452013-04-22T00:59:26.321-04:002013-04-22T00:59:26.321-04:00I will keep an eye out for it, now! As soon as I g...I will keep an eye out for it, now! As soon as I get the time for it... ;-)dustedoffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-37479832588296591652013-04-22T00:29:26.703-04:002013-04-22T00:29:26.703-04:00Even as the motivation to take up one more, and th...Even as the motivation to take up one more, and that too back-to-back the previous one, original in the ’remakes’ genre is explained very well in the introduction of the article, what can be considered as pleasant (and thoroughly enjoyable as well) surprise is the fact the author has one of oft-discussed film. <br /><br />And if one is still not satisfied with the ‘main dish’ the ‘extra’, the The Telegraph article – Umrao Jaan, The Story Untold-, is simply an icing on the cake. (My apologies for having picked up all cliché metaphors in this sentence, for an article that is so well written.)Ashok M Vaishnavhttp://amvaishnav.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-17255336831118748812013-04-21T13:58:36.779-04:002013-04-21T13:58:36.779-04:00Madhu, I stay away from most remakes. And truth to...Madhu, I stay away from most remakes. And truth to tell, JP Dutta didn't inspire me with any faith in his ability to make it well. <br /><br /><i>Umrao Jaan Ada</i> has been translated a few times. The one I read was the Khushwant Singh version though there are a couple of versions out there, I think. It is very interesting to read, and you end with the feeling that such a person really did exist. (Or perhaps, I was more susceptible to an overdrive in imagination at that age. *grin*)Anu Warrierhttp://anuradhawarrier.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-62148679235555779192013-04-21T01:51:00.527-04:002013-04-21T01:51:00.527-04:00I deliberately stayed away from the Aishwarya Rai-...I deliberately stayed away from the Aishwarya Rai-starrer because I simply couldn't imagine her doing justice to the film. I'm not much of a Rekha fan either, but I thought she was superb in <i>Umrao Jaan</i> - which, anyway, was a great film. I remember watching it the first time when I was about 10, and being very impressed, even though (as you'd expect, at that age) some of it went over my head. ;-)<br /><br />Thank you for reviewing this, Anu, and for that bit of trivia at the end regarding the existence of Umrao Jaan. I've never read <i>Umrao Jaan Ada</i>, but you tempt me.dustedoffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-19057563052054824102013-04-20T17:27:00.007-04:002013-04-20T17:27:00.007-04:00I couldn't fault her performance either. And t...I couldn't fault her performance either. And then I guess it is very subjective - awards had to be given to 'real' performances, and anything that needed makeup and jewellery couldn't be real. :)Anu Warrierhttp://anuradhawarrier.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-13255401617355302802013-04-20T17:24:20.900-04:002013-04-20T17:24:20.900-04:00No, no no, please do not compare Rekha with Ash. A...No, no no, please do not compare Rekha with Ash. Ash is a competent enough actress when she has a good director, but Rekha was a fantastic actress when she wanted - look at <i>Ghar</i>, for instance. <br /><br />I'm not too sure I want to account for my life's sins. :) But I love these lines:<br /><i>Apne maazi ke tasavvur se hiraasaan houn main<br />Apne guzre hue ayyaam se nafrat hai mujhe<br />Apni bekar tamannaaon pe sharminda houn<br />Apni besood umeedon pe nadaamat hai mujhe<br /><br />Mere maazi ko andhere mein dabaa rahne do<br />Mera maazi merii zillat ke sivaa kuchh bhi nahiin<br />Merii umeedon kaa haasil, meri kaavish ka silaa<br />Ek benaam azeeyat ke sivaa kuchh bhi nahiin</i>Anu Warrierhttp://anuradhawarrier.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-10397498265378166802013-04-20T13:19:12.143-04:002013-04-20T13:19:12.143-04:00Everything about Umrao Jaan was wonderful, the son...Everything about Umrao Jaan was wonderful, the songs, the direction and of course the acting. I remember I had not seen the film but had seen 36 Chowringee Lane and like everyone else I too felt that Jennifer Kendal deserved the award. Later I saw Umrao Jaan on television and I changed my mind, Rekha definitely deserved this award, i really couldn't fault her performance.Shilpi Bosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2309362817539389132.post-30253676556066376772013-04-20T05:45:57.683-04:002013-04-20T05:45:57.683-04:00If you like this particular line, you are probably...If you like this particular line, you are probably in very good company, as "accounting for one'slife/sins" is a recurring theme ...<br /><br /><br /> aye khuda mujh se na le mere gunaahon ka hisaab<br /> mere paas ashq-e-nadamat ke siwa kuch bhi nahin<br /><br /><br /> (ashq-e-nadaamat - tears of repentance)<br /><br /><br /><br />Or even<br /><br /><br />Shab-e-furkat ka jaaga hoon farishton, ab toh sone do<br />kabhi fursat mein kar lena hisaab, aahista, aahista.<br /><br /><br />: ) <br /><br />Apart from others, my own favourite would be of course be the classic pun dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye, with only the pause changing the meaning. But also<br /><br /><br />Yaad teri, kabhi dastak, kabhi sargoshi se<br />raat ke pichle peher roz jagaati hain humme<br /><br /><br />Your memory, sometimes a knock, whisper <br />wakens us daily in the far reaches of the night<br /><br /><br /><br />What I meant to say was, Umrao Jaan- great story, excellent performances by all concerned ... amazing music and lyrics. <br /><br /><br />Leaves me cold. Because of Rekha. A great fan of her personally -lived life on her terms. But she represented the overly made up, "looking statuesque == gravitas in acting and diva" theory that Ash Rai followed 2 decades later. OTT, OTT, OTT!AKMnoreply@blogger.com