Rekha in Umrao Jaan: Perfection

 

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Aishwarya Rai in and as Umrao Jaan

Aishwarya Rai, 33, in and as Umrao Jaan, J.P.Dutta's long, elegiac... bore. 

The character of Umrao Jaan spans various ages in the story (from young to mature), but Aishwarya's real-life age aligned with her portraying the adult courtesan phase. Ash delivered a graceful, dance-heavy performance in the film, often praised for her beauty and poise, even if the movie itself received mostly poor reviews. 

Rekha and Farooq Shaikh in Umrao Jaan (1981)

Rekha and Farooq Shaikh in Umrao Jaan (1981)

 

Rekha in and as Umrao Jaan (1981)

 

 

Released on 2 January 1981, the career-defining role and film of Rekha, the sublime Umrao Jaan. 

The commercial superstar outshone every single actor in the film, including thespian Naseerudin Shah. 

The album is absolute perfection; music, lyrics, singers, composition, orchestration. 

Trying to achieve Nirvana? Listen to the CD with your headphones on. 

Aishwarya Rai during the release of the bok: 'The Making of Umrao Jaan'

Aishwarya Rai, 33, during Umrao Jaan promotional event 

Umrao Jaan: Rekha: Muzaffar Ali: Behind the Scenes

Umrao Jaan: Rekha: Muzaffar Ali: Behind the Scenes 

 Umrao Jaan: Rekha: Muzaffar Ali: Behind the Scenes 

The exquisite costumes, jewellery and looks of the classic Umrao Jaan

 

The exquisite costumes, jewellery and looks of the classic Umrao Jaan 

Aishwarya Rai in and as Umrao Jaan (2006)

Not her best film or performance - but she looked exquisite in every frame... 

A title role for a Bollywood queen, Aishwarya Rai in and as Umrao Jaan back in 2006

Rekha in Umrao Jaan: Iconic

 

Salaam: The perfectly divine Aishwarya Rai - and Abhishek Bachchan

 

Salaam: The perfectly divine Aishwarya Rai - and Abhishek Bachchan. 

Umrao Jaan wasn't good nor was it bad; it was a greater Bollywooden crime; it was a royal bore. 

Rekha at age 27, in Umrao Jaan

Rekha at age 27, in Umrao Jaan 

Rekha with Prema Narayan in Umrao Jaan

Bollywood beauties: Rekha with Prema Narayan in Umrao Jaan 

Former model Ms Narayan was Miss India 1971. 

Aishwarya Rai in and as Umrao Jaan

Aishwarya Rai in and as Umrao Jaan.

A title role...

But... as glorious as she looked in the film, the movie was deeply flawed in execution.

We said it before its release, during the movie and after its abysmal run at the box-office (and the critical drumming it got0, there is no need to touch a faultless classic that originall released in 1981.

It failed spectacularly in every single measure; music, lyrics, performance, narrative, depth, dialogue, cinematography, the singers were lesser, the actors were not on par... even the costumes were inaccurate albeit shimmering and pretty....

And yet, we've seen it several times just to see "the first and second most beautiful woman in the world; Aishawrya Rai."

Rekha in and as Umrao Jaan

Rekha in Umrao Jaan

Umrao Jaan, Rekha. Synonymous.

Aishwarya Rai In Umrao Jaan...

Still among one of her worst films, but my good GOD did she look good in Umrao Jaan... The quote above is lovely tho...

Rekha in Umrao Jaan

Aishwarya Rai looking divine... in the awful film Umrao Jaan

The original is nearly faultless, so why try to update on a classic? The machinations of Bollywood are beyond comprehension. Though the film was torturously long and languid, at least Ash looked perfect in every frame, danced well (in some songs) and ended up marrying the lead of the film in between takes!

Aishwarya Rai in Umrao Jaan

Sure she looked other-worldly, but the movie Umrao Jaan by JP Dutta, was un-watchable. Blame the director and writer (and perhaps the editor too - that movie needed some serious chopping!) for the yawn-fest. Even the most hardcore Aishwarya Rai fans - which we are - could barely stomach it. Confession, even we bought the dvd, just to skip it along to look at her all day and night. And not watch the film! Songs were gorgeous. So were the outfits. And the movie that was a stepping stone for the Bachchan-Rai nuptial. So perhaps, not all for a loss...

The definitive Umrao...

Some amazing finds, rare pics of Rekha from the set of the classic, "Umrao Jaan".