Restored 'Umrao Jaan' starring Rekha set for UK Asian Film Festival

The restored version of Rekha's classic 'Umrao Jaan' will be screened at the UK Asian Film Festival in May. The event will also feature a Q&A session with the film's director, Muzaffar Ali. The film previously screened at IFFI.

Bollywood classic Umrao Jaan, starring Rekha in the lead role, is set to have a special screening at the UK Asian Film Festival in May.

According to the Instagram handle of the UK Asian Film Festival, the restored version of Umrao Jaan by the National Film Archive of India will screen on May 7, 9 and 10 at the prestigious film festival.

UK Screening Details

While sharing the post, the caption read, "Everyone deserves to experience a classic like Umrao Jaan! Beyond BFI, the journey continues, bringing this timeless story to more screens across the UK. Tyneside Cinema | Thu 7 May | 7 PM, Phoenix, Leicester | Sat 9 May | 7 PM, followed by a Q&A with director Muzaffar Ali, Lanternhouse Cinema, Cumbernauld Theatre | Sun 10 May"

It further read, "Restored by the National Film Archive of India, this classic period film follows Umrao Jaan's journey from abducted child to celebrated courtesan and poetess in Lucknow. Rich with music, longing and melancholy, it remains a luminous portrait of survival, artistry and memory."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by UK Asian Film Festival - Platform For Emerging Talent (@ukasianfilmfest)

Previous Screenings and Acclaim

This is not the first time that the restored version of Umrao Jaan has been released in the theatres and for special screenings at film festivals. It was also screened at the 56th International Film Festival of India last year. It was screened under the National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM), curated by the NFDC-National Film Archive of India (NFAI) as part of the Indian Panorama Special Package.

For the movie, Rekha has won the National Award for her impeccable performance in the film as a courtesan-poetess in 19th-century Lucknow. Her graceful dance performance on 'Dil Cheez Kya Hai' is still admired and remembered by filmophiles.

It was also screened in Delhi last year after its re-release on June 27, 2025.

Director's Perspective

The movie was directed by Muzaffar Ali. On the sidelines of the screening in Delhi last year, director Muzaffar Ali called 'Umrao Jaan' "timeless" and "ageless".

While talking to ANI, he said, "I think the movie is timeless, it's ageless, it was meant for a time 150 years ago. So, it was meant to be a period film, and it has been true to the period. It is still vibrant and alive as that period would have been. So, that way, the film is, for me, full of nostalgia, full of memories, details and hard work."

Future Plans for the Film

Director Ali also shared that he is willing to take Umrao Jaan to the festivals and OTT platforms. "I think we'll take it to a festival route and then it will come to the OTT," said Muzaffar Ali.

About 'Umrao Jaan'

'Umrao Jaan' is a classic Indian period drama adapted into two film versions. The 1981 version, starring Rekha, is a cult classic and won four National Awards. The 2006 version, starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, was not well-received by the audience. Both films are based on Mirza Hadi Ruswa's novel Umrao Jaan Ada. (ANI)

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