The iconic film of 1981, Umrao Jaan, starring Rekha, is all set to return to the silver screens, but this time, the film is re-releasing in 4K. According to multiple reports, Umrao Jaan is set to re-release on June 27, 2025. The restoration of the film to 4K has been done by the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). As per a report by Mid-Day, the restoration process of Umrao Jaan took a year and NFAI-NFDC has collaborated with Muzaffar Ali to complete the same.
Umrao Jaan’s director, Muzaffar Ali and Rekha share their views on the re-release of the 1981 iconic film
The 1981 iconic musical drama, Umrao Jaan, centres around the life of a courtesan-poetess, and Rekha essayed the role of the courtesan. For the unversed, the film is based on Mirza Hadi Ruswa’s Urdu novel, Umrao Jaan Ada. Now, as the film is all set to return to the theatres after 44 years, the captain of the ship, Muzaffar Ali and lead actress, Rekha, shared their views. Speaking to Mid-Day, the director of Umrao Jaan, Muzaffar Ali shared that the actors attached to the project and especially Rekha made the character lively through their portrayal. Sharing his excitement on the re-release of the film, Muzaffar said:
“Umrao Jaan was not just a film—it was a journey into the soul of a lost culture, a forgotten tehzeeb. Through her pain, poetry, and grace, we tried to resurrect the elegance of an era where love and longing spoke in verse. I had actors who brought a lot of heft to their characters, and then there was Rekha, who lived Umrao Jaan and truly immortalised it. I am thrilled that the film is back on the big screen for a whole new generation to discover a time and culture that’s very much a part of our being.”