Umrao Jaan: Not Rekha, Smita Patil Was Muzaffar Ali's First Choice To Play The Iconic Character

Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali's cult classic Umrao Jaan (1981), starring Rekha in the titular character, is returning to cinemas on June 27 in a digitally restored version. The film has been still etched in the memories of cinephiles for the performances, music and storytelling. Umrao Jaan is considered as one of the gems of Indian cinema. Did you know that Rekha wasn’t Ali's first choice to play Umrao Jaan? In an interview, the filmmaker revealed he thought of casting another actress in the film.

Smita Patil was the first choice for Umrao Jaan

Muzaffar Ali told India Today that initially, he thought of Smita Patil as she had worked with him in 1978 film Gaman. He felt that she would have done a good job. "But then we felt maybe we needed someone with a bit more oomph and physical presence," he added.

He further stated, "When I read the character and lived it, and also heard the film recorded in Salma Siddiqui's voice over and over again, it was Rekha. She had the power in those eyes to tell the story where you fall and rise in the same moment. What Rekha brought to the table, I don’t think anybody else could have done that."

Earlier, in an interview with Hindustan Times, he said, "Rekha is not easy to find! You don’t find people with such commitment — what she did, no one else can do today."

"Every person in the film was as real as Rekha, and she, too, became part of that milieu," he added.

On the idea of the film's remake, the filmmaker said, "The film has reached such a level that anything new should surpass it. Films aren’t made just with budgets; they’re made with commitment and passion."

Umrao Jaan also starred Naseeruddin Shah and the late Farooq Shaikh, in pivotal roles. It has now been restored by the National Film Development Corporation and National Film Archive of India, with support from National Film Heritage Mission.