Umrao Jaan

Umrao Jaan is a typical Indian story of love, heartache and family values. Daroga Dilawar is sentenced to several years in prison in Faizabad after Amiran’s father testifies against him. On release he gets his vengeance by abducting Amiran and selling her to a brothel madam, and it is here that she is re-named Umrao Jaan. She grows up to become an accomplished poetess and dancer who has many patrons, amongst them Nawab Sultan and his father. Although young Nawab is smitten by Umrao he is forced to marry another, leaving her devastated. Umrao find solace in Faiz Ali, with whom she elopes but he is a wanted bandit and is shot and killed by guards. Umrao flees to Lucknow where she establishes herself but is hunted down and told she must marry brother keeper Gohar Mizra. The movie plays out the tragedy as she tries to escape her fate and attempts to find her parents once more. —IFFI