A newly restored print of Muzaffar Ali's 'Umrao Jaan' is set to have its European premiere at the UK Asian Film Festival (UKAFF), which opens in London next week. The 4K restoration of the 1981 period musical drama - featuring Rekha as a Lucknow courtesan and poet - has been undertaken by the National Film Archive of India. The screening at the BFI IMAX will be followed by a talk by Ali.
The film is part of a broader line-up celebrating South Asian stories at the festival, which this year revolves around the theme “Stories That Bind Us.”
“We are proud to present a program that celebrates bold and outstanding storytelling, sparks important and difficult conversations and showcases extraordinary work from established and emerging filmmakers," Pushpinder Chowdhry, UKAFF founder and director, said in a statement.
Umrao Jaan is a 1981 period musical drama adapted from Mirza Hadi Ruswa’s 1899 Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada. The festival will conclude on May 10 with the UKAFF Awards, where Muzaffar Ali will be honored with the Golden Flame Lifetime Achievement Award.
Now in its 28th year, the festival will also host the UK premiere of the acclaimed Bengali film 'Baksho Bondi' (Shadowbox).
