Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan was a jewel in Rekha’s illustrious career. Umrao Jaan wasn’t just any other film starring Rekha; it was, rather, a timeless piece of art crafted for future generations. The filmmaker beautifully recreated the nostalgia of Awadh in the mid-nineteenth century, where music, poetry, and dance flourished.
The film portrayed the life of courtesans, who were a major part of Lucknow’s culture. When it was time to cast the lead actress, the filmmaker sought someone who was not only experienced in her craft but also possessed the nuances of the character. Muzaffar Ali saw his ‘Umrao Jaan’ in Rekha, whose eyes held the pain of being broken in love, just like the character in the film.
The iconic film, Umrao Jaan, is in the headlines as it is set to re-release in theatres on June 27, 2025. Before the re-release, Rekha hosted a screening of the film, which was attended by many A-listers of the film industry. She re-created her look for the grand screening and wore an ivory ensemble designed by ace designer, Manish Malhotra.
Rekha’s portrayal of Umrao Jaan was so convincing that many people believed it to be the actress’s best work. Many thought it was Rekha’s unfulfilled love for Amitabh and the pain of being the other woman, which added life to the character. The filmmaker, Muzaffar Ali, once recalled Rekha’s plight as he spoke to Yasser Usman, who penned the actress’s biography, Rekha: The Untold Story.
Amitabh Bachchan visited Rekha’s ‘Umrao Jaan’ set
Muzaffar Ali stated how the film was connected to Amitabh Bachchan. Revealing that the actor visited the sets of Umrao Jaan and the way Rekha addressed him, Muzaffar shared:
“Rekha is a very sensitive woman… Amitabh Bachchan used to come and sit on our sets, during the Delhi shooting of Umrao Jaan. That’s a fact. Whenever referring to Amitabh, she always spoke using ‘inko, inhone’, like women do who consider themselves married.”
In the same conversation, Muzaffar Ali also revealed that Rekha was madly in love with Amitabh Bachchan. Stating that she should have given the identity that she craved for, the filmmaker continued:
“I think she considered herself married. She is and she was in love with him. He should have definitely given her an identity. Amitabh should have married Rekha.”
When Rekha allegedly disappeared from the sets to meet her boyfriend
During the making of the film, there were rumours that Rekha would disappear from the sets as she was busy meeting a ‘superstar’. Umrao Jaan’s director also revealed facing difficulties during shoots as Rekha would vanish from the sets.
When the rumours reached Rekha’s ears, she did not address them directly but confessed to sleepwalking through the entire shoot of Umrao Jaan. She also revealed that she did not remember many moments from the shooting.
The controversial casting of ‘Silsila’ starring Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha and Jaya Bachchan
Rumours of Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan’s affair began on the sets of Do Anjaane and remain one of the most persistent topics in Bollywood. During the same time, Yash Chopra had come up with the idea of making the film, Silsila, the one film which was literally the on-screen portrayal of the off-screen love triangle.
Yash Chopra found it difficult to bring Amitabh, Jaya, and Rekha together, considering that Jaya was against the idea of her husband working with Rekha. Throughout the narration, Jaya was initially disinterested in working on this film, but it was the climax scene where the husband returns to his wife that made her say ‘yes’ to the film.
Umrao Jaan was Rekha’s best performance to date, as she could relate to the character of ‘Ameeran’, who led a lonely life despite having many admirers.
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