Rekha's Umrao Jaan to re-release in theatres, check the date inside

Rekha's classic Umrao Jaan is set to return to the big screen in the resplendent 4K restoration. Directed by the visionary Muzaffar Ali, the 1981 film is all set to release on June 27th.

Produced by S.K.Jain & Sons and Integrated Films, the 4K restoration of the film has been done by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the National Film Archive of India (NFAI).

To mark this momentous re-release, Muzaffar Ali is also unveiling a limited-edition coffee table book that offers a rare behind-the-scenes look into the making of Umrao Jaan. Featuring never-before-seen photographs, costume sketches, calligraphy, poetry, and personal anecdotes from the set, the book is both a collector’s item and a deeply reflective tribute to the film’s artistic vision. Designed for cinephiles, students of cinema, and lovers of culture alike, the book will be released simultaneously with the theatrical revival.

More about Umrao Jaan

Umrao Jaan is a cinematic masterpiece that changed the course of the Hindi film industry. Starring Rekha, the film tells the story of a girl named Amiran, who is kidnapped and sold into a brothel in Lucknow. Years later, she is given the name Umrao Jaan and becomes a famous singer and poet. She falls in love with a young Farooq Shaikh’s Nawab Sultan. However, the only thing she gets in return is the heartbreak.

A lyrical exploration of love, loss and longing, Umrao Jaan has etched its legacy as one of Indian cinema’s most visually and emotionally evocative works. Rekha’s portrayal of the courtesan-poetess stands as one of the finest performances in film history — a portrayal that earned her the coveted National Film Award for Best Actress.

With music by Khayyam and verses by Shahryar, the film’s ghazals—Dil Cheez Kya Hai, In Aankhon Ki Masti, and Justuju Jiski Thi—still echo in the hearts of generations.

The film returns as part of PVR INOX’s Timeless Classics initiative, which curates landmark films that have shaped Indian cinema’s artistic legacy.

Reflecting on the re-release, Rekha said, "Umrao Jaan is not just a film I acted in — she lives within me, breathes through me, even now. At the time, none of us could have imagined the timelessness of the film, the way it would gently etch itself into the soul of Indian cinema. To see it return to the big screen is like watching an old love letter being opened by a new generation. My heart is full.”