Year: 2019 | Month: September | Volume 8 | Issue 3
Bollywood Remade: A Study on Umrao Jaan
DOI:10.30954/2249-6637.03.2019.3
Abstract:
Recreating the past is difficult, film makers barely succeed in replacing the memory of the past vision with their own. This research is based on a comparative study on the elements of both versions of the movie ‘Umrao Jaan’ and its social elements. This research solely investigates the social acceptance of the character of Umrao Jaan borrowing from both the movies - Umrao Jaan: 1981 and Umrao Jaan: 2006, drawing a distinct comparison of both eras and the evolution of the character. The research represents a critical analysis of Bollywood’s visual interpretation of the character of Umrao Jaan. The idea is to portray the influence of visual culture over a social spectrum. This analysis highlights the social manipulation of the notions of the Indian women. The poetry and the songs from both the movies will be studied as symbolic elements that represent the shades of the character. The research defines the interpretation of the dilemma the character faces in the understanding of her dual identity as a courtesan and a woman. Even though Bollywood cultivates the ideal picture of a bold woman in the movie yet it fails to give it a new dimension. The research objectifies the reference of a puritan society as a symbol in the representation of the character in the movie. The element of beauty and femininity is studied as a complex association in the character’s role and the industry’s portrayal of the character. Romance is also studied as a major element that the movie has used to define the character.
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