DUBAI: Bollywood icon Rekha will attend Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival for a screening of Muzaffar Ali’s newly restored 1981 film “Umrao Jaan,” which will be shown outside of India for the first time.
For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle
The classic saw the actress win an Indian National Film Award for her performance as a courtesan-poetess in 19th-century Lucknow.
“‘Umrao Jaan’ is intrinsically woven into the very fabric of my soul,” Rekha said in a released statement, reported by Variety. “She is not just a character; she serves as a mirror reflecting the depths of my emotions and dreams. In fact, one could say that she mirrors my soul through the echoes of many lifetimes, portraying a narrative that transcends millions of heartbeats.
“The opportunity for this soulful film to find a new life after 45 years and connect with a fresh audience at the prestigious Red Sea Film Festival is exhilarating and profoundly meaningful. And witnessing an unprecedented moment when a 1981 classic, ‘Umrao Jaan,’ is featured in the festival’s Treasures strand alongside a film by the luminary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock is not only a blessing but humbling to the core,” she added.
