A lifetime project awaits Sajal Aly! The actor will play Umrao Jaan in a Pakistani adaptation of the novel. The 1899 Urdu classic by Mirza Hadi Ruswa depicts 19th-century India, courtesans, and culture.
Several movies have adapted the novel. Hamid Hussain is producing the latest. “I can’t reveal much, but yes, we are working on an Umrao Jaan Ada adaptation with Sajal in the lead,”. Aly’s Umrao Jaan is an eight-part series, unlike her previous films. “It’s an eight-part series, not a film. “Sajal is one of our two female leads for this series.
Hussain said it was a new story inspired by the original novel, so expect grandeur! Since it’s a series rather than a three-hour film, we have more time to develop the characters and story. Hussain added, “It’s an old-school romantic drama, and Sajal has that perfect look.” “She fit Umrao Jaan’s regality and elegance.”
“There is a lot in the novel that has never been shown in an audio-visual project,” Hussain told Variety.
Hasan Tariq directed Umrao Jaan Ada, starring Rani, in 1972 in Pakistan. Muzaffar Ali’s 1981 film Umrao Jaan starred Rekha, while JP Dutta’s 2006 version starred Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Two Indian movies from 1958, Mehndi by SM Yusuf and Zindagi Ya Toofan by Nakhshab Jarchavi, were also influenced by the book.