Umrao Jaan: A Story of Indian Girl Child
"Agale Janam Mohe, Betiya na kijo"
"In next birth of mine, Oh God, don't bring me as a girl child!"
By Madhu Chandra
www.madhuchandra.org
The Umrao Jaan is a Bollywood film produced by Muzaffar Ali in 1981, which was
remake by J. P. Dutta in 2006, is the story of Indian girl child base on Urdu
novel "Umrao Jaan Ada" written in 1905 by Mirza Hadi Ruswa based on the famous
Lucknow courtesan.
It is a story of an Indian girl child who laments her agony of life, composed
in form of poetry and music with soul gripping lyric "Agale janam mohe, betiya
na kijo," "In next birth of mine, Oh God, don't bring me as a girl child"
It is the song of a woman, whose childhood was looted when she was kidnapped by
her neighbor Dilwar Khan to revenge her father for testifying in a criminal
case which led him imprisoned for several years. She was sold to a brothel at
Lucknow at the age of eight, who was latter adopted by a couple to bring her up
with same parental care, education, dance, poetry and music, only to fit to
charm the wealthy in a famous courtesan of Lucknow.
Ameeran, her parental name changed to earn famed Umrao Jaan (love) from wealthy
men, who came to the courtesan, was labeled as "Bazaar Aurat, a prostitute"
In remake version, former Miss Universe and Bollywood Super Star, Aishwarya Rai
acted as Umrao Jaan along with Abhishek Bachchan as Nawab Sultan and Sunil
Shetty as Faiz Ali.
At the age of 20, when she is fully grown matured, Umrao got the title "Jaan"
after performing a charming courtesan dance and singing at Lucknow, where Umrao
got the eyes of wealthy princes, kings, and Nawabs.
Nawab Sultan was one among many wealthy men, whose love was stolen by charms of
Umrao at first meeting itself. Soon, Umrao got into the net of Sultan, with
true passionate romance, not knowing her love for Sultan will be rejected soon.
Sultan's father did not want to his family defamed by his son marrying a
"Bazaar Aurat" and disowned him.
When Sultan didn't have a penny after his father disowned him he went to live
with his uncle at Grahi.
In the absent of Sultan, Umrao catches the eye of a wealthy Faiz Ali, who
wanted her at any cost. Faiz Ali turned to be a dacoit and got arrested during
a journey to Grahi with Umrao. Sultan heard the news about Faiz Ali and Umrao's
coming to Grahi, and questioned Umrao about the suspicious relationship with
Faiz Ali.
Brokenhearted, Umrao, finally decided to return back to her cage of courtesan
at Lucknow, where at arrival, she was raped by her childhood friend in brothel,
latter she forgave him unconditionally.
Soon British attacked the city and forced her to leave Lucknow and decided to
go to her forgotten childhood home at Faizabad. She found her father death and
mother and brother refused to accept her because of her profession.
Umrao shunned by her family, her lover and society leaves to return to Lucknow,
but fate plays another joke and on her way out the city, she encounters the man
who kidnapped and sold her to the brothel in the first place. Poor, wretched,
homeless and injured, the man begs for pity, not recognizing that she is
Ameeran, and she essentially forgave him.
Shunned by all and having forgiven those who destroyed her life, she lives the
rest of her days in Lucknow with her poetry and ill fate.
Umrao Jaan's story reflects what a girl child looks like in Indian society
where the issues of crimes, abuse and gender discrimination to the girl child
are debated continually.
It is story that reflects the life of a girl child, whose choice is nothing but
the slavery through out life, beginning under dominion of father at childhood,
husband at married life and son at old age.
The story reflects the gender discrimination, female feticides, and female
infanticides in our society. The story reflects the girl child trafficking,
pushing many into the life like of Umrao Jaan.
The song after shunned by her mother and brother, Umrao laments,
Tell me. Have you seen such a farewell?
Nor mother, nor father, nor brother.
No one is there."
Tears are the ornaments and the palanquin of sorrow.
The locked doors are bidding farewell to me.
Never return here even in your dreams.
Look at my lover, he has broken my heart
After abandoning me midway,
He is setting a new life
As like a child gets new toy,
Plays with it for some days and then forgets
Don't make me a doll like this, who cannot even cry
In next birth of mine,
Oh God, don't birth me as a girl child!
Whatever you have done now,
Oh God, don't do it again.
Where Umrao Jaan was shunned and forsaken, no one could hear the song that
narrates her misery, but it was Mirza Hadi Ruswa, who heard as she cried,
You call me, "the voice of broken heart."
I am the instrument, which contains all melodies
Who am I, what and am I, for whom am I alive?
I myself do not understand.
Tell me the secret.
Tell me the secret.
