A 4k restored version of Muzaffar Ali’s 1981 period musical romantic drama Umrao Jaan, starring Rekha, is set to release in theatres on June 27, multiplex chain PVR Inox said in a statement.

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

Produced by S.K.Jain & Sons and Integrated Films, Umrao Jaan hit theatres on January 2, 1981. The film, based on the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada by Mirza Hadi Ruswa, tells the story of a courtesan and poetess in 19th century Lucknow.

The film follows the story of Amiran, a young girl kidnapped and sold to a Lucknow brothel, who grows into the cultured courtesan and poetess Umrao Jaan. She falls in love with Nawab Sultan, but societal norms and her profession doom the relationship.

Rekha’s performance in Umrao Jaan won her a National Film Award. The film is celebrated for its music by Khayyam, with timeless ghazals like Dil Cheez Kya Hai and In Aankhon Ki Masti Ke.

Reflecting on the re-release, Muzaffar Ali said, “Umrao Jaan was not just a film—it was a journey into the soul of a lost culture, a forgotten tehzeeb. Through her pain, poetry, and grace, we tried to resurrect the elegance of an era where love and longing spoke in verse.”

“I am thrilled that the film is back on the big screen for a whole new generation to discover a time and culture that's very much a part of our being,” he added.

Umrao Jaan, which also stars Farooq Shaikh and Naseeruddin Shah, has been restored under the National Film Heritage Mission, an initiative by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Reminiscing about the film, Rekha said, “Umrao Jaan is not just a film I acted in — she lives within me, breathes through me, even now. 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.”

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, the book will be released simultaneously with the theatrical revival.