Umrao Jaan - JP Dutta

This is the story of Ameeran who is a rather overmodest adapted young girl wont to pleasing her parents. Her false sense of what is important complemented by her pusillanimous disposition makes her quite a simpleton. As a consequence of which she falls prey to a kidnapper's (Dilawar Khan's) pretension to help her and is sold to Khanum Jaan, who trains courtesans at her brothel. After being sold for a mere sum of Rs.120, Ameeran is renamed Umrao by Khanum Jaan.

For a rather pampered girl, she does not throw much of a tantrum to get back to her parents and is happy to stay with the chinks and jangles of some jewellery. Perhaps the only compelling reason could be her unwillingness to be married off so early which she overhears her parents discussing. She is taught poetry, singing, dancing and is groomed to become a cultured woman with an art of charming wealthy men.

When a request for a mujra (a dance and song performance in front of an audience) comes her way Khanum Jaan deicides that it should be Umrao this time as she is ready to spread her charming tentacles for her first mujra. This is where Umrao meets Nawab Sultan and falls in love with him. The Nawab also is swept away by her breathtaking beauty and performance and pays to be with her that night. The next morning Umrao's foster mother is seen happily distributing sweets claiming "Umrao is now Umrao Jaan". With this 'happy' occasion of her consummation begins the story of Umrao Jaan with a change in 'fate' yet again.

The Nawab's father is not particularly pleased with either his visits to the brothel or his trysts with a courtesan. He compels him to marry a girl that he has chosen for him threatening him that he would otherwise disinherit him completely. Predictably, the Nawab chooses his lady-love over his inheritance and is forced to leave in search of stability to be able to take her with him. While he gets ready to leave, she promises to be ever loyal to him.

While the Nawab is away Faiz Ali, a dacoit makes an entry and tries to woo Umrao Jaan. Unaware of who he truly is an unsuspecting Khanum Jaan is obliged to let him into her brothel and be with Umrao. Umrao however lives up to her word saying she'd only be a stone without any love in her and to his dismay Faiz Ali learns of this truth when he strips her in a frenzy. Just before he leaves in a huff Faiz Ali portends that he will make her remain as heartless and as cold as a stone forever.

Days go by and Umrao Jaan learns of Nawab Sultan being in Gari working for his uncle. To take her mind off her gloom she is offered to accompany Faiz Ali in a trip that would take her through Gari. Although delighted by the idea, she conceals her excitement and her ulterior motive behind accepting the offer. Only her foster father is privy to this little secret of hers and he wishes her well and for the last time bids adieu to her.

On the way they are attacked and the dacoit Faiz Ali is taken prisoner along with his fellow travellers. For the very first time Umrao Jaan learns of the true nature of Faiz Ali but she is secretly happy that this attack has brought them all to Gargi sooner that she had expected.

When the Nawab hears about Umrao and Faiz Ali's arrival in Gari he goes to meet Faiz Ali like a rabbit walking into a hungry lion's den. Faiz Ali takes this opportunity to get his revenge by informing the Nawab that Umrao Jaan has given herself to him and to convince him further he tells the Nawab about a certain mole on her body. Enraged by what he has just heard the Nawab walks away and calls for Umrao Jaan. It is as if their love sat gingerly on a mole, that the Nawab decides to break Umrao's heart accusing her of betrayal. He tells her that he had decided to marry his uncle's daughter and asks her to go back to where she belongs. Even after all that she manages to find courage to forgive him for everything that he's done to hurt her.

Betrayed and lost, she returns to the place which she thought she had bidden adieu to forever only to learn that her foster father had passed away. After her return she also gets raped by her childhood friend who had always been in love with her.

It was time for the next turn of events and that happened when the British invaded Lucknow forcing her and the other courtesans to flee. Just before leaving, she forgives her childhood friend for raping her.

They land in Faizabad, her own village and she decides to stay there while the others move on. Hoping to reunite with her family, she visits her home and learns of her fathers demise. Her mother and brother refuse to let her in fearing association with a courtesan. In her first and last mujra in Faizabad, Umrao Jaan is treated like a pariah and she decides to leave the place forever in search of herself. On the way they bump into a leper who begs for some money to buy food. Umrao Jaan recognises the man as Dilawar Khan, who had kidnapped her many years ago. She takes pity on him and forgives him, parts with two of her bangles and hands it to him.

With that Umrao Jaan moves away to a life with just her songs and her music to give her company forever. The act of forgiving every person who caused her pain has been the only laudable character in Umrao Jaan. And perhaps the only thing that gave her courage to live on by herself for the rest of her life.