This Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai film, remake of a classic, bombed at the box office

Last updated:Nov 6, 2024 12:25 IST

Known for his blockbuster hits like Border, JP Dutta tried to recreate the classic story of Umrao Jaan, which is based on the life of a courtesan in Lucknow.

Umrao Jaan starring Rekha was released in 1981.

Rumors about Abhishekh Bachchan’s breakup with his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan continue to dominate social media, while in all probability they are baseless. The couple has time and again dismissed such rumors. Abhishek and Aishwarya fell in love while filming the superhit film Dhoom 2 together. While another of their films, Guru, received a great response, their first film together, titled Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke, failed at the box office.

However, one film in which Abhishek and Aishwarya appeared together eighteen years ago unexpectedly failed. The period romantic drama was a remake of a cult classic that was a huge success at the time and therefore expectations were high for the remake. If you haven’t guessed yet, we are talking about the movie Umrao Jaan.

The 2006 film Umrao Jaan, directed by JP Dutta, turned out to be a flop at the box office. Known for his blockbuster hits like Border, Dutta tried to recreate the classic story of Umrao Jaan, which is based on the life of a courtesan in Lucknow. Despite high expectations and a star-studded cast, the film struggled to resonate with audiences and critics alike.

Although Umrao Jaan boasted lavish sets, intricate costumes and a soulful soundtrack, it ultimately failed to capture the magic of the original 1981 version starring Rekha. Many attributed this to a slower story and the inevitable comparisons to Rekha’s iconic performance, which had left a lasting impression. JP Dutta’s version, while visually appealing, did not fare well at the box office and received mixed reviews, with some critics pointing out that it lacked the emotional depth needed to connect with the audience.

Stars like Shabana Azmi, Suniel Shetty, Divya Dutta and Kulbhushan Kharbanda also played important roles in this film. However, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was not the first choice for Umrao Jaan. Director JP Dutta wanted to cast Priyanka Chopra but it didn’t work out and then Aishwarya was cast. In an interview to PTI in 2005, JP Dutta said, “I had reached a point where I had to make a decision. I wanted to work with Priyanka. I had introduced her as Umrao Jaan.” Priyanka rejected this film as her dates were already booked.

After the failure of Umrao Jaan, JP Dutta was so disappointed that it took him twelve years to make his next film Paltan. The film released in 2018 featured actors like Jackie Shroff, Arjun Rampal, Sonu Sood, Harshvardhan Rane, Sonal Chauhan and Esha Gupta. However, this film also flopped poorly at the box office.