hi there . i echo a very positive review for this film when i watch it and completely because i have not see the rekha starer umrao jaan . i felt the song be nice too and if not exceptional . and aishwarya look breath take angelic . she perform really good and especially in scene like the one where she tell sunil shetty that she will only be a dame for him ( after the song amain na mil skun jo tum se ) and towards the end when she tell puru rajkumar that she have forgive him and the scene that follow and many more . yes the film be pretty slow pace and to be honest and i do yawn once or twice . but now the main question arises that do it live up to the 1981 classic make by muzzaffar ali . this be very wrong though but very obvious and unavoidable also . so to know that i order the previous film from my neighbourhood dvd library . and my whole opinion change . the 1981 film by muzaffar ali with rekha in the title role be humongous in every department and j. p. dutta version now appear to me a an arrogant film making by a director . i remember dutta say in interview that his a true adaptation of the book umrao jaan ada by mirza hadi ruswa and it be adapt by his father . if that be the case and then i believe muzaffar ali be a fantastic story writer and screenplay writer . the story of the new film be a merely 50 % of the old film . the rekha starer have more to it and that too in less screen time . there be layer and layer of drama which indulge the viewer into the story of the protagonist and make you cry for the doomed fate of her in every span of her lifetime . the story be the big strength give ample area for other department to excel too . the music be timeless and lyric very simple and extremely effective and the old word charm ( the film be short in the real by lane of lucknow ) and the performance be superlative . rekha excel the beautiful story by add her talent and grace to it . i guess the power of old umrao jaan lie in the true fact that muzzafar ali be a witness to the culture and dutta be not . i never once felt the old film slow and dragging ( consider i watch it without any break ) and i yawn may time in the new film which be present to me with inter mission . nothing be therefore of a match between the two film . even aishwarya performance get reduce to pail due to the failure of the new film at the script level . i personally aspire to be a film director one day and this whole experience teach me a lesson in responsible film making and arrogant film making . to rate the film be now very difficult . it certainly do not come half closer to the old classic and so a less than 5 be deserve . it hence get a negative and 95 % of it because of aishwarya portrayal . i know that many people must have work very hard on this film and but be sorry to all of them . i do .