Stoutor It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

FrogGlace In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

Skyler Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

yourkg Though movie is set to the period of late 19th century but there are many goofs. 1) Handpump shown in the movie is of India Mark II (http://www.skipumps.com/deepwell.htm) which came into existence around 1980.2) Tiled swimming pool and hose pipe were also not available during that time.3) Costume of Nawab is of pathani touch no where near to Lucknowi.4) During mutiny time almost everyone was fleeing from Lucknow to Faizabad or any other city, but movie shows only Aishwarya and her friends going in cart.

farkomeister Muzaffar Ali made the classic "Umrao Jaan" in 1981 starring Rekha, Farooq Sheikh, Naseeruddin Shah, and Raj Babbar. Compared to that, this one is entirely unwatchable.The screenplay is terrible and barely maintains the viewer's interest for the first hour. Only towards the end is there any noticeable flow to the story. Casting is fine, but Sunil Shetty does not fit the bill of Faiz Ali.The language of Lucknow is Urdu, and, unlike what some other commentators claim, the movie does not employ a correct version of the language. The dialect used by some characters is also incorrect. Dialogues are horrible, and Aishwarya's pronunciation of Urdu words is absolutely revolting. Umrao Jaan was an Urdu poetess, and Aishwarya does not do her justice. The playback singers, however, are excellent, especially Alka Yagnik.Being a native of Lucknow, I know that we do not use "Baisa", "Mausa", "Apshagun", "Maan maryada" etc, especially among Muslim families, to which all the movie's characters belong. Yet, JP Dutta pays no attention to these important details, and the characters continue to use these and other wrong terms.The characters' wardrobe is not comparable to period Lucknow or to Muzaffar Ali's version of the movie, despite Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla's involvement.JP Dutta's Umrao Jaan is a low budget pretender of a movie, with Aishwarya's looks being the only redeeming factor.Stay away from this film. Watch Muzaffar Ali's original version, if you can. That was a pleasure to watch.2/10.

thalisman I saw this movie last night, and I must say, this was a great movie. This is just the type of movie i was expecting, since i'm a lover of good Cinema. Ever since "Devdas" And "Veer-zara" i haven't seen a movie so touching and so well made as "Umrao Jaan". With excellent sets, songs, story, and awesome performance by the actors. This is not the type of flick that some people might be used to, because this is a classical. And about Ash's acting skills I have to say, that this is her best so far. She looks stunning and the dances, are superb. I think she deserves to win the "Best Actress Award", because I haven't seen any other that can measure-up to her. This is the best female character this year, I can't see no one better for the job than Aishwarya. For all those people who dislikes her and that talk badly about her, watch this movie and you will change your mind. I was not an Ash fan because I thought she was just a pretty face but she has proved that not only is she pretty but also that she is a good actress.

Ahmad AYAZ I saw both old (1981) and new Umrao Jaan (2006). The old Umrao, I think, is one of the best movies (Indian or otherwise), at par with any famed-Satyajit Ray. It should NOT be even compared with the new Umrao Jaan. The problem is that it is so good that Muzaffar Ali (the producer of old Umrao from Lucknow where most of the movie unfolds) perhaps cannot make a better movie all his life.The old Umrao is very restrained, and therefore, a believable story of a Lucknow tawa-if (courtesan, geisha). There are no brave heroes (all flee 1857 Sepoy Mutiny against the English), the robber Faiz Ali dies in an unheroic escape. Owner of house of tawaifs, Madam Khanum, is selfish and exploitative. Nawab Sultan, one of the first clients of Umrao, sees Umarao what she is - a tawaif and abandons her with no compunctions to marry into the wealthy family of her cousin; others hurl insults at Umrao. There is a thin line (if any) between a tawaif and a prostitute/hooker - old Umrao sleeps with Nawab Sultan as a matter of routine, and then with the robber Faiz Ali. In old Umrao Urdu poetry (ghazal) is shown to be pervasive in the lives of tawaifs and all around her. The dialogs are in lyrical, delicate and local Urdu, difficult to be appreciated in translation. In old Umrao, acting is superb by all. Songs and Indian Kathak dances (minus one by Nawab Sultan) are mostly in context.Good movies like good books can enrich and teach. Most Indian movies are trash, fantastic escape from reality but not old Umrao Jaan. You could see Lucknow of a bygone era. Sample these:pigeon flight contests (or kabootar baazi, a flock breaking pigeons mid flight from a rival flock) - Indian hop scotch (ikkal dukkal) - the earthen stove (or choolha) - the custom of eating with hands in the kitchen on the floor near choolha - the custom of offering for a saint's shrine (nazar at durgaah) - the custom of arranged marriage between Muslim cousins - the custom of purdah, - the custom of eating betel leaf (or paans) and hookah smoking - the tradition of sellers of bangles and shawls coming home - the incompetent contemptible and indolent nawabs who would sell part of the estate for a courtesanSee old Umrao if you have not yet; see it again if you have once. Technically, the photography in old Umrao is not as high quality as in the new one but then in 25 years cameras have improved a lot.Old Umrao gets 9/10; the new 3/10.