Muzaffar Ali Interview : Umrao Jaan Re Release & Rekha

Muzaffar Ali , iconic Indian filmmaker, painter, poet, and cultural revivalist, joins Batkahi for a deeply personal conversation on Indian Cinema , art, and the soul of storytelling. In this Bollywood Podcast , we revisit his celebrated works, from Umrao Jaan Re Release to Gaman, Aagaman, Anjuman, Jaanisaar, and the revival of Zooni, his incomplete and unreleased film now brought to life by his son Shaad Ali.

In this Muzaffar Ali Interview, watch him reflect on how his biggest inspiration, Satyajit Ray, shaped his cinematic vision, and shares memories of working with legends like Rekha , Anupam Kher, Khayyam, Jaidev, and Faiz Ahmad Faiz. The conversation also takes us into the world of House of Kotwara, where, alongside his wife, Meera Ali, and daughter, Sama Ali, he works to revive Awadhi culture through fashion, and art.

From his memoir Zikr to his passion for poetry, Sufism, Rumi, and the Jahan-e-Khusrau festival, this episode offers an intimate look at a true artist who believes movies should unite people, not divide them, and continues to shape Indian cinema and culture.

00:00 – Montage
02:04 – Introduction
03:03 – Muzaffar Ali’s deep love for filmmaking
05:54 – Rootedness of place and time in Muzaffar Ali’s storytelling
10:00 – The mass production era of films today
11:03 – Legacy of Muzaffar Ali: Love for his parents & the Kotwara House
13:48 – Zikr: Autobiography of Muzaffar Ali & untold anecdotes
17:40 – Lessons in valuing culture & heritage from his father, and how they shape his films
20:53 – The re-release of Umrao Jaan
23:21 – Why Umrao Jaan wasn’t a commercial success upon release
24:56 – Why Muzaffar Ali made only a select few films
28:07 – The rise of propaganda films
29:51 – How Rekha became Umrao Jaan
31:29 – Was Gaman inspired by Muzaffar Ali’s own move to Mumbai?
35:40 – Films & books as mirrors of society
37:28 – Working with Anupam Kher in Aagaman
38:04 – The importance of actors & characters in cinema
41:20 – The audience’s role in shaping Indian cinema
44:48 – Old is gold: Eternal songs & poems from Indian cinema
46:40 – Collaborating with Khayyam & Jaidev and creating timeless music
48:50 – Meeting Faiz Ahmad Faiz & weaving his poetry into Aagaman
50:16 – Muzaffar Ali in politics
53:51 – The legacy and vision of the House of Kotwara
57:54 – Rumi, Sufism & the Jahan-e-Khusrau festival
01:01:05 – Revival of Zooni by Shaad Ali & its Kashmir connection
01:04:25 – Why write an autobiography?
01:05:13 – Conclusion

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