Songs of Paradise

Songs of Paradise follows the real life of Kashmiri singer Raj Begum, set in the 1950s.

The movie has beautiful frames capturing both the interiors and the scenic backgrounds of Kashmir. Saba Azad plays her role with innocence. Zain Durrani carries the charm needed for his role. Sheeba Chaddha does a decent job, although Saba's and Sheeba's dialogue delivery and diction feel off-track at many moments. Bashir Lone holds the emotions well in the film.

Talking about the music, the movie carries Kashmiri music throughout, and it's pleasing to the ears; a refreshing change for us as an audience. The movie beautifully talks about culture, issues, and taboos with respect to the location. However, it lacks the emotional depth needed to feel the intensity of the story. Overall, Songs of Paradise is refreshing to watch and is worth a viewing on OTT for its Kashmiri musical touch.

OVERALL - 5/10.

Danish Renzu's Songs of Paradise is a hymn to the transformative power of songs and the steady courage behind it. It traces the life of Zeba Akhtar, portrayed in youth by Saba Azad and in later years by Soni Razdan.

From its opening scenes, Zeba's voice feels both fragile and insistent, an echo in a world determined to filter out female expression.

Zeba's character arc lingers on breath held before a performance, on an eye shift that betrays pride, on a voice bending the geo-cultural map of its time. The film's narrative moves like an aria, weighing heritage and longing more heavily than dramatic Pyrotechnics.

Saba Azad inhabits young Zeba with quiet intensity, every gesture calibrated less to attract attention, more to reclaim it. Soni Razdan, as the older Noor Begum, holds the screen with spectral calm, as if her voice still hums in her bones. Between them lies the film's emotional chord: time has worn her strength thin, but not gone.

Abhay Sopori's re-creation of Kashmiri compositions and Masrat-un-Nisa's vocals function as Zeba's inner language, unsent, yet unignored.

Renzu's Kashmir is not the conflict-scarred image the world knows, but a land carrying memory, music drifting by willow trees, rivers that remember her, and small injustices that won't let her stay silent.

The film occasionally smooths edges: obstacles slip too easily, conflicts resolve with too much decorum. Yet those soft arcs reflect Zeba's day-to-day perseverance rather than cinematic dramatization, her revolution is small, gentle, yet relentless.

Songs of Paradise is a rising note carried on a breath. It reminds us that sometimes, revolutions are not always loud, but can be gentle and can be remembered in silence.

In movie there are some misleading information like a song "krsa myon nyaay anday" is originally written by mahmood gami sahab but in movie they show this song is written by azad maqbool (husband of noor) which is completely wrong .

And many more mistakes Apart from these mistakes, movie is good and Dramatic.

Film is an excellent introduction to authentic Kashmiri folk music. Hauntingly beautiful.

The performances especially by Saba and Soni are moving, and the film is sublimely etched into your soul. It is good to see such unsung facets of India coming to the fore and being celebrated for their talent and contribution.

Anwar Says: There was not much or interesting on OTT in these days , so I was in a bit silent mode. Yesterday, a biopic was released on Amazon prime of the first Kashmiri female singer, Raj "Noor" Begum and I was eager to know about her. First, if you are making a biopic, don't change the journey but it's the director who has to see that it is not presented so crude, that audience loose interest in between.

Saba Azad as young and Soni Razdan as elder Noor were perfect choice for the protagonist. Danish Renzu, a born Kashmiri, based in L. A. , not been able to create the Kashmir of 1950's, still the effort is appreciable. Songs are properly composed but the background score used mostly western instruments and not the Sarangi etc. , the saaz of Kashmir. Dialogues are outwrought for a soft movie like this.

Overall, it's a musical film having been able to convey music but with a lot of latches and shortcomings as movie. 2.5 out of 5 from me.

#amazonprime #anwarsays #kashmirimusic #noorbegum #firstfemalesinger #sabaazad #sonirazdan #danishrenzu #couldbebetter.