New Delhi: Nearly a decade after her death, the Melody Queen of Kashmir, singer Raj Begum, is getting a cinematic tribute through a musical drama, Songs of Paradise. The trailer of the film, which captures Begum’s fight against all odds to make a career in music, dropped today.
Directed by Danish Renzu, the movie is a tribute to the singer’s life and work, and will stream globally on Amazon Prime Video from 29 August.
“It’s an incredible feeling to finally see her story being told. If we can celebrate Steve Jobs and Michael Jordan, then why not Raj Begum? I would say, it’s better late than never,” Kashmiri singer-songwriter Muneem Mohammad told ThePrint.
The film portrays the life of Padma Shri recipient Raj Begum through the character of Noor Begum, with Saba Azad and Soni Razdan playing her at two stages in life.
“Kashmiri culture is extremely rich, be it music, food or calligraphy… but unfortunately, we don’t know how to sell it,” Muneen added.
Songs of Paradise, produced by Excel Entertainment in collaboration with Apple Tree Pictures and Renzu Films, is positioned as both a cinematic tribute and a cultural chronicle of Kashmir. It also features Zain Khan Durrani, Sheeba Chaddha, Taaruk Raina, and Lillete Dubey.
Research scholar Gulbahar Shah, who specialises in graphic narratives and visual culture, called the trailer “visually beautiful”.
“The film conveys the struggles of Raj Begum as she navigates the gendered and cultural expectations of the times by choosing to be an artist in defiance of set moral codes,” said Shah, who grew up listening to Begum’s songs on the radio.
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Raj Begum: A symbol of peace
Raj Begum has been an important part of the Kashmiri socio-political imaginary. Her arrival on the musical stage in 1954 is viewed as a seismic event that broke long-standing barriers. It shattered the belief that music was an exclusive, male-dominated field, opening up a new path for women. She went on to become Kashmir’s first prominent playback singer.
“I think women looked up to her as a symbol of hope for moving beyond entrenched societal structures, and she paved the way for generations of future artists in Kashmir,” said Shah. The researcher’s favourite Raj Begum song is Tse Yewaan Roshe Chhukh Nata, a poem by Rasul Mir.
Renzu, who has made Half Widow and The Illegal, co-wrote Songs of Paradise with Niranjan Iyengar and Sunayana Kachroo. Notably, the writers’ team features members of the two prominent communities in Kashmir: Pandits and Muslims.
“The coming together of the two creators suggests an affirmation of political dissent, which undercuts the divisive socio-political narratives that have been created around the two communities,” Shah said. “Raj Begum, as a social and cultural icon, becomes a symbol for peace and a shared cultural heritage—a crucial avowal of dissent in the current political climate.”
For Muneem, Songs of Paradise is deeply personal. After all, Begum inspired him to feel confident and create music in his traditional language. The singer, who hails from Srinagar and combines Kashmiri traditional and folk styles with Western and contemporary genres, calls her a “powerhouse of talent and strength”.
“These films will inspire the new generation to wear their hearts on their sleeves, take pride in their culture, and dream big,” he said.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)