What drew Saba Azad to Kashmir-set drama 'Songs of Paradise'
What's the story
Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment has released its latest film, Songs of Paradise, on Amazon Prime Video. The musical drama is set against the stunning backdrop of Kashmir and tells a tale of dreams, resilience, and courage. The film features Saba Azad in the lead role with an ensemble cast including Soni Razdan, Zain Khan Durrani, Sheeba Chaddha, Taaruk Raina, Shishir Sharma and Lillete Dubey.
Actor's perspective
'It's an honor or responsibility...': Azad
Speaking to Zoom, Azad said she was deeply touched by the script. She called playing Noor Begum, a character inspired by the late Kashmiri singer Raj Begum, an "honor" and a "responsibility." "It's an honor or responsibility to play a real-life character and carry their music to the world." "Not enough stories get told about Kashmir, especially not the human kind, ones about light, winning, music, art and culture," she said.
Cultural significance
More on why she feels the film is important
Azad stressed the importance of the film in shifting the focus from typical Kashmir narratives to its people and their culture. "This film is important because it's saying, 'Let's look at the human beings of the region, their story, art, culture, music, wants, wins and losses.' There's more to Kashmir than what we've been told," she said.
Personal influence
On her journey as a musician and actor
Reflecting on her journey as an actor and musician, Azad credited her upbringing for giving her the strength to take on such a challenging role. She thanked her parents for encouraging her to explore all her passions. "I want to credit my super supportive parents, they encouraged me to do whatever I wanted, whether it was drawing, cooking or becoming something else," she said.
Film's essence
Everything to know about the film
Directed by Danish Renzu and co-written by him along with Niranjan Iyengar and Sunayana Kachroo, Songs of Paradise is a tribute to the legacy of Begum. The film offers an intimate look into the life of Noor Begum (played by Azad and Razdan), a talented singer who dares to pursue her passion in the 1940s and 1950s. Read our review of the movie here.