Title of film : SONGS FROM THE VALLEY
Cast & crew :
Producer : ASHISH DUTTA
Editor : PARUL
Cast :
Synopsis : Kashmir is a paradise where nature bestows its immense beauty. Sitting in the lap of the Great Himalayas and The Pir Panjal range, the land is known to narrate myriad tales of Mysticism, Sufism, Persian and Central Asian cultures which makes it stand where it is. It is the unfortunate land of heaven on Earth, trapped in an age old political conflict. Kashmir in India has reached a curious crossroad where chaos and conflicts co-exist with a sense of desolation and apprehension. There is an uncertainty prevailing every second in the valley where no one knows when or where the situation might get worse. A strong sense of dilemma and angst prevails in every individual residing in Kashmir – where the youth is forever ready to protest, and sometimes rather violently, by shouting, rioting, fighting and breaking scheduled norms. Amidst all this, there is a young man, who has embarked on a journey of his own – to express his desire for the elusive peace in the valley. His journey is lyrical, flows effortlessly through his music, asking for harmony and dignity. There is grief, disappointment and sadness in his music, but each and every note that he strikes, tells a tale, describing the beauty and the grandeur of the valley which at the same time is suffering a collateral damage of conflicting egos. He is a student of Srinagar University, inspired by contemporary music like Rock, Blues, Classical, Jazz, and Funk and beautifully blends it with his traditional roots of Sufi, Folk, and Eastern classical. His aspects of making his music have incorporated salient traits from the valley which resides embedded in every Kashmiri. He believes, music in Kashmir is not only about singing away one’s despair, but about understanding the key aspects of the land’s history and heritage. For him, it’s not guns, but music is chosen as his voice of dissent. As a Kashmiri, he knows the implications of violence and thinks a Kashmiri cannot afford to be ignorant of the on-goings of his motherland. He has realised that answering violence with further violence is not anymore the solution for saving his generations from wasting away into nothingness. Amidst of all the palpable tension, curfews and riots, the urge to tell stories of rebellion and suffering through melody has influenced the desire of this people’s performer. He wants to sing about and on behalf of Kashmir through melodies that are meditative, satirical, critical and questioning. The music that he makes reflects his angst and disappointments he has experienced over the years. Artists like him need what artists elsewhere have easiest access to – the freedom to gather and express himself. There is a common message that not only he, but all of the musicians from the valley propagate, which states the bare truth that the only way to achieve lasting peace in Kashmir is by demilitarization. All he wants is freedom, to bring his valley back into the realms of peace, and express his thoughts without the fear of being silenced. This is a musical journey of the silent valley, from the perspective of Ali, where erstwhile, the only sound, when heard, was the sound of a bullet. This is the story of Ali Safuddin and his song for freedom.
