‘Song of Paradise’ Movie Review: A Peen to the Voice of the Valley

A music drama inspired by the life of Padma Shri Raj Begum, Songs of heaven Kashmir focuses on the rich poetry culture of Kashmir which often gets buried under the “files” of jaundice. This is the side of Kashmir which we have hardly seen in Bollywood.

Set in a time and place when the idea of ​​a woman who was publicly singing was forbidden, it follows the struggle of Zeba Akhtar (Saba Azad/ Soni Razdan), which emerges as a voice of freedom due to her talent and tenacity.

With the support of his tailor’s father (Bashir Lone is outstanding), Zeba stitches his music dreams under the protection of Mastrji (Sheshir Sharma), which urges him to participate in a singing competition organized by Radio Kashmir. She wins the competition, but the social stigma associated with music forces her to receive a pseudo -name, Noor Bano.

Soon, his ghost voice spreads far and wide, which takes the deep poem of Azad Maqbool Shah (Zain Khan Durrani) to the common world. To overcome bureaucracy obstacles, she demands equal pay and fighting for the rights of his co-stars. Without removing her traditional head cover, she proves that a woman is not limited to lullaby songs and this singing can be more than just one hobby. With harmony in its notes and harmony in gravity, its rise inspires a generation of female singers in the region.

The film does not limit patriarchy to a gender. While Zeba’s father is assistant, her mother (Sheeba Chaddha) becomes a symbol of retrograde idea that refuses to look at the talent of her daughters. With harmony in his voice, gravity to tune and passion in singing, Noor Bano becomes a domestic name.

As the girl was caught between stones and milestones, Saba is the lifeline of the film, takes her weight on her thin shoulders. She affects the body language of a girl caught between Kashmiri pronunciation and her passion and tradition. When Azad says that if there was a voice in prayer, it would be the voice of Noor Bano, we believe it because Saba becomes Zeba.

A singer, we can see Saba’s voice box echoing and moving outspoons. She is so good that she disturbs the performance of Sony Razdan as Sony does not try to mastered pronunciation. Sheeba shows how to do it and is impressive in a small role.

Apart from Saba, the hero of the film is its music, which is rebuilt by Santoor Mestro Abhay Rustom Sopori. The Pathos and the Bridge of Kashmiri thought and tunes overwhelm you, which invests you and draws you close to the message of red dead and Shamas fakir. This idea “Will my dear accept me with my flaws …” Scratches the soul.

While the performance and songs attack a raga, the cinematography creates a painter image, and the production and dress design basically re -create the duration and the atmosphere. After the build-up, the story becomes stable, and the payment does not meet the promise.

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Director Danish Renzu follows the repeated templates of Flashback, where old Noor Bano Tyrook reflects his journey with a young music researcher played by Raina. Although the dialogue is deep, especially when Noor comments on gender stereotypes, they decrease rapidly to inform the audience about Noor’s skills and contributions.

The script is without political reference to the period. These are songs that tell the story. There is hardly any conversation other than praising Noor. In the second half, it appears that the manufacturers do not want to present the entire picture. Neither his personal life nor his voice beyond Kashmir, who won him the Sahitya Akademi Award, has been effectively mapped.

From the heartfelt, we reach a platform where it feels half-incomplete attempts. Disclaimer, which says no human was harmed in making films, suggests that producers do not want to disturb delicate feelings. For the delimitation of saba of a complex character, and see it to entertain the Sopori of Kashmiri tune.

Heaven songs are streaming on prime videos

Published – August 30, 2025 12:25 pm IST