Star Cast: Saba Azad, Soni Razdan and others
Director: Danish Renzu
What’s Good: The premise
What’s Bad: The execution and the casting
Loo Break: Not necessary, it is crisp.
Watch or Not?: Yes
Language: Hindi with a bit of Kashmiri, but subtitles help
Available On: Prime Video
Runtime: 1 hour & 47 minutes
Movie Review Rating: 2.5
Songs of Paradise jumps right into its premise. Soni Razdan’s Noor Begum encounters Taaruk Raina, a music student from Berkley eager to tell her story. We meet young Zeba, whose passion for singing sets her on the path to becoming Noor. Spotted by her employer, Ustad Ji, Zeba enters the enchanting world of music, balancing a supportive father and a difficult mother, all while hiding her true identity as she sings under a disguise.Star
Performance
Unfortunately, Saba Azad and Soni Razdan, portraying the younger and older Noor Begum respectively, come off as the film’s weakest link. Their performances feel flat and lack emotional depth. Despite Saba Azad being a singer, her portrayal during musical scenes is surprisingly lifeless, with stoned facial expressions that disconnect from the passion her character should embody. The Kashmiri accent also feels forced, as if outsiders were awkwardly made to mimic it, detracting from authenticity. The dialect and tone differences between Azad and Razdan are so stark that one might not realize they play the same character. A stronger cast might have elevated this beautiful story.
Direction & Music
Directed by Danish Renzu, the film honors women who dared to dream and break barriers in male-dominated spaces, celebrating their definition of Azaadi (freedom). The music is its highlight, rich with Kashmiri melodies featuring the Rabab, yet it becomes repetitive. Unlike iconic Kashmiri songs that linger in your memory, Songs of Paradise fails to leave a lasting melodic impression despite its abundance of tunes.
Directed by Danish Renzu, the film honors women who dared to dream and break barriers in male-dominated spaces, celebrating their definition of Azaadi (freedom). The music is its highlight, rich with Kashmiri melodies featuring the Rabab, yet it becomes repetitive. Unlike iconic Kashmiri songs that linger in your memory, Songs of Paradise fails to leave a lasting melodic impression despite its abundance of tunes.
The film’s greatest weakness is its pacing and treatment of conflict. The struggles of a Kashmiri woman daring to sing feel watered down—her biggest obstacle seemingly her mother, which feels insufficient given the gravity of her journey. The narrative rushes through critical moments, offering resolutions that feel too easy and unrealistic. The men’s sudden acceptance of Noor’s challenges strains credibility, undermining the harsh realities such a woman would face. This simplicity turns a potentially poetic story into a disappointing one.
Final Thoughts
While Songs of Paradise is an important tribute and deserves recognition for its effort, it falls short in portraying a compelling struggle. The question lingers: Dikkat kya hai? Problem kahaan hai? Despite its flaws, the film is worth watching for its intent and the conversation it sparks about women’s voices in Kashmir.
