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Songs of Paradise honours Raj Begum through Zeeba Akhtar’s journey in Kashmir, with Saba Azad and Soni Razdan bringing their A game.
Saba Azad and Soni Razdan in the film.
Songs of ParadiseU/A
3/5
Starring: Saba Azad, Soni Razdan, Zain Khan DurraniDirector: Danish RenzuPlatform: Prime Video
Songs of Paradise Review: Some films arrive with spectacle, others with intent. Danish Renzu’s Songs of Paradise belongs to the latter. It comes from a good place — a place of respect, of remembrance and of quiet rebellion. At the outset, Danish Renzu’s film is not trying to overwhelm its audience with scale or drama. Instead, it offers a tender homage to a voice that once broke barriers in the valley of Kashmir, a place long called paradise on earth, but also a place where women, in the mid-20th century, lived under strict social constraints.
At a time when women wore burqas in public, when families could be ostracised if their daughters dared to pursue the arts, Raj Begum (1927–2016) emerged as the first female playback singer of Kashmir. Songs of Paradise fictionalises her life through the story of Zeeba Akhtar, who later becomes Noor Begum, the voice of Radio Kashmir. The film does not aim to be a straightforward biopic. Instead, it captures the spirit of that journey: the hurdles, the sacrifices and above all, the fire that refused to be extinguished.
Saba Azad is undoubtedly the film’s beating heart. As young Zeba, she is fantastic, bringing to the role vulnerability and resilience. We see her navigate patriarchy, fight for her right to sing and assert herself in a world determined to silence her and many like her. Azad’s performance is never loud or overstated — it’s the defiance, her persistence and the flicker of fire in her eyes that make the character believable. Her background as a singer clearly helps; the way she holds herself while performing and the the way her voice slips naturally into song.
As the older Noor Begum, Soni Razdan carries the weight of years in her eyes. She is the film’s emotional anchor, often saying more through silence than words. Her portrayal is moving and every so often it reminds us why she continues to be regarded as an actor of such calibre.
The supporting cast delivers strongly too. Zain Khan Durrani is convincing as Azad Muqbool Shah, the poet who stands beside Zeeba in her fight for equality and artistic freedom. Taaruk Raina, though in a small role, is delightful — he helps ground parts of the film with his presence. Lillete Dubey leaves her mark despite limited screen time, while Sheeba Chaddha as Moji adds her signature sharpness.
Where the film truly soars is in its music. Abhay Sopori’s compositions are rich and evocative, while Masrat Un Nissa’s vocals carry the haunting beauty of Kashmir’s folk traditions. The songs echo Zeeba’s joys, her sorrows and her yearning for freedom. Long after the film ends, it is the music that lingers.
But the film is not without its flaws. Its brisk 1 hour 40 minute runtime keeps the story engaging but also leaves you wanting more. Some characters feel underexplored, some conflicts too easily resolved. For a story set in such a restrictive time, the layers of social tension could have been drawn out more sharply.
The film introduces us to the hurdles Noor faced, but it never truly delves into them. We see her challenges only on the surface, sketched in broad strokes rather than explored with nuance. The sacrifices, the societal backlash, the emotional toll — all of it feels rushed, leaving us with fragments instead of a fully realised portrait. As a result, while we want to empathize with her journey, it becomes difficult at times because the depth is missing. This surface-level approach ends up diluting the film’s intent and undermines the very struggle it sets out to truly honour.
Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring…Read More
Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring… Read More
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