Songs of Paradise (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – An extraordinary tale of the first female singer at Radio Kashmir.

My Take – Though not much is known about her in this chaotic world of noise today, in her time, Raj Begum, the first female singer of Kashmir, wasn’t just an artist. She was a storm, a wave of change, the flag-bearer of freedom. Back when girls could only sing in weddings and in private, she dared to sing almost 2000 songs live on the radio.

For his latest, writer-director Danish Renzu, pays tribute to the melody queen of Kashmir in a biopic that is less about struggle and more about the celebration of a voice that refused to be silenced, of a culture remembered through song, and of a Kashmir where music and poetry once reigned supreme.

Sure, for a film whose source is quite extraordinary, the beats are familiar, the narrative slow-paced and doesn’t go through too many highs and lows. But the acting, background, and music bring out an elegant simplicity.

And given how the Hindi film landscape is now obsessed with hyperactive masala cinema, the film feels like the right attempt to deflate all the noise and let music do the talking. And in the seamless duet of Saba Azad and Soni Razdan‘s performances, the film finds its most lyrical note.

The film initially follows Rumi (Tarruk Raina), a young music student, who arrives in Srinagar to meet Noor Begum (Soni Razdan), hoping to tell her story to a generation which has forgotten her. Though, she is hesitant at first, as the world-weary singer distrusts journalists and demands uncompromising standards from her peers, Rumi’s approach convinces her and then begins to recount her journey which began in 1950s.

A time when she was known as Zeba Akhtar (Saba Azad), and was simply the young daughter of a humble tailor who worked part-time doing chores for a famous local musician (Shishir Sharma). Who not just recognized her talents and gift for song, but also dared her to step into spaces where women were not welcome like the Kashmir Radio singing competition.

Soon enough, she starts recording for Radio Kashmir along with Azad Maqbool Shah (Zain Khan Durrani), a well-known poet and lyricist. And in no time, her voice becomes the magical voice that echoes through the valley, yet, society fails to accept her as a female artist, and begins to shame her and her family.

What follows is a straightforward tale of Zeba’s rise from anonymity to radio star in the 1960s, a journey fraught with obstacles, the biggest being her strict, religious mother (Sheeba Chaddha), who only wants Zeba to get married as soon as possible.

The screenplay presents her as someone who gets her way not through confrontation but by singing, a woman whose quiet rebellion takes place in front of a microphone. Here, music bridges divides, poetry shapes thought, and a young girl’s song becomes an assertion of her identity.

This is not the Kashmir of modern Bollywood thrillers obsessed with terrorism; it is a Kashmir of weddings, gardens, rivers, and radio waves humming with possibility. Unlike most music biopics, one won’t find any fiery, frenzied energy or the glitzy Bollywood glamour.

Instead, there’s a steady tempo to this film, which starts to feel a little humdrum in the second half. Regardless, the lack of theatrical embellishments in the film has its own charm, it often feels like you are watching an art film from two decades ago.

But what stands out in the film are the songs and the quiet evolution of its protagonist, shown through the contrast between the bashful, under-confident Zeba of her youth and the assertive, world-wise Noor. The shift is not just about age but about growth, from a young woman silenced by circumstances to a singer who knows her worth and guards her legacy with strength.

Abhay Sopori‘s compositions, rooted in Kashmiri folk, are tender rather than flashy, perfectly suited to the era. For some reason, the political and social turmoil of Kashmir in the 1950s and 60s is almost entirely absent, leaving the film floating in a timeless nostalgia. Still, what keeps the film afloat is its sincerity and performances.

Both Saba Azad and Soni Razdan are great in their roles of portraying the iconic Raj Begum. Saba Azad brings an endearing vulnerability to the timid, self-doubting young Zeba, who remains consistently likable through the runtime. While Soni Razdan mirrors these traits in her portrayal of the older Zeba, her expressions weathered with time but still luminous with resolve.

Zain Khan Durrani is charming and endearing as always, while in supporting roles, Taaruk Raina, Sheeba Chaddha, Bashir Lone, Lillete Dubey, Shishir Sharma, Lalit Parimoo, and Armaan Khera make for a great addition to the story. On the whole, ‘Songs of Paradise‘ is a charming mellow musical biopic anchored by its lead performances.