Review | Danish Renzu's film 'Songs of Paradise' enhanced status of Kashmir culture at global level
Review by Fayaz Ahmad Bhat
Film: Songs of Paradise
Directed by Danish Renzu
Top Trending on Amazon Prime from 29 August 2025
Produced by: Farhaan Akhtar Excel, Danish Renzu, Renzu Films, Shafat Qazi, Apple Tree
Cast: Saba Azad, Soni Razdan, Zain Khan Durrani, Taaruk Raina, Lillete Dubey, Sheeba Chaddha, Shishir Sharma, Lalit Parimoo
From its grand premiere in Mumbai, graced by Bollywood legends including Hrithik Roshan, Alia Bhatt, Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Mahesh Bhatt, Farhan Akhtar, and many more, Songs of Paradise has mesmerized audiences across the globe.
Immediately after its screening, national and international media hailed the film as one of the finest works of art cinema in recent years. Streaming now on Amazon Prime in hundreds of countries with subtitles in multiple languages, it has already achieved a distinguished place on the global stage.
At the heart of this cinematic masterpiece lies a moving tribute to Raj Begum — the first woman to sing on Radio Kashmir, celebrated as the ‘Nightingale of Kashmir.’ Danish Renzu’s direction brings alive her extraordinary journey, her struggles, and her unmatched contribution of over 2,000 songs, most of them rooted in Sufi tradition.
The film also highlights the timeless importance of women’s empowerment, challenging orthodoxy and reclaiming music as a source of spiritual ecstasy rather than suppression. In one of the most talked-about moments, Saba Azad, draped in an ancient Kashmiri veil, turns what was once seen as confinement into a powerful symbol of strength and rebellion. Her performance has been widely hailed as transformative — establishing her as one of the finest performers of her generation.
Supported by a stellar cast including Soni Razdan, Zain Khan, Tariq Raina, and Masrat-ul-Nisa, and enriched with the music of Abhay Rustum Sopori, the film triumphantly weaves Kashmiri art, music, and history into an unforgettable cinematic tapestry.
Beyond cinema, Songs of Paradise connects generations — echoing Kashmir’s 5,000-year-old cultural legacy, from the ancient Harwan Buddhist tiles engraved with musical motifs to the living memory of Raj Begum’s voice.
Today, the songs of the film are trending worldwide, becoming part of weddings, homes, and celebrations. Social media is abuzz, and audiences everywhere are calling it not just a film, but an artistic revolution from Kashmir that extinguishes hate with harmony.
Songs of Paradise is more than a film — it is a renaissance of Kashmir’s cultural heritage, a beacon of art, and a cinematic treasure destined to live on for generations.
