Amazing Video! Just saw it. It will be released on 14th and 15th August in both Pakistan and India respectively, and features Salman, Nandita Das (Earth, 1947), Naseeruddin Shah (Monsoon Wedding). Its about partition and also features a female Indian classical vocalist shubha mudgal. It was shot in both India and Pakistan.
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Actress Nandita Dass and Pakistani pop star Salmaan Ahmad during the shooting of title song of the new album “Ghoom Taana” at Qila Mubark in Patiala on Sunday.
It is yet another step forward to establish peace between India and Pakistan. And this time round, it is "music for peace’'. Yes, the famous Pakistani pop star Salmaan Ahmed is here in India these days shooting for a music video which he hopes would help promote peace between the two countries.
Salmaan and other members of the popular "Junoon’’ band from across the border are busy these days shooting for the music video in Punjab’s Patiala district with none other than actress Nandita Das. While the title song "Ghoom Tana’’ is being shot against the backdrop of the old Patiala fort, the renowned classical singer Shubha Mudgal, it is learnt, has already lent her voice for the album.
The story of the music video revolves round a Hindu family which flees from Pakistan during Partition and settles in Punjab. They leave behind a valuable possession in the safe custody of a Muslim family.
And after a long gap, the grandson comes in search of the old friends only to find that the girl with whom he shared a common childhood is now a young woman.
"Well, the storyline is nothing new except that it has been conceived as a unique venture to promote peace across the border,‘’ says a supporter of the Junoon band in Delhi. Well-known actor Naseerudin Shah is learnt to have given the voice-over for the music video.
For Nandita Das, this is the latest in a series of programmes to promote peace across the border. Back from Hong Kong where she attended a first-of-its-kind film festival, she has just finished a workshop for her husband, Saumya Sen, as part of the "Cricket for Peace’’ programme. "I am looking forward to a series of programmes involving creative people from both countries. I was recently in Pakistan as part of an ActionAid delegation and several ideas were discussed including having a joint play involving both India and Pakistani artists,‘’ she says.
Well, the music album for peace might have come a little too soon but then anything that promotes peace and harmony between the two nations at this time of the year is welcome and therefore Nandita Das rushed to Patiala to shoot for the music album immediately after her arrival from China. "I am looking forward to going to Pakistan again with a group of underprivileged children for a street cricket match series. And though I am not interested in cricket, I am happy that it is being used to promote peace,‘’ she says.
Also on the anvil is a talk show which Nandita Das plans to host for a premier channel here discussing issues of common concern to both countries. This, it is hoped, will be the beginning of an Indo-Pak friendship channel involving prominent people from both countries. And in this context, the music video for peace can help the anchor the creative churning process involving both countries.
By K. Kannan
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