Danish Renzu: A Filmmaker Bridging Kashmir and the World With His Latest Film 'Songs of Paradise'

Amazon Prime Video’s Songs of Paradise has captured the hearts of many with its soulful songs like ‘‘Rum Gayam Sheeshas’’ and its celebration of Kashmir’s nightingale Raj Begum, which is what the director and writer of the film, Danish Renzu, wanted.

“I was tired of the same narratives coming out of Kashmir— focused only on conflict and politics. I wanted to highlight a success story, an unsung hero. Songs of Paradise is just that,” the filmmaker told UAE Moments.

Growing up in Kashmir

However, the film is more than just a celebration of the Kashmiri maestro; it is Renzu’s tribute to his homeland. Although renowned for his films Half-Widow, Illegal, and now Songs of Paradise, being born and raised in Kashmir, Renzu had no exposure to cinema. “My childhood was largely spent indoors due to frequent curfews and shutdowns. It was during a visit to Jammu that I watched a film on the big screen for the first time—I was fascinated by the projection, the sound, the whole experience,” the director shared.

Renzu’s experience was limited to mere fascination; it led to his father buying him a handycam, which allowed him to make videos and short films with his cousins and nurtured his love for filmmaking. Nonetheless, he was not able to pursue it as a serious career choice because of the absence of the filmmaking infrastructure in Kashmir. Like many Kashmiris, Danish Renzu chose the conventional route and pursued an electrical engineering degree at UCLA in California.

It was during his time at UCLA, Renzu joined a screenwriting program, which allowed him to develop some screenplays and discover his passion for storytelling and filmmaking. After his studies, he worked at AT&T for five years before he quit his job and pursued filmmaking full-time in 2015.

Filmmaking Journey: From Short Films to Features like Half-Widow and The Illegal

Initially, Renzu created short films including In Search of America, Inshallah (2014) and First Love (2015). There were still many hurdles along the way, such as tight budgets. “The kind of stories I wanted to tell were more niche and not overtly commercial, which made it even more difficult. Nonetheless, I was fortunate to meet people who believed in my vision early on.”

It was in 2015, when Renzu returned to the Valley and joined the half-widow rallies, that he was inspired to create his first feature film, Half-Widow (2017).  “I was moved by the plight of the women and the painful uncertainty they lived in. I didn’t want to focus on politics—I wanted to focus on healing. That’s how Half Widow was born,” he said.

The film won the award for the best feature film at various film festivals, including the South Asian International Film Festival.

For his second feature, Renzu focused on the struggles of immigrants in the US and created The Illegal (2019), which featured Suraj Sharma from the Oscar-winning film Life of Pi. The film got shortlisted for the Best Picture nomination of the 2019 Academy Awards.

Songs of Paradise

Although, he focused on such heavy themes in these films, Renzu took a different approach for his third feature. “I was tired of the same narratives coming out of Kashmir, focused only on conflict and politics. I wanted to highlight a success story, an unsung hero. Songs of Paradise is just that.”

The film is inspired by Kashmir Radio’s first female singer, Raj Begum and her journey to becoming the valley’s nightingale during the 1950s and 1960s. Raj Begum was known as the Melody Queen of Kashmir and was a recipient of a Padma Shri award and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

The film features Soni Razdan, Saba Azad, Zain Khan Durrani, Taaruk Raina, Lillete Dubey, Sheeba Chaddha, Shishir Sharma, and Lalit Parimoo. Azad plays Zeba Akhtar, who wins a singing radio competition and becomes the first female singer for Radio Kashmir. Although her mother (played by Chaddha) does not support her aspirations, Zeba is supported by her father (played by Bashir Lone) and the progressive poet Azaad (Zain Khan Durrani).

With the film’s focus on Kashmiri society during the 50s and 60s, characters like Azaad and Zeba’s father come off as otherworldly, but for Danish Renzu, this characteristic makes them stand out. “Raj Begum’s real-life story included men—her father, teacher, and colleagues—who supported her. Even in conservative societies, such men exist. Zeba’s journey is her own, but the men in her life recognized her talent and supported her dreams,” he explained.

Songs of Paradise is not only the story of Raj Begum, but also of various other Kashmiri female singers who had "the courage, passion, and the strength to break societal norms”.

In addition to its uplifting narrative, the film features a mesmerizing soundtrack sung by Kashmiri singer Masrat-un-Nisa. “We auditioned many singers, but Masrat’s voice moved everyone on set. She recorded in one take, no cuts. Her rawness and control were perfect. We weren’t trying to copy Raj Begum’s voice, but rather find someone who could carry the emotion,” Renzu said about the singer.

Her rendition of Raj Begum’s ‘Rum Gayam Sheeshas’ has become one of the trending audios on Instagram, being used for reels featuring Kashmiri culture. Raj Begum’s songs are focused on love, longing, and resilience, and Renzu centered the film around these songs.

The filmmaker wanted to show a different side of Kashmir, not only with the story and the music, but also with the visuals. The cinematographer Vincenzo Condorelli has not glamorized Kashmir as Bollywood is prone to doing by focusing on scenic landscapes, nor has he focused on it through a grim and dreary lens. “The focus was to make it feel like the 1950s–60s, using untouched, authentic locations. It was Vincenzo’s first visit to Kashmir, and he saw it with fresh eyes. His raw, organic perspective was exactly what we wanted [for the film],” Renzu shared.

Despite creating an unconventional film about Kashmir, some critics have labelled the film ‘depoliticized’. When asked for a comment, Renzu said, “For years, we've seen Kashmir portrayed through a lens of violence and extremism. When someone finally tells a story celebrating culture, music, and a forgotten legend, they call it ‘depoliticized’. However, I stand by this film. It’s deeply political in its choice to highlight hope, beauty, and art.”

“I hope it opens hearts and minds to a new kind of storytelling from Kashmir—one rooted in culture, music, and resilience,” the filmmaker said.

He added, “The love the film has received, especially from those rediscovering Raj Begum’s songs, is the greatest reward.”

Future Projects and the Future of Kashmir's Film Scene

However, this is not the only project where Danish Renzu has shed light on Kashmir’s musical heritage. He is working on another musical, focusing on the Valley’s contemporary music scene.

With Songs of Paradise, the filmmaker hopes to pave a path for “narratives that celebrate the real Kashmir—not just its landscape, but its soul.”

When asked what advice he would give to aspiring filmmakers in Kashmir, Danish Renzu said, “Be patient and be honest with your storytelling. It’s not an easy journey, but if you have a story to tell, pursue it with passion. Kashmir has endured so much—now is the time to empower our youth through art and inspire the next generation.”