Band ‘Alif’ announced that the directorial debut film of Sajid Ali, ‘Laila Majnu’ would feature their work. In a Facebook post, Kashmiri musician, poet, singer and songwriter Mohammad Muneem, the lead Kashmiri singer, expressed his gratitude and excitement.
The movie, will also feature a Kashmiri actor, Mir Sarwar, playing a prominent role in the film. The band has become famous, alongside ‘Parwaaz’ for blending Kashmiri and Urdu music together and introducing Kashmiri instruments. Recently, they performed in Bhopal at the Great Indian Film and Literature Festival.
Another film, Sanjay Dutt starrer Torbaaz features the work of Mohammad Muneem. Two songs Mazhab and Gulati from his latest album are being featured in the film.
“It is a great experience to be in the film,” Muneem told Free Press Kashmir, who has also co-written the dialogues of the film with director Girish Malik and Bharti, adding that three Kashmiris play a part in the film including the character Baaz which is played by a Kashmiri child artist, Ehsan Javid.
Muneem’s band, Alif, is a winner of Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival award, for its Music video ‘Lalnawath’. Alif’s team includes Kashmiri and non-Kashmiri members.
Lalnawath in Kashmiri means to cradle, and the band tries to give wings to the stories of Kashmiris that otherwise ‘get buried between the mountains of this vale’. The two Kashmiris who are involved in the video are Mohammad Muneem Nazir (Poetry, Vocals) and Tanveer Mir (DOP in ‘Lalnawath’/ Assistant Cinematographer in Padman).
Raju Dhumal’s Shehnai brings the novelty to the Kashmiri song that has different meanings for different people. Directed by Abhijit Agarwal, the video has been produced by Alif.
