Through the Lens, Darkly

A documentary film on Kashmir paints a complex picture of art in the times of conflict.

3 min readOct 4, 2016 12:05 AM IST

kashmir, kashmir unrest, kashmiri life, kashmir documentary, documentary on kashmir, tushar madhav, kashmiri music, kashmiri band, dying breed, battle of bands, indian express talk, music

A still from Soz: A Ballad of Maladies.

Bored out of his wits at his day job, Tushar Madhav began listening to blues music by a Kashmiri band called Dying Breed. He decided to contact them but, by the time he made any headway, it had disbanded and its members were dispersed across the world. Madhav, however, found an interesting detail during his search for them — a Battle of the Bands in Srinagar. His filmmaker instinct was stoked, for the music competition was being held in a venue that was filled with another, darker kind of memory.

The Battle of the Bands is where Madhav and fellow filmmaker Sarvnik Kaur’s new documentary, Soz: A Ballad of Maladies, starts. “Sher-E-Kashmir indoor stadium had been taken over by the CRPF around 1990 and closed to civilians. Now, an attempt was being made to refurbish it with a music competition,” says Madhav.

Kaur is an author and screenwriter of Bollywood films, while Madhav has been an editor and screenwriter of films on art conservation, child welfare and human rights. Soz, their first documentary film, premiered at Open Frame, a festival of short films organised by Delhi-based Public Service Broadcasting Trust.

Soz travels deep and wide through Srinagar, with interviews of poet Zareef Ahmad Zareef, performance artiste Showkat Kathju, ladishah and bhaand performer Gulzar Bhat aka Fighter, poet Rashid Bhat, music band Parvaaz and hip-hop sensation MC Kash, among others. There are detailed shots of bhaand performances, poetry recitals and presentations by the ladishah or the wandering minstrels who, in an earlier era, would act as news bearers and carry information about politics and natural disasters like earthquakes to the corners of the land.

The film intersperses the interviews with extensive shots of the Srinagar landscape, from the famous floating markets on shikaras to shuttered houses and army roadblocks. In the backdrop plays the rabab, women singing and poets reciting their lines. Soz subverts the established narrative by looking at Kashmir before 1947, giving space to the oral history of the ladishah and showing how it contradicts written history that has been approved by the state. “We wanted to get under the skin of the audience that has become immune to the violence in Kashmir and make them uncomfortable and get a debate started,” says Kaur.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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