Khayal Darpan: A Mirror of Imagination

Khayal Darpan is a Documentary Film about Classical Music in Pakistan by Yousuf Saeed,105 mins, Hindustani/English. Yousuf will be present for a discussion after the screening.

Date: 17 November 2006
Time: 5:30 P.M.
Venue: Seminar room, Sarai-CSDS, 29 Rajpur Road, Civil Lines, Delhi - 110054
Entry: Free

In 2005, the Delhi-based filmmaker, Yousuf Saeed, spent more than 6 months in Pakistan as part of a research fellowship where he surveyed the development of khayal and other forms of classical traditions in Pakistan after 1947. After traveling in the 3 main cities of Pakistan – Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad - interviewing musicians and scholars, attending musicconcerts, and observing the teaching of music in various institutions,Yousuf not only managed to document some of the surviving practitioners and patrons of art music, but also raised many vital questions about cultural identity, nationalism, legitimacy of music in Islam, Pakistan's popular culture and its affairs with India, and the survival of classical music itself in South Asia. The film features some well-known as well as many lesser known but talented musicians of Pakistan, breaking many stereotypes about the country.

For more information about the film and to see a video clip from it, please visit:
http://www.ektara.org
http://www.khayaldarpan.info

Note: The Civil Lines Metro Station is a 5 min walk from Sarai/CSDS.
Get in touch with me (Nikhil) at nixxin at gmail dot com for directions, if you need 'em. I stay across the street from Sarai. Also, apologies for the lack of updates. Been rather busy.