Kashmir's New Stage Is Streaming

The valley has always been a place of stories. They live in its songs, papier-mâché patterns, poetry recited in community gatherings, and youth waiting for a stage.

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What Kashmir has lacked is a platform large enough to carry these voices beyond its mountains. That possibility is finally arriving with the rise of streaming services.

Later this month, Prime Video will release Songs of Paradise, a musical drama inspired by the life of legendary singer Raj Begum. The film, directed by Kashmiri filmmaker Danish Renzu, brings back the voice of a woman who once sang her way into the conscience of the valley. More than nostalgia, its global release signals a new beginning for Kashmiri creativity.