'Had Anhad: Journeys with Ram & Kabir'

HAD ANHAD (Bounded Boundless): Journeys with Ram & Kabir (103 min, English Subtitles)
A film by Shabnam Virmani

Kabir was a 15th century mystic poet of north India who defied the boundaries between Hindu and Muslim. He had a Muslim name and upbringing, but his poetry repeatedly invokes the widely revered Hindu name for God – Ram. Who is Kabir’s Ram? This film journeys through song and poem into the politics of religion, and finds myriad answers on both sides of the hostile border between India and Pakistan.

Note - Certain episodes in the film have been controversial and the censor authorities in Karnataka and Delhi demanded cuts. After a one and half year legal battle the film eventually won a fabulous judgment by Justice S K Muralidhar in the Delhi High Court in favour of releasing it with no cuts, creating a significant legal precedence in favour of freedom of expression in our country.

- Silver Trophy, Best Non-Fiction Film, Indian Documentary Producers' Association Awards, 2009
- 1st Prize (shared), One Billion Eyes Documentary Film Festival, Aug 2008 (Chennai)

DVDs of this film are available at http://www.amazon.in/dp/B00PJTQILW
Watch the Hindi version of the film at    • हद अनहद: राम और कबीर के साथ सफ़र - Ha...  

This is one of a series of uploads for Ajab Shahar, an upcoming webspace featuring songs, images and conversations around Bhakti, Sufi and Baul poetry from India and thereabouts, currently under construction by the Kabir Project team. www.ajabshahar.org, www.kabirproject.org

Film Credits -
Camera & Direction: Shabnam Virmani
Script & Editing: Shabnam Virmani & Rikhav Desai
Editing Support: Aarthi Parthasarathy, Vasanth D. Kummy, Parmesh K, Rumah Rasaque
Direction & Production Support: Smriti Chanchani & Rumah Rasaque
Songs sung by: Mahesha Ram, Prahlad Tipanya, Mukhtiyar Ali, Kaluram Bamaniya, Shafi Mohammad Faqir, Fariduddin Ayaz & Abu Mohammad
Music Recordings: P. M. Satheesh in Rajasthan & Malwa, G.M. Chand in Pakistan
Sound Mixing: Fireflys Post Sound, Mumbai
Research & Concept: Shabnam Virmani & Tara Kini
Animation: Orijit Sen & M M Pradeep
Poetry Translations: Linda Hess, Homayra Ziad, Shabnam Virmani
Advisors: Linda Hess, Ashok Vajpeyi, Vidya Rao, Purushottam Aggrawal, Tara Kini
Financial Support: Ford Foundation, New Delhi
Produced by: Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology, Bangalore
Collection: Kabir Project

Year of Production: 2009