Srinagar

Young Kashmiri singer Masrat Un Nissa, who captivated the minds and hearts of audiences with her impactful musical performances in the recently released OTT film Songs of Paradise, a biographical film, says it was never so easy for her.

The Songs of Paradise is the biopic of Raj Begum, the first Kashmiri playback singer, produced by Danish Rinzu. It was released recently on Amazon Prime platform

Masrat un Nissa hails from Charar-e-Sharif town in central Kashmir and is pursuing her master's in Public Administration from the University of Kashmir.

Masrat’s soul-stirring renditions of Sheikh ul Alam’s spiritual verses at the shrine of Sheikh Noorudin Noorani, whose shrine is located in her hometown, drew people's attention to her.

Masrat Un Nissa said that though she was spotted at the age of five, like Raj Begum, the protagonist of the film to whom she lent her voice, she too faced challenges and empathy when he chose singing as a career.

From her experience, Masarat said that when she decided to pursue a career in singing, she faced many challenges. While drawing comparisons from the life of singer Raj Begum, who went on to be conferred Padma Shri, Masrat Un Nissa said that it remains true for female singers in Kashmir.

On her initial years of her career, she said, "There was a lot of struggle. Just as Raj Begum had to face a lot of criticisms, it is still true for the female singers in Kashmir. I had to face and listen to a lot of criticism. In the beginning, people said why are you doing this? What is your career? What can you do in this? In Kashmir, singing is not considered a profession," said Masrat.

Masrat Un Nissa cutting the cake at a ceremony to felicitate her

However, post success from her performance in Songs of Paradise, the singer feels that the criticisms against her have reduced to a large extent.

"Their (Critics) reaction is very good. They don't say anything now. In fact, they praise me a lot. They say that I chose the right profession," said Masrat.

Songs of Paradise revolves around the challenges of a Kashmiri girl who embarks on a journey to defy all stereotypes against female singers in Kashmir.

Masrat believes that the situation has drastically changed now. She says that the Kashmiri girls are now paving their way in the music industry. She wishes there were more female singers from Kashmir in the music industry.

"Right now, things are getting normalised. There are so many Kashmiri singers who are singing in the present. The girls are moving forward, and parents should support their children. And why should girls lag in this field? If girls are moving ahead in every field, then they should move ahead in this profession too," said Masrat.

The 'Dil Tsooran' singer urged the parents to support their children in moving forward in the music industry, especially in Kashmir.

"There is a lot of talent in our Kashmir. It's just that the family is thinking that I don't know what will happen, but there is nothing like that. Give your children a chance. Your children can make your name known," said Masrat.

Masrat Un Nissa recording a song

Masrat wishes to promote the Kashmiri language with her songs. While drawing comparisons with the Punjabi music industry, the singer said that she also wants the Kashmiri singers to promote their language to earn worldwide recognition.

"I can say that my entire focus is to move forward in my language. I sing Punjabi songs, Hindi songs, and English songs, but I always try to perform on Kashmiri songs. Punjabi music is spreading all over the world. What is the reason? Because the artists there are promoting that language," said Masrat.

She continued, "Singing connects the world. So we should also try to make our language known globally. So right now, I am trying my best to take the Kashmiri language forward."

From Songs of Paradise, Masrat has gained worldwide recognition for her song Dil Tsooran. It was composed by Bhajan Sopori. 

Her entry into Bollywood was because of musician Abhay Rustom Sopori, who was impressed by her voice at a charity event in Srinagar.

He called her when it came to playback singing for Raj Begum’s character, played by Saba Azad and Sonni Razdan, in the biopic, and it took off her career in a big way. “I was surprised that he remembered me after many years,’ she said at a local event.

She also credits Kashmir’s eminent scholar and cultural activist, Aziz Hajini, for giving her opportunities at the local level to sing.

She told local newspapers, "Hajini sir recognized my passion for singing when I was just a fifth-grade student at a Government school in Charar e Shareef, Budgam. He had a unique ability to identify talent and nurture it with unwavering support." She added that Dr. Hajini would often insist on her reciting verses of the revered Kashmiri saint and poet Sheikh ul Alam at cultural and literary events.

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"Those memories are very dear to me. People would often be moved to tears by the recitations, and their encouragement and blessings motivated me to pursue my dreams.”