It's all happening 'for real'

Vishal Bhardwaj launched the music, composed by Ustad Zakir Hussain, for the award-winning film For Real recently.

The launch was attended by leading film-maker, Sudhir Mishra, internationally renowned actress, Sarita Choudhury, and the director of For Real, Sona Jain.

For Real, a film that has already won five international awards, stars Sarita Choudhury (Mississippi Masala, Kamasutra, Lady In The Water) with original songs by Grammy-winner Padma Shree Zakir Hussain.

It tells the story of an urban Indian family, seen through the eyes of their six-year-old child.   Zakir Hussain, has composed music for a film after a gap of eight years. He agreed to compose the songs for the movie because when he read the script (also written by Sona Jain), he was reminded of his own childhood.

He was impressed with the passion the debutant director showed for the story and her confidence to see the film through. Vishal Bhardwaj said, “For Real is a beautiful and moving film about human relationships with excellent performances.”

Said Sudhir Mishra, “I remember being completely blown away by the film. I put it at the level of Dev D or Gulaal.” Mira Nair noted, “To see a parent’s universe through a child’s eyes is unexpected, funny and ultimately heart-breaking.”

While actress Sarita Choudhury said, “I play a singer, who gives up her singing career in London to get married, move to India and be a mother. I agreed to do an Indian film after so many years because I was so impressed with the script.”

Sona Jain, director, producer and writer commented, “We needed the flavour of world music and it was a dream come true when Zakir Hussain agreed to compose the songs. He put a condition that I would need to write the lyrics since I had written the script as well. That was something I had never done before, but I am grateful to him for pushing me. He supported a debutant director like me and I have learnt so much from him.”