Log in
The Other Song

The Other Song

2009 · 120 min · Documentary, Music, History

Journeying across Varanasi, Lucknow, and Muzzafarpur in India, this documentary film traces the lost traditions and the culture of tawaifs (courtesans of North India), particularly through a song sung by Rasoolan Bai, "Lagat karejwa ma chot, phool gendwa na maar" and its lesser known, earlier version "Lagat jobanwa ma chot, phool gendwa na maar" (recorded in a 1935 Gramophone recording). Weaving the past with the present, the film spans between personal stories as it interacts with historical events, ultimately leading to the decline of a great art form.

Directed by Saba Dewan

Your Rating

Cast

Make it a double feature

3h 26m together

The Other Song

Feminists: What Were They Thinking?

A close match in mood and era.

More from Saba DewanSee all →

The FactoryThe Factory · 2015
The Factory
2015
MovieDocumentary
This documentary film traces the struggle of Indian auto workers of the Maruti Suzuki factory in Manesar, near Delhi, in forming a union. Investigating the underbelly of class conflict and exposing a widespread system of injustice, the film focuses on the repression faced by the workers and their criminal prosecution.
Sita's FamilySita's Family
Sita's Family
Movie
Sita's Family explores memory and the mysterious ways in which it is transmitted from mothers to daughters. It is about the family, the primary site of struggle for women and it is about the outside, forbidden territory to be negotiated at considerable peril.

More Like This

Feminists: What Were They Thinking?Feminists: What Were They Thinking? · 2018
Feminists: What Were They Thinking?
★ 7.52018
MovieDocumentary
In 1977, a book of photographs captured an awakening - women shedding the cultural restrictions of their childhoods and embracing their full humanity. This documentary revisits those photos, those women and those times and takes aim at our culture today that alarmingly shows the need for continued change.
Beyond the UniverseBeyond the Universe · 2022
Beyond the Universe
★ 7.92022
MovieRomanceDrama
While waiting for a kidney transplant, a young pianist finds an unexpected connection with her doctor — and the courage to fulfill her musical dreams.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter