Shimla-based musician makes mark in film fest

Shimla, Dec 20 'Sheep Barn' (Bhediya Dhasaan), a Hindi feature film, for which the music has been composed by Shimla-based independent musician Tejaswi Lohumi, was premiered at the prestigious 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) being held at Thiruvananthapuram.

The film directed by Bharat Singh Parihar, was selected for the festival under "Indian Cinema Now" by a jury headed by filmmaker Salim Ahamed and comprising filmmakers Lijin Jose, Shalini Ushadevi, Vipin Atlee and film critic Aditya Srikrishna.

In all, seven films were selected for the festival under the Indian Cinema Now section.

The film was screened on December 14 and 16 and the final screening on December 19.

The film was mostly shot in Mukteshwar, a hill station of Uttarakhand, and a majority of actors and crew members are also from the region.

The entire music of the film has been composed and recorded by Tejaswi Lohumi at his studio in Shimla in Himachal Pradesh.

The film portrays life in a Himalayan village, focusing on the challenges arising from a widening generational gap.

It delves into the herd mentality and the darker aspects of human behaviour shaped by extreme poverty.

The refusal of the older generation to embrace change and the resulting clash is vividly depicted through the story of a young man.

After migrating to a big city in search of a better future, the youth returns to his village following his mother's death. He finds himself trapped in the village's conservative social structure.

The lack of job opportunities, exploitation of vulnerable villagers by a corrupt nexus of officials and the local panchayat pradhan, and rigid yet discriminatory social norms make life a nightmare for him.

Struggling to adapt, he becomes increasingly disillusioned with the oppressive environment.

Frustrated by the village's herd mentality, he tries everything to make his father agree to migrate to the city with him but the old man refuses to budge.

Director Bharat Singh Parihar said, "Our aim was to capture the essence of an Indian Himalayan village, where change is still unwelcome. In the process, the film unveils the harsh realities of poverty-stricken villages and the dark emotions that pervade them."

"The grim future that the youth face staying back in the village, the adamant older people who view poverty as a feat accomplished for the younger lot, the all-pervading corruption and caste-dictated social and various other aspects come into focus," he added.

Talking about the musical score, Tejaswi told IANS, "I have used an array of unconventional instruments, like didgeridoo, handpan, kalimba and djembe, along with the traditional instruments like cello, flute, guitar and nagada. The instruments are uncommon but blend with the cultural and environmental landscape of the Himalayas."

"I have tried to use the instruments differently as the director wanted a different soundscape altogether to complement the visual narrative," he added.

Source: IANS