I believe that “To understand the place, you have to listen to the music it plays” and it is to no one’s surprise that a lot of music is being played in Ahmedabad, with a great variety of voices, styles, and influences from everywhere on the globe. In India, There has never been a narrative film dedicated to specifically addressing or educating the masses about independent music scene. So it goes without saying, that there has never been a mainstream movie that postulates the potential future either. I have deeply observed that people still don’t know the music which is being played around.

Indian culture is complete with lots of different cultures. Different cultures have different styles of music. It has mostly the same language but different dialects. The documentary will show us these different kinds of music with different dialects and different instruments. You would see different arts, artists and their performances, their daily life and learn their thoughts of music. 

I have always been experimenting with sound, since the day i learned to play music and my voyage leads to the discovery of a broad spectrum ranging from rock, metal modern electronic and hip-hop to classical and folk. I have been roaming the streets of Ahmedabad with a camera and mobile recording studio to assemble an inspired portrait of independent and indigenous music.

I started this project back in 2010 as a one man crew. So far, I have shot music festivals, concerts, musical celebrations and gigs by local bands and wide range of events that has live music and performances. I went in expecting a taste of music that would satisfy my curiosity and got more than I asked for. I heard and saw a powerful, exquisite, sometimes haunting, sometimes touching, lyrical, sentimental (in the truest way) and absolutely stunning blend of music and musicians.

I was shooting wild by days and nights sometimes, but the material was not enough for me, so i kept on filming different kinds of music from different corners of the city as i always wanted to capture the musical diversity of the city. It is a biography of a city and how music stays alive in it we can say. It is more of a journey through the music scene in modern Ahmedabad, India as well as portraying its cultural life. And the glorious city is given but a minimal chance to show off the sights and sounds that inspire so much of its music.

The movie has seen its fair share of hurdles and low moments. Collecting footages from various artists and watching all of them, processing them to get highest visual quality, has taken most of the efforts and time. Reaching out to different kinds of musicians with the same flair & passion for more than four years has been tough indeed for crew. This is still a truly independent film, being made with sacrifice and passion.

Writing this documentary needed a special sense of music and courage to show facts in unbiased & truthful manner. So I collaborated with Parth Vyas, who has been witnessing the local music scene since last couple of the years. Being a musician himself, he is happy to be associated with the project. We can't change the world, but we can certainly make a difference.

Today, with the lifting of censorship and the gradual return of democratic rule in many countries, particularly among young musicians are producing songs directly addressing social and political conditions. Many of these musicians are inspired by the traditional music of Gujarat and its first generation of musicians, who are now being re-discovered after years of cultural banishment in their own background.

Do not expect a compilation of music by various local bands or anything like that. It is a complete visual treat of Ahmedabad with stark contrasts of old and new, western and eastern, poor and rich, modern and traditional. Black and white photographs and footages, and music video of old band from Ahmedabad.

The film includes not only the music of Ahmedabad but the life in Ahmedabad. It will have urban scenery from Ahmedabad which is very pleasant to watch. I am taking the audience into different festivals, concerts, underground clubs, to the street performers, and to recording sessions. You would be able to hear too many types of music including rock, hip-hop, punk, folk, alternative and more. Some of the musicians are famous in Ahmedabad; some of them are famous in India. The rest are street musicians. Their music tells viewers, different faces of a city. Ultimately, I want the audience to feel If you have never been in Ahmedabad, you will want to go there after watching this film.

At its heart, this film is about the power of community, music, and the spirit of rebellion. The film will also be a testament to what can be achieved when idealism is allied with hard work and mutual solidarity. I pledge to create ultimate musical experience which you would love to see again and again.

        – Jayrajsinh Chavda ‘Aazad’ |Writer, Director, Editor, Producer