Jal (film)


Jal is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language drama film set in the Rann of Kutch, India, and follows an overconfident water diviner Bakka who tries to solve the drought problems in his village, but faces unforeseen circumstances when he tries to help a female bird watcher save flamingos. The film is directed by Girish Malik and is his debut film as a director.
The film was premiered and received special mention at the "New Currents" section of the Busan International Film Festival 2013 and in the "Indian Panorama" section of the International Film Festival of India.
The film released in India on 4 April 2014. One World Films has collaborated with DAR Motion Pictures for the distribution of Jal in India. The film has received the National Film Award for Best Special Effects for the year 2013 at the 61st National Film Awards.
Jal was also short-listed as an Oscars 2014 contender in the Best Picture Category and the Best Original Score Category. The film advanced in the top 114 films in the Best Original Score Category.

Synopsis

Jal revolves around a young man named Bakka, who is gifted with a special ability to find water in the desert. With the backdrop of water scarcity, the film tells a complex story of love, relationships, enmity, deceit and circumstances that bring about the dark side of human character.

Cast

The music of the film is composed by Sonu Nigam and ace tabla player/percussionist Bickram Ghosh. This is their first composing collaboration for a Bollywood film.
The composer duo recorded the film's title song with Shubha Mudgal. The title song used ragas like Marwa and Puriya combined with rare musical instruments like the Armenian Duduk. The entire song was created in a day.
Jal's background score is by Sonu Nigam and Bickram Ghosh. They used a mix of Indian and International sounds with a lot of percussion. Sonu Nigam and Bickram Ghosh were nominated in Oscars 2014 long list among top 114 in the Best Original Score Category.

Soundtrack

Track #TitleSingerLyricsComposer
1Jal De Shubha MudgalSonu Nigam – Sanjeev TiwariSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
2You Fill My LifeUstad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, SuzanneSonu Nigam – Bickram GhoshSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
3ZaalimaSonu NigamSonu NigamSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
4Paani Si Behti JayeAmbarish DasSanjeev TiwariSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
5Bakka Pani DeInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
6The Mirage and the TornadoInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
7The Sweet Dream of WaterInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
8Mesmerized By RannInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
9The Tragedy of RannInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
10The Barren LandInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
11The Cry of the SoulInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
12Dried Up TearsInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
13Nature and the MachineInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
14Ankhiyan – AnthemInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
15The Water Ritual 1InstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
16The Water Ritual 2InstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
17The Hope of WaterInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
18The Flow of WaterInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
19The Sorrow WithinInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
20Bakka And Kesar Tryst With WaterInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
21ChaseInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh
22AngerInstrumentalInstrumentalSonu Nigam
Bickram Ghosh

Critical reception