Film on Parvathy Baul to go on floors in 2025

After the performance of acclaimed singer and Indian mystic artist Parvathy Baul at Times Square on Bengali New Year, she herself announced that a Hindi film is being made about her. Now, director Soumyajit Majumdar has shared the details of the film, titled ‘Joyguru’ with us. Based on Baul tradition, the film narrates the journey of Radhika Das Baul and her collaboration with Bollywood music director Ritwik for a music album on Baul songs trans created in Hindi. They form a unique bond, a few days before her sudden and mysterious disappearance from her ashram near Shantiniketan.

Currently in the scripting stage, the film will go on floors in 2025 as the first Indo-UK-USA-France co-production. Ace Indian cinematographer Ravi Varman, known for films like ‘Ponniyin Selvan’, ‘Barfi’ and ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’, will shoot the film. ‘Joyguru’ will be shot in Shantiniketan, Kolkata, Vrindavan, Kerala and several parts of the UK, USA and France. Also, the team plans to attend the Cannes Film Festival to explore collaborations.

“For over a year, Soumyajit has done a lot of hard work in researching and preparing for this story. I appreciate his commitment and sincerity for this purpose. It’s not an endeavour to tell the story about yet another individual’s life. Right from the start, the goal is clear to serve this beautiful, age-old timeless spiritual tradition of Baul. It’s also the most appropriate time to bring Baul wisdom to the wider audience via this medium for I have conviction in the central message of this path, which has profound healing and transformational touch,” said Parvathy, also an instrumentalist, storyteller and painter.

Soumyajit, who had earlier directed a beautiful film called ‘Homecoming’, always had a deep-rooted love for Baul’s music and philosophy. “The songs of Parvathy Baul made it to my playlist when I wrote my previous film ‘Homecoming’. When I started researching Parvathy Baul’s life and music after the release of ‘Homecoming’ in February 2022, it was an organic calling inside me to make my next film based on her life. When I met her in February 2023, it was a cathartic experience and an instant connection developed between us. To understand the rhythm of her life and to carefully hear and note the nuances of her enchanting and eventful journey, I spent the majority of the last year travelling in and out of her ashram - Sanatan Siddhashram near Shantiniketan. Currently, Baul is in the clutches of a lot of misrepresentation and misperceptions. Through ‘Joyguru’, we want to bring forward the true essence of the Baul community and the Baul path,” he said.