‘Chand Tara’, based on Qutub Shahi-era love story, premieres in Toronto

Mohammad Ali Baig’s Chand Tara, a film based on the story of legendary singer Taramati and Qutub Shahi ruler Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah, had its world premiere at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto on September 16. The screening followed the unveiling of the film’s trailer at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Set in 17th-century Golconda, the film looks at the relationship between Taramati and Abdullah Qutub Shah against the political circumstances of the Qutub Shahi kingdom. Baig has written and directed the film and also plays Sultan Abdullah.

The story traces Abdullah’s transition from a prince known for his interest in horses and poetry to a ruler faced with the responsibilities of governing the kingdom and the threat of a Mughal invasion.

Chand Tara follows Baig’s long engagement with Hyderabad’s history and heritage through theatre. His productions have been staged at venues including Edinburgh, Versailles Palace and Oxford University, as well as at heritage locations in Hyderabad such as Golconda Fort and Falaknuma Palace.

The film carries some of the elements associated with his theatre work, including period costumes, sets, music and an emphasis on the historical setting.

Mumbai theatre actor Ranjana Srivastava plays Taramati, while Reshma Shetty plays her sister Premamati.

The cast also includes Mohan Agashe, Anupam Kher, Masood Akhtar, Lucky Ali, Vasundhara Das and Karthik Illaiyaraja. Hyderabad actors Rashmi Seth, S. A. Majeed and Vijay Prasad appear in supporting roles. The cinematography is by Mahi Reddy.

The film has a pan-Indian cast and crew, with artistes and technicians associated with Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Pune and Kolkata.

At Cannes, the film’s songs were played during presentations of the project. According to the filmmakers, they were played three times following requests from audiences from countries including Italy, France, the United States and South Korea.

With the support of Telangana Tourism, Chand Tara seeks to present a story from the Qutub Shahi period to audiences outside India. The Toronto premiere follows the film’s Cannes appearance and marks another international presentation of a story drawn from Hyderabad’s cultural history.

The film’s account of Taramati and Abdullah Qutub Shah combines the personal story of the two central characters with the political setting of 17th-century Golconda.