THE OTHER SONG

“My heart is wounded, throw no flowers at me.” They were stunningly beautiful and gifted singers and dancers, the so-called Taiwaf, or courtesans of India. Saba Dewan investigates the culture of their lost profession, which once offered educated and talented women the possibility of leading a relatively independent and prosperous life. She reveals how these virtuosos - who were both worshipped and feared by their admirers - were morally condemned by the main religions of India and systematically contested and disempowered. Today a few old practitioners are seeking to revive the art of the courtesan. With its intoxicating images, the hypnotic beauty of its erotically poetic music and the charisma of the female singers and musicians this film has an irresistible charm.