The Kashmiri folk song Bumbro has been recreated in Nitin Kakkar’s upcoming film Notebook. The new version, which is called Bumro, retains only the mukhda of the original. Vishal Mishra has composed fresh verses written by Kaushal Kishore. The singer is Kamaal Khan, who has previously sung O Oh Jaane Jaana for the Salman Khan starrer Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998). Notebook has been produced by Salman Khan Films.
Notebook, set in Kashmir, tracks the love story of Kabir (Zaheer Iqbal) and Firdaus (Pranutan Bahl), who fall for each other without having met by exchanging diaries. The film will be released on March 29.
The original Bumbro was composed by Kashmiri composer Mohan Lal Aima for Dinanath Nadim’s Bombur ta Yemberzal, the first Kashmiri opera to be written and performed in 1953, Vinayak Razdan said on his blog Search Kashmir. The opera traces the romance between Bombur, the bumblebee, and Yemberzal, the Narcissus flower. As Bombur roams about in search of his beloved Yemberzal, the antagonists Wav and Harud play mischief.
Aima’s composition of Bumbro is said to be a faster reworking of an existing tune in the Chakri folk tradition. Nadim’s lyrics were based on Kashmiri poet Shamas Fakir’s Gachithay oas meyoan Oalooy, according to a 2001 account by Kashmiri playwright Moti Lal Kemmu, who was associated with the opera’s first performance.
The song was reworked in 2000 for Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Mission Kashmir (2000) by composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
The Notebook version is the second recreation of the song this year by T-Series, which owns the rights to the Mission Kashmir version. In January, the company released Bhumbro, performed by Shirley Setia, Parry G and Aditya Dev.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!