AR Rahman teams up with Nayla Al Khaja, UAE's first woman filmmaker
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Iconic Indian musician AR Rahman will be composing tracks for UAE's first woman filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja. They will be working on Al Khaja's feature film 'BaaThe Oscar-winning music composer said he is delighted to work with a passionate and promising filmmaker. He added that Al Khaja is an important creative voice within the Gulf region.
"The script is enigmatic, thought-provoking, and promises to be both visually and emotionally engaging for universal audiences. I'm looking forward to the journey," said Rahman. He recently set up the Firdaus Studio as part of Expo 2020 Dubai. He also mentored the Firdaus Orchestra which brought together 50 women musicians from 23 Arab nations.
Baab is written by Al Khaja and Masoud Amralla Al Ali. The plot revolves around Wahida, who cannot make sense of the mysterious death of her twin sister. She is haunted by a rhythm playing in her ears and discovers hidden cassette tapes.
Wahida tries to uncover the truth which helps her untangle the unresolved grief. The journey takes her "deep into the mountains to delve into the complexities of the human soul," reported Variety.
Al Khaja said her grandmother came from the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah. She added that "the sheer access to the indigenous people of the mountains that have never been captured in a feature film before" makes her eager. "We will live a very immersive journey that is authentic, haunting, and real".
Baab is slated to begin shooting in March 2023 in the northern Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. The backdrop of the Jais Mountains and the cast of indigenous people from the region has already created a buzz about the film's authenticity.
Al Khaja is known for writing and directing several films that have been featured at 42 international film festivals including Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). She began her career in 1996 with the short film 'Sweet Sixteen'. Since then, she has worked on five more short films Once (2009), Malal (2010), The Neighbor (2013), Animal (2016), and The Shadow (2019). 'Animal' was later purchased by the BBC.
The 44-year-old was announced to be the Executive Producer of the first season of the show 'The Alexandria Killings' in 2021. The show is helmed by Oscar-winning director Terry George, and Al Khaja may direct some of the episodes.
