Gems of Nazrul rejoices with ‘Tora Shob Joyoddhwani Kor’ on Victory Day

Gems of Nazrul will release its tenth music video of the song, Tora Shob Joyoddhwani Kor, on Bangladesh’s Victory Day (December 16). Established as an initiative to promote the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam’s musical genius to audiences home and abroad, Gems of Nazrul has been regularly marking important occasions in the Bangladesh calendar with renditions of the poet’s work.

The most recent production has been dedicated to the Martyrs of the Liberation War of 1971. Performed by senior and upcoming artistes, the spirited song will go on air on Channel i at the stroke of midnight on December 16.

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Over 50 prominent and promising Nazrul artistes and singers from several institutions have been featured in the video. “Kazi Nazrul Islam’s spirited songs not only symbolised our protest against British Raj in the Indian Subcontinent, but also sparked hope and spirit in Freedom Fighters in the 1971 Liberation War when singers of ‘Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendra’ and ‘Mukti Sangrami Shilpi Sangstha’ performed on the radio station and at different camps,” said Sadya Afreen Mallick, who conceptualised and directed the production.

The Nazrul Sangeet exponent, Sadya Afreen Mallick, also the Chief of Culture initiatives, The Daily Star, regards such compositions of Kazi Nazrul Islam as national treasures. “The timeless songs are for the people of all ages. We would like to revive the songs with our performances so that the forthcoming generations may appreciate their eternal appeal. To popularise the songs among the new generations, is the prime purpose of this initiative,” added the singer.

Eminent and emerging Nazrul singers including Shaheen Samad, Dahlia Nausheen, Sadya Afreen Mallick, Fatema-Tuz-Zohra, Yasmin Mushtari, Shelu Barua, Karim Hasan Khan, Shahid Kabir Polash, Nasima Shaheen, Champa Banik, Tanveer Alam Shawjeeb, Bizon Chandra Mistry, Tanzina Karim Sharalipi, Chhonda Chakraborti, Mahmudul Hasan, Sonjoy Kobiraj and Badrunnessa Dalia have lent their voices to the song. Artistes of Dhriti Nartanalaya, led by Warda Rihab, danced to the rendition.  

Renowned singers Shelu Barua and Shahid Kabir Polash coordinated the initiative with Sadya Afreen Mallick. Amit Banarjee was the music director, and Barovoot Limited shot the video.

The Gems of Nazrul project has made noteworthy progress of finding lesser-known songs of Kazi Nazrul Islam and bringing them to light with a mix of acclaimed and young artistes singing in unison, and Tora Shob Joyoddhwani Kor is no exception. Expatriate Nazrul exponent Kashfia Nahreen Billah and Yusuf Razee Billah, along with dressmakers FitFaat have sponsored the production.