Bioscopewala title song: A beautiful journey through cinema, stories and people

With a retelling of the iconic story, Kabuliwala by Rabindranath Tagore, Deb Medhekar's Bioscopewala extends a thread of stories and narratives that connect the gentle Afghan to the child in Kolkata. The first song from the film, 'Bioscopewala', captures that very feeling and environment.

Going by the trailer, the film tries to tell a story of an Afghan bioscope-man on the streets of Kolkata. The song touches upon his past life back home, where he entertained children by showing them clips from old Indian films. The song also pays tribute to India's rich history of cinema, which has proved to be a connecting thread to different countries.

The mention of actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor, actresses Cuckoo and Helen are elements that add nostalgia and play to the meta-cinema factor within the song. The sight of Danny Denzongpa's gentle traveller entertaining children is heartwarming to say the least.

Sung by K Mohan (from rock band Agnee) and composed by Sandesh Shandilya, the song has a flowing, nostalgic feel running through it.

Written by Gulzar, the verses carry bits of Pashto, Bengali, and a Hindi connecting the entire composition. It works to great effect.
Mohan delivers them with an accent, recreating the feeling of the immigrant Afghan's struggle to connect with his new audience in India.

The composition makes use of the subtle rhythms that sound traditionally Pashto, without making it appear foreign. This gives a very melodic and pleasant feel to the entire song, adding to its nostalgia.