IN ASSOCIATION WITH FIRDAUS STUDIO BY A.R. RAHMAN
After the success of her socially charged music video and COVID-19 short films, Dubai activist filmmaker and CEO of boutique film production house Zen Film Productions Zenofar Fathima is prepared to tap into her viewers’ spirituality with her newest short film project, Ayah. “I’ve always been one to embed social messages within all of my cinematic projects. Ayah is no different in that regard, but it will seek to explore spirituality in the context of Islam rather than typical social matters like what I’ve done in the past”, Zenofar said about her newest directorial venture. Afraah Farhana codirects the film alongside the Dark Tale filmmaker.
Ayah, which in Arabic translates to miracle, sign or evidence, will explore how supplications or “Dua”- the Arabic term for private prayers or invocations- can defy logic, and be made a reality through one’s faith and supplications to God. In doing so, the film will also examine how our private relationship between ourselves and the Almighty transcends barriers like one’s social status, age, or other factors. The key message behind the film is that God’s miracles do not discriminate, and to have faith in God’s ability to bless our lives and make situations work out in the most unexpected of ways. With this heart touching message being showcased through an Islamic context and a series of fictional narratives in the film, the Peril and Tomorrow Never Came filmmaker hopes to provide a positive perspective to facing hardships for viewers. “Though the film is primarily examining an Islamic context relating to faith in God and His miracles, the message remains universal for all audiences,” expressed Zenofar.
“Every one of us tends to forget that God is omnipresent and omnipotent in terms of being able to change anyone’s life in the matter of seconds. Every day is a new opportunity given by Him to become a better person, so we must have faith in Him and keep up our good deeds and prayers, regardless of the trials He tests us with. Remember Him, and He will remember you and help you in ways you could have never imagined. This is what Ayah is all about,” she explained.
The project is proudly under the patronage of Emirati princess, philanthropist and entrepreneur Sheikha Hend bint Faisal Al-Qasimi. “Sheikha Hend is a dear friend and has always supported me throughout my journey in the industry. I’m so honored to have her support for a milestone like Ayah,” said Zenofar.
Ayah is Zenofar’s third spiritual short film after The Power (2018)and The Power 2 (2019), which both explored a similar narrative to Ayah. “The Power films were one of the first projects I worked on when I got into filmmaking, as it was a concept I had derived from my own personal experiences and wanted to share it with others. On that note, Ayah is also a product of my experiences, along with some insightful observations I’ve made along the way. I’ve learnt a lot since The Power films, so I’m excited to see what I can do with a similar premise, but a newfound set of skills and an enhanced perspective as a filmmaker,” said Zenofar.
In addition to being an opportunity to put her augmented filmmaking experience to the test, Ayah also marks a milestone for Zenofar’s career, with the project featuring a collaboration with Firdaus Studio by A.R. Rahman as the official facility of choice for the filming of the project. Having opened its doors in early 2022, Firdaus Studio is an alliance between Expo 2020 Dubai and Academy Award-winning composer A.R. Rahman. “I’m quite excited to be working with a state-of-the-art facility that is associated with the legendary A.R. Sir. It is a very innovative space, and sky’s the limit with what artists can achieve in here,” remarked Zenofar. The multifaceted space located in the Expo 2020 site aims to become a leading musical hub for established talents and professionals, as well as nurture the next generation of UAE talent.
Other than Ayah’s association with the Studio, a lesser-known focal point of the project is the creative plunge Zenofar seeks to take with the narrative aspect of the film. In stark contrast to her previous projects, Ayah takes on a meta, “art imitates life” approach. “The plot involves the viewers of the Ayah short film, watching an audience who are also watching a play titled Ayah, wherein a series of short narratives start to play out on stage. The film will also feature little to no dialogue,” explained Zenofar. “Though it will be a challenge, this meta-cinematic approach to the film is something that I believe will have a particularly reflexive impact on how the actual audience will receive the film. Indie filmmaking is all about taking risks and pursuing new challenges to hone in on your craft, so this is definitely a step in the right direction,” she said. The filmmaker is also set to star in the film as an undisclosed lead character.
The spiritual short is set to be scored by Indian music composer, producer and singer Hiral Viradia. Besides being a music supervisor, producer and editor for A.R. Rahman, she has also closely worked on projects such as Netflix’s House of Secrets, Atrangi Re and Dil Bechara. Aside from being a multi-instrumentalist, Hiral is also a trained Indian and Western Classical singer. As a playback singer, Hiral has lent her voice to many songs and scores for Bollywood, Tollywood, and international projects including Expo 2020’s Why the Musical, Atrangi Re and Heropanti 2.Ayah is currently in the pre-production phase, and is set for a May end release
