An American family, Jon, Clara, and their son Kris, live with Parvathi, Nagarajan and their daughter Valli, inside a Music and Dance School in Tamilnadu, India. Jon
is a Musician, deeply inspired by Indian Classical Music. Kris and Valli are
inseparable, learning everything from nature and from their parents. When Clara
begins to be jealous of Parvathi’s influence over Jon and Kris, she begins to
distance herself, eventually parting from Jon and leaving with Kris. Jon is heart
broken, finding solace only in his music.
Twelve years later, Kris returns as a young dancer, with a burning need to
reconnect with his father, and to heal himself of a deep trauma. Valli, his childhood
companion, is now a beautiful and gifted dancer. Though resentful of Parvathi and
Nagarajan, for what he perceives as their role in his parents separation, Kris
discovers in Valli’s company, a truth that brings him consolation, as well as a sense
of tremendous betrayal.
The scene of Parvathi’s dance in the moonlight becomes a sensual masterpiece,
as the camera, prepared for surprise, films her dancing with the greatest
spontaneity.
Ashwini is an actor, artist, and classical dancer. She is graduate from Sir. J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai, India, with a Masters in the Science of Waldorf Education, New York, USA. ‘His Father’s Voice’, is her first feature film as an Actor, and as a Producer.
Narendran, an illustrious dancer, teacher and choreographer of Indian classical dance, has worked in theatre productions, with renowned institutions like L'Ecole-Atelier Rudra Béjart, and has performed in prestigious festivals in more than thirty countries. A star pupil, and a former faculty member at the Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai, India, Narendran was a principle dancer in the Theatre Productions of this institution, for more than three decades.
Julia was born and raised in Switzerland. Exposed to multicultural challenges during her almost 7 year long journey working in Switzerland, South Africa, Romania and Thailand, she developed her understanding of different cultures and a sensorium to express and communicate over the boundaries of social & cultural background. After moving to India, she found the time and the supporting environment to express her long, life experience in art. She is also a beautician and make-up artist and has worked on numerous national and international sets.
Jeremy is a multi-talented American performing artist who started his artistic journey as a singer, dancer and lyricist at the age of 13. He has had several bands, recorded an album, toured the world and continues to play music as a primary passion. Over the past 15 years, he has worked on and off stage, acting in many theater productions, directing an award wining show, teaching acting for stage, television & film and leading workshops in physical theater, stage combat and live performance.
Sudharma is a young and gifted Bharatanatyam dancer. She is a disciple of Sri. A. Lakshman. A child prodigy, she had her arangetram before she reached the age of seven, under the able guidance of Smt. Srekala Bharath. As a soloist, she is one of the most promising, and sought after talents, in the field of Bharatanatyam.
Christopher, one of the frontline soloists of his generation, displays the best of his alma mater through his dance, and is known for his clean lines, captivating nritta and engaging stage presence. Born and raised in Perth, Western Australia, Christopher’s love and passion for dance, led him to the world renowned institute, 'Kalakshetra - Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts’ in Chennai. Currently he is a performer in Leela Samson’s Spanda Dance Company, touring the USA, Canada, U.K and South east Asia.
Asha, born in Gondal, Gujarat is currently a seventh grade student, studying in Chennai. She has been learning Bharatanatyam from Prithvija Balagopalan. Asha never thought of becoming an actor, and yet she is a most natural performer, with immense potential.
Tsur was born in Israel and currently lives in Auroville universal township, South India. Ever since the age of six, he has been participating in theatre plays. Besides acting, Tsur is currently learning to play the Tabla. He is also a Ninjitsu practitioner.
Yam was born and lives in Auroville universal township, in South India. Originally from Israel, where he lived for six years, he studied acting at the Jerusalem Khan Theatre. Ever since the age of seven, he has been participating in theatre plays.
Sadana is a talented seven year old, who loves drawing and dancing. She has a gift to understand the intricacies of a language and grasps new movements with ease. She has a great sense of humor, and is loved by her fellow classmates, at her school in Auroville.
Srimoyi completed her studies in Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry. She worked with theatre director, Veenapani Chawla in some of her theatrical productions in Mumbai, in the early 80s. Since 1986, she has been living in Auroville and likes to do theatre. She was also an active Odissi dancer until a few years ago.
Alois Otto, born in Austria in 1953, has been living and working in Auroville, India since 1981. He has been enjoying acting on stage for the last 25 years.
Professor C K Balagopalan is considered a Master in Kathakali, especially in enacting the female roles (Sthree Vesham). After fifty four years of association with the Kalakshetra Foundation, Professor Balagopalan retired from this prestigious institution in 2000. Since 2001, he runs his own institution named, "BALANRITHYALAYA", in Chennai, India.
Bragha Bessell is an internationally acclaimed Bharatanatyam exponent, performer and choreographer. She has given numerous performances in India and abroad. Her master classes, workshops and lecture demonstrations are regularly featured in Asia, Europe, Canada and America. She is an abhinaya expert, and is actively involved in teaching & tutoring for advanced students, teachers and professional performers.
Anand is a performing artist who is currently exploring the relationship between mathematics and the performing arts. He is a theatre practitioner, trained in Bharatanatyam, and Kathakali. He also has an MBA, and is an engineering graduate.
C B Ramkumar is an author, speaker, trainer, consultant and an entrepreneur. He is a specialist in climate change & sustainable tourism. He developed a model for sustainable living when he built the first 100% eco resort, near Bangalore, in India. Ram had been an advertising and marketing professional for two decades. His long career in Advertising & Marketing took him to global companies like Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy & Mather, Publicis, and Standard Chartered Bank. He has spent most of his professional career outside India, in the Middle East.
Parvathy is a serious practitioner and instructor of Bharatanatyam. After completing her studies at Kalakshetra, she has embarked upon an extremely successful independent career in performance. Despite her young age, her name is included in the lists of India’s most talented dancers. Her outstanding expressive skills, combined with her proficiency in the traditional dance repertoire, imbue her performances with an extraordinary elegance.
Ramaa is a practitioner and teacher of Bharatanatyam, with over two decades of experience in performing and teaching this art form. Apart from having several stellar performances to her credit as a soloist, Ramaa’s passion, commitment and expertise as a classical dancer has also contributed in creating innovative choreographies with like-minded dancers.
Ganga is a trained musician and classical dancer. She hails from Kozhikode. Since her graduation from Kalakshetra, she continues to teach in many reputed educational institutions, including Kalakshetra. Her interest in dance and music, has also led her to explore, painting and drama.
I am delighted to co-produce this beautiful film, His Father’s Voice! This film is the fulfilment of a promise, from a father to his son, of a bond beyond boundaries, and of a love that triumphs. It is rare to see such attention to detail, with outstanding screenplay, a tailor made cast, deeply engaging music and dance, a gorgeous palette of colors, engaging cinematography, and more. I see it as a compelling investment with broad appeal, pulling the heart strings across cultures and time zones. It gives me faith, that all that we endure in our lives, must lead eventually to a greater wellbeing, for ourselves and for the world.
- Shankar Kiru
India and France are two countries that have shaped Kaarthikeyan. He is an alumnus of both the FTII, in Pune, and the FEMIS, in Paris. He has been a Coproducer and Executive Producer for six feature films, collaborating with companies such as Gaumont, Boréales and SFP Productions, in France. ‘His Father’s Voice’ is his début feature film, as Writer, Director and Cinematographer.
Ashwini is an actor, artist, and classical dancer. She is a graduate from the Sir. J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai, India, with a Masters in the Science of Waldorf Education, New York, USA. . ‘His Father’s Voice’, is her first feature film as an Actor, and as a Producer.
Shankar has over 25 years of manufacturing, finance and management experience across a range of industries. Born in India, and living most of his life in the United States, he has had the wonderful opportunity to travel the globe and work with people from many walks of life. His passions include art that elevates the soul and eastern mysticism.
Vedanth is a multi-faceted musician, with over 18 years of experience in performance, composing, teaching and training. Vedanth specialises in singing Sufi & Bhakti poetry, Indian Classical & Folk, Light classical & Ghazals, Blues & Popular Music. He is also an accomplished guitarist and Banjo player.
With more than 30 years of experience in both film & video formats, Ganeson has served as the cinematographer on numerous feature films, commercials, documentaries and TV serials across India.
Shaurya is a dreamer who believes that the mere fact...that we breathe...is magical in itself, & this world we are gifted with, is a beautiful one...
Keerthana is an arctic monkeys fan and a self proclaimed aficionado of films & travel. She graduated out of L.V. Prasad, and has worked in an array of fiction and documentaries, before venturing into independent cinema.
Divya has been in the fashion industry for more than 18 years as a fashion and accessories designer; having almost covered all aspects required in the industry. She currently is the Production Manager (Fashion) at Vastrakala Exports Pvt. Ltd., Chennai.
Rajarajan hails from Cheyyar, in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu. He enjoys painting, sculpting and the movies. He has been a colorist for the past 10 years. His aim is to work on at least one film a year that gives him complete soul satisfaction. And he believes ‘His Father’s Voice’ is that film, for this calendar year.
Sinoy, having been in the film industry for more than a decade, has worked on more than 500 films as a mixing engineer. He also has three films under his belt as a Sound Designer. In 2013, Sinoy received a National Award for 'Re-recordist of the Final Mixed Track' for the film 'Gangs of Wasseypur'.
R Elangovan is a FTII trained sound recordist based in Chennai. He has been working as a location sound recordist for more than twenty years. He has been part of many international films and television productions.
Vishal is an extremely passionate and active cinematographer. He is an alumni of L.V. Prasad Film And TV Academy. Along with cinematography, he is a DI artist too. He has shot over 11 short films and 4 Documentaries, and 'His Father's Voice' is his first feature as an Associate Cinematographer.
Priyank is extremely passionate about creating beautiful visuals that aid the storytelling of a film. Being associated with great masters of the field has helped him gain conceptual clarity as a cinematographer.
Kalaichelvan started his career as an actor and was trained in all aspects of theatre at Koothu-P-Pattarai, Chennai. He designed sound, lighting and sets, for several theatre and dance productions. He later joined Min Bimbangal's virtual studio for five years, where he worked as a sound engineer and lighting designer for over 1000 hours of programming including live productions. Later as a freelancer, he has worked as a live sound recordist for many documentaries and short films. His recent works include 'Ponnien Selvan', a Tamil play and 'Invoking Justice', a documentary in Tamil.
Vedanth is a multi-faceted musician, with over 18 years of experience in performance, composing, teaching and training. Vedanth specialises in singing Sufi & Bhakti poetry, Indian Classical & Folk, Light classical & Ghazals, Blues & Popular Music. He is also an accomplished guitarist and Banjo player.
In the simplest of lives events and in all the troubles and problems we face, is the opportunity to grow, and to find healing. Circumstances that life brings, of forced separation from our loved ones, fuel our own growth, and brings us gifts, that only we can give ourselves. The breaking of the cocoon is essential for the strength of a butterfly’s wings. This journey back can be hard, with plenty of inner demons to overcome. And yet, it is worthwhile, because upon it, we learn to forgive, and to discover what it is, to truly love. In the renewed embrace of new beginnings, we recognize that where there is love, there is no such thing as separation. In all this time, and despite the distances, we have always been together.
It is as though I share with Kaarthikeyan Kirubhakaran, a
relationship across several lifetimes. It is so special. We
have so much in common, that inspires, and fuels what we
create. He dons several hats in the making of this film -
Producer, Writer, Director, and, Lyricist! As a Director of the
film, he is someone, with immense clarity and vision. The
music of ‘His Father’s Voice’ was born, from the collective
energies of one very special, and inspired morning, in the
encounter of Kaarthikeyan’s lyrics, and the words of his
screenplay, with our own sensibilities. It was magical!
It was wonderful to work with P T Narendran for composing the
music for the dance in the film. It is the first time I have
composed for a classical dance recital. Narendran, a gifted
dancer, singer, and Teacher, helped me lay out the tunes for
this 8th century Sanskrit drama, entitled, ‘Uttararamacharita’, by
the playwright, Bhavabhuti. Again, as with Kaarthikeyan’s lyrics,
the songs for the Drama, happened most spontaneously, at
one go, as we all sat together, in Kaavadi.
Working with Ashwini Pratap Pawar, is like working with
myself, because we are both persistent in our commitment to
perfection. I still remember a moment in my studio, when
Ashwini conducted my recording for a line in Sanskrit, which is
of Rama, longing for Sita. We must have recorded this single
line, at least twenty times or more, to bring out the right
emotion. And finally, when we got it, it was utterly moving, as
though we had given a voice, to Rama’s grief!
Bindhu Malini Narayanaswamy is the Artist with whom I
collaborate the most often. She is the voice of Parvathi in
the film. A voice soaked in honey, and drenched in
sunshine! It is a voice that travels through time, and lingers
in your being, long after you have seen the film. She
contributes a whole lot more than her exquisite voice, as an
Artist, as a Co-Creator, and, as a fellow Composer,
brimming with ideas.
Jeremy Roske, the protagonist’s voice. One morning, at
Kaarthikeyan’s house, all of us sat together. Kaarthikeyan
was especially inspired, writing the lyrics in one
uninterrupted flow. Jeremy and I were jamming, and we
composed five songs straight, in about three or four hours.
It was unbelievable. And that’s how the songs actually
came about. When Jeremy came back to the Studio, to
record for the songs, he had a deeply personal connection
to them, as though they were his own. The character ‘Jon’
came to life, with Jeremy’s singing.
Anil Srinivasan, the Pianist, is certainly the best Musician I
have ever come across. He is like my mentor, my teacher,
and an elder brother, all rolled into one. It is a blessing that
he is a part of the music of the film. We understand each
other perfectly, without needing to use too many words. He
has a deep understanding of emotions, and, since this film
revolves so much around Indian classical music and the
arts, it is a space which is home to him.
Napier Peter Naveenkumar is the best bass guitarist in our
country, and one of the best guitarists in the world. Navin is
one of those talented musicians who spoil you with their
sheer talent. With him, like with almost every other musician
on this film, it is a work of co-creation.
Navin Chandar is definitely the best flautist in the Indian
Film Industry, and one of the best flautists in the world. He
is also a Composer, who has composed for several films.
Working with him is to co-create. I rarely have to tell him
what to play. After listening to the song, he plays something
that is exactly how I would have liked it! It is telepathic
communication, in its most effective form.
Bhavani Prasad, I have known for almost 20 years. We
have a great sense of ease and comfort, in working with
each other. I have been a fan of his style of playing the
Veena, from the very beginning. He is one of the most
sought after Vainikas in the country, with a very original
style. He combines multiple genres into his playing, defying
the definition of a Carnatic Veena Player. His music has a
global quality to it. And for all that, he is an extremely
humble human being.
I have known M T Aditya Srinivasan, since he was a mere
boy. I have been collaborating with him for over ten years
now. He brings a global quality to his percussion, all the
while being anchored to the Indian Classical and the folk
traditions. Our space of work is one of co-creation. It is
while working with Aditya, that our Thillana became the
Santana Thillana!
Akshay Anantapadmanabhan composed the jathi for the
dance interaction between Valli and Kris, enacting
Chandraketu and Lava, playing both the Mridangam and
the Khanjira for it. He also played the Khanjira for the theme
song, ‘Fire and Ice’, helping create a music that
incorporates many different genres, while staying true to its
Carnatic roots.
I have seen Keshava Kaarthikeyan over several years
now, ever since he was a small child and truly a musical
prodigy, playing the Tabla. Every time I was at Kaavadi, for
a music discussion, I saw Keshava practicing his tabla,
sitting in a corner all by himself. His music was the
background to our discussion. One piece that he played
gave me a strong visual cue. It was exactly that, which I
needed for the film. His being there, at this moment in time,
to record for the film, I count as a great blessing.
Prashanth Techno and I have been collaborating for
several years now. So, there is a perfect understanding
between us, of the kind of music that I enjoy creating. He is
a wonderful human being who understands several genres
of music, and where they come from. One of the most
sought after, Music Producers in the Film Industry, and in
the Independent Music Industry, it is always a pleasure to
work with him.
The sound mix is as important as the music itself. Navneeth Balachanderan, with his touch, carried the music of the film, to greater heights, and brilliance, with his extraordinary sensitivity.
प्यार का कोई दिन होता है ? प्यार और रोमास्य तो हर दिन के लिए है. पती-पत्नी जैसे एकदूसरे को समझने लगते है. एकदूसरे के साथ कम्युनिकेशन करते है. वैसे-वैसे प्यार तो बढ़ता ही जाता है. फिर वैलेंटाईन डे का कोई एक दिन नहीं होता. वह तो रोज होता है. पती-पत्नी को हर दिन रोमांन्स और उत्साह के साथ ही जीना चाहिए.
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His Father’s Voice tells the story of a gifted male dancer, separated from his musician father in childhood, who must return to him, to be able to dance again. This English feature film had its première on April 19, 2019 in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Read more
वडील आणि मुलगा यांच्यातील नात्यांचे वेगळे पदर मांडणारा ‘हिज फादर्स व्हॉईस’ हा चित्रपट इंग्रजीसह तब्बल दहा जागतिक भाषांमध्ये प्रदर्शित झाला आहे. ‘कावडी प्रॉडक्शन’ बॅनरच्या या चित्रपटाची निर्मिती अश्विनी प्रतापराव पवार यांनी केली आहे. कार्तिकेयन किरूभाकरन हे दिग्दर्शक व लेखक आहेत.वडील आणि मुलगा यांच्यातील नात्यांचे वेगळे पदर मांडणारा ‘हिज फादर्स व्हॉईस’ हा चित्रपट इंग्रजीसह तब्बल दहा जागतिक भाषांमध्ये प्रदर्शित झाला आहे. Read more
Loving and appreciating the art of storytelling is one of the reasons Kaarthikeyan Kirubhakaran, 53, began his adventurous journey in the entertainment industry about 30 years ago. He truly believed and continues to believe that the right stories could shape lives for the better. Read more
The cultural allure of India is on display in the new film His Father’s Voice, directed and written by Kaarthikeyan Kirubhakaran. The plot centers on Kris (Christopher Gurusamy), a talented young dancer, who returns to India 12 years after being separated from his father during his parents’ divorce.
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"His Father’s Voice" is a new movie based in India about a young dancer returning to his divorced father and reconnecting with his first love. The movie is from India but it now gaining fans in America due to its inclusion in several film festivals.
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“What is love, without understanding?” Indian director Kaarthikeyan Kirubhakaran asks this question in his directorial debut, “His Father’s Voice,” as he explores love, bonds, relationships and hope which form an integral part of human existence. Read more