Border Anthems is a music video/short film juxtaposing both India and Pakistan’s national anthems. It’s a collaboration between Indian-American opera singer Zeshan Bagewadi and Pakistani-American photojournalist/filmmaker Nushmia Khan (desis y’all!).
Bagewadi and Khan’s collaboration commemorates the triumphs, struggles, challenges, and celebrations of India and Pakistan. They hope viewers enjoy the music, the visuals, and most importantly the intention and message behind this video.
As a first generation Indian-American, I would like to rekindle that memory. Why? Because while growing up here, I had the unique privilege of growing up with Pakistanis; something that neither the average Indian in India nor Pakistani in Pakistan has. And I can certainly say this: we simply have too much in common to be at odds with one another.
So let us join hands and sing the anthems of our great nations; after all, in the words of my grandparents, “we are only separated by a border.”
-Zeshan
Visit Bagewadi’s website for the complete artist’s statement.
Pavani is an editor at The Aerogram. Find her on Twitter @_pavani and follow The Aerogram at @theaerogram.
