Raga (1971) Reviews

• A moving documentary about Indian musician Ravi Shankar

  filmtoom1998-11-06

  This is a wonderful and informative documentary about the famous Indian classical musician Ravi Shankhar. No single person has done more to introduce the native Indian music into the West World. If you have ever heard of the sitar, it is probably because of him. This film chronicles his life an a musician, from his tutorship in his native Indian homeland to him tutoring Beatle George Harrison as Indian music became a part of the 1960's counter-culture. Most importantly, the viewer experiences the personal struggles of Shankhar as he deals with his desires for his very religious music and the way the western world (U.S.) took it and made it part of the drug culture. Contrary to his desire to introduce the world to Indian music, he was broken-hearted to see the music he loved taken and altered to fit into the west society, whom he said was in too much of a "hurry" to experience it.

• Awesome

  drsaicat2014-03-19

  So beautifully made... featuring so many of the greatest maestros of east and west.... excellent cinematography and music.... Ravi Shankar's life has been so methodically depicted... This documentary outperforms in every segment.... the content, script, narration,cast,music,editing,cinematography.... "Overwhelming"!! The best moments were when he met his 'Guru ma' Ustad Allauddin Khan's wife and she started weeping. At that time, He was separated from their daughter Smt.Annapurna Devi,another great musician, guru of Pt.Hariprasad Chaurasia,and Shankar looked really sad when he faced his 'Guru ma'....those emotions were real!! Thanks to Mr. Howard Worth One of the best documentaries I have ever seen.