Kumar Gandharva lies on his bed, absorbing sounds from nature as well as folk melodies that waft in by the window. Afflicted by tuberculosis at the peak of his prowess, Gandharva has been bedridden for six years, during which, uncertain whether he will ever sing again, he hums to himself in soft practice. Amit Dutta’s first feature-length animation takes this key image and weaves a delicate biopic inspired by the life and work of the legendary Indian classical music singer. Hand-animated by the visual artist Allen Shaw in gorgeously gentle watercolours, Rhythm of a Flower takes the viewer on a dreamlike journey through Gandharva’s childhood in the countryside, his youth, and his mature years as a teacher. Like Gandharva’s nimble, winding voice, the film presents a world in constant flux: a flower that transforms into a gramophone, a tanpura that becomes a tree, staff notes that turn into birds on a wire. Motifs from the musician’s universe emerge and vanish gracefully, only to be picked up again later. The film’s cyclical organisation and contemplative slowness, in keeping with Gandharva’s art, open up a serene space of cinematic meditation.

- Srikanth Srinivasan