In Person: Surabhi Sharma on Music in a Village Named 1PB

Recently screened at the 14th Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) held from 30 October to 2 November 2025, Surabhi Sharma’s Music in a Village Named 1PB (2025) documents the community of Mirs in Rajasthan, near the India-Pakistan border, who are associated with a rich legacy of Islamic Sufi and Hindu Bhakti music. The musicians are struggling to keep alive the tradition of singing in the Saraiki language. The landscape and biodiversity which are an integral part of their songs are transforming and disappearing too. In this edited conversation, the filmmaker discusses her journey exploring the relationship between labour and music, arriving at the rhythm of the film and archiving the community’s music.

Surabhi Sharma has been an independent filmmaker making feature-length documentaries and short films since 2000. Her documentaries, fiction and video installations engage with cities in transition using the lens of labour, music and immigration. She is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Film and New Media programme at New York University Abu Dhabi, UAE, and is currently serving as its Associate Dean for the Arts and Creative Practices. 

(Featured image: Still from Music in a Village Named 1PB [2025] by Surabhi Sharma. Image courtesy of the artist.)

(Recorded on 2 November 2025)

To learn more about films screened at DIFF this year, read Mallika Visvanathan’s conversations with Sruthil Mathew on his film Dinosaur’s Egg (2024) and Sivaranjini on her film Victoria (2024). Also read Upasana Das’ reflections on Kneecap (2024) by Rich Peppiatt.

To learn more about the previous editions of DIFF, read Mallika Visvanathan’s interview with the founders Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam and watch the previous episodes of In Person with Udit Khurana as he discusses his film Taak (2024), Jhansy Giting Dokgre Marak on her film Chaware (2023), Gavati Wad on her film O Seeker (2024) and Vani Subramanian on her film Cinema Pe Cinema (2024).