The son of the tabla legend Ustad Alla Rakha, Ustad Zakir Hussain began his performing career as a child prodigy. Later, through path-breaking experiments, he dramatically enlarged the scope of his chosen instrument. Today he is celebrated internationally as a composer and a star performer.

The Speaking Hand charts Zakir’s growth from the by-lanes of Bombay to his current fame as a world musician. In the course of this exciting history we experience first-hand the unforgettable magic of his fingers. We see him perform with the many legends of the Indian classical world. We hear him explain the intricacies of the tabla. And, we get rare glimpses of the Planet Drum tour that brought together master drummers of the world in a breathtaking celebration of world rhythms.

A discussion with the filmmaker, Sumantra Ghosal, will accompany the screening. A Q&A with the audience will follow.