Trance, Bach and singing wizards: Roman Mikhailov's "Songs of the Jinn" was shown at the Moscow Film Festival

One of the most anticipated original films of 2026 was shown in the program of the 48th Moscow International Film Festival. In the Russian Premieres competition, director Roman Mikhailov presented Songs of the Jinn. Like his two previous works, "We Need to Make Films about Love" and "The Firebird," the new film was shot in India. Why Mikhailov showed Tarkovsky's films to foreign actors, what role the ex-soloist of "t.A.T.u." Yulia Volkova played, and why the characters in his film are looking for a genie — in the Izvestia material.

A trip across the three seas

Roman Mikhailov is the main hoaxer of modern Russian cinema. He is smart — doctor of Physico-mathematical Sciences, professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences, free — he makes original films with stars and non—professionals, extraordinary — his work intrigues and fascinates, multifaceted - he has been realized in science, literature, drama, directing. Mikhailov has his own army of fans. They are waiting for his new film story every time. And film festivals are willing to accept his films into the competition.

The film crew of the film "Songs of the jinn" by Roman Mikhailov

Photo: IZVESTIA/Zoya Igumnova

Roman Mikhailov has developed a good friendship with the Moscow Film Festival. For the third year in a row, the director's paintings are included in the program. At the 48th screening, his new film "Songs of the Jinn" was presented in the Russian Premieres competition. This is a collaboration with Indian filmmakers. He has a long-standing passion for this country. "Songs of the Jinn" is a continuation of the cycle, which includes "The Firebird" and "We need to make films about love." All these works were shot in India. The main roles in the new film were played by Victoria Miroshnichenko, Anastasia Neginskaya, Vladimir Trushnikov, Artem Kisakov, Timur Valeev. The cast includes not only Russian artists, but also Bollywood stars — Vyom Yadav, Disha Thakur, Rajat Sukhija. And even the winner of numerous beauty contests, "Miss India" Manasvi Mamgai.

As the director says, the text in the movie is deeply intimate. But that's the only expression that's interesting in culture. Roman Mikhailov's film is filled with a wide variety of music, from techno and trance to classical. There are melodies created by the composers Oleg Gudachev, Natalia Solovyova and QT (Anatoly Kapitonov). And the toccatas and fugues from Bach's "Brandenburg Concertos" are masterfully interwoven into modern compositions.

"We've been working on the music for this movie for over a year," the director confessed. — It sounds like a kind of symphony in it, like a single song of some strange creature, maybe a djinn.

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"t.A.T.u." as a keepsake

The genie is a fairy—tale character, it is not a hero of Indian mythology. But Roman Mikhailov felt that he belonged in his story. The author has arranged his narrative in four chapters. Each has its own plot, but they seem to grow into each other.

A shot from the movie "Songs of the Jinn"

Photo: Fruit Time

There's a party going on in a villa in Goa. Its owner is Svetlana Bondarchuk. Someone is dancing, someone is confessing to strangers, and someone is making plans. Here, a company of Russian downshifters offers local guys to organize a cool party. They are ready to bring a world-class star, but we need to organize a venue. Everyone immediately catches fire with the idea, since no one has any money, and if you gather people on the engine, you can make good money.

Yulia Volkova from the group "t.A.T.u" becomes the star of the party. She's coming to Goa, getting ready to perform. And at some point it turns out that the would-be organizer Dani booked the venue not for January 25th, but for February 25th. The date is still a month away, and all hopes for easy money are crumbling. Dani is lost and crushed. He seeks solace in the red ashram near the holy city of Varanasi. They heal with music.

At the same time, two Russian actresses, Anya and Sonya, wander through the narrow streets of this place, as if in a maze. What unites them is that they both played Eduard Limonov's wife Elena Shchapova: one in the cinema, the other in the theater. As it turned out, this is a true story from the lives of Anastasia Neginskaya and Victoria Miroshnichenko. And Mikhailov did not know this when he invited actresses to these roles.

— I know that Limonov was supposed to go to Varanasi shortly before his death, and the tickets were already bought, but at some point he decided not to do it, — the director shared. — When I started shooting, I realized that this script was written not by me, but by someone else. And we were some kind of guides. A lot of strange things were happening in Varanasi. During the filming, it was as if we had entered a different layer. I even lost a little control over consciousness, over perception. I stopped understanding what was going on.

A shot from the movie "Songs of the Jinn"

Photo: Fruit Time

Indian actor Vyom Yadav is from Varanasi, but even he marveled at the wonders on the set of the Russian director. And in the film, the audience will see magic through the eyes of different people. It's also a miracle for the actor that the Russian director knows his native language: he speaks Hindi and even Sanskrit. Vyom Yadav himself does not speak Sanskrit.

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Tarkovsky for inspiration

While preparing his Indian colleagues for filming, Mikhailov decided to immerse them in Russian film culture through Tarkovsky's paintings. He considers himself a fan of Andrei Arsenievich.

— Tarkovsky took the film process as seriously as anyone, probably, in that era, — says the director. — He proclaimed cinema as an ethical gesture, which is very close to me. It's like a religious practice for him.: You enter the film process very seriously, you cannot lie, and you are responsible for every second.

Manasvi Mamgai, who played an actress who escaped from America to an ashram in Varanasi, was sent by the director to watch Tarkovsky's "Mirror."

— I had never seen his films before, it was difficult for me at first to understand such a movie, but it filled me with feelings, — she shared. — And after I took part in the filming of "Songs of the Genies," I think I understand Tarkovsky even better.

A shot from the movie "Songs of the Jinn"

Photo: Fruit Time

Manasvi's character, Tara, built her acting career in the United States, and everything was fine with her: a big house on a mountain, a family. But she was scared of the Snake that was watching her. It seemed to the girl that the monster was hunting her. She also seeks salvation in the red ashram in India. But not everyone can see djinn there. And if they're lucky, and they sing, then there's a chance for healing.

"Songs of the Jinn" is not the last film by Roman Mikhailov, shot in India. According to producer Yulia Vityazeva, the director now dreams of going to Bengal, where the next film will be shot.