Chandigarh mesmerised as French silent classic film Paris Qui Dort reawakens with live music by Stéphane Scharlé

A century-old French silent film came alive in Chandigarh last evening as Paris Qui Dort (The Crazy Ray) cast its timeless spell at the Café Théâtre, Alliance Française, Sector 36. The screening was accompanied by a live performance by Stéphane Scharlé, celebrated French drummer, composer and founder of the jazz collective OZMA.

Presented by the French Institute in India in collaboration with the Alliance Française network, the cine-concert offered audiences a dreamlike fusion of cinema and music. Scharlé’s self-invented Augmented Drum, blending percussion, loops and electronic textures, gave new life to René Clair’s 1924 masterpiece — one of the earliest science fiction films in French cinema.

The audience was transported to a Paris frozen in time — a city held still by a mad scientist’s mysterious ray — as Scharlé’s hypnotic rhythms filled the hall with modern energy and emotion. The restored 4K print of the film, courtesy of the Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé Foundation, retained its haunting charm while the live score added a fresh contemporary pulse.

We were thrilled to welcome Stéphane Scharlé and his poetic reinterpretation of Paris Qui Dort as the first event in our newly refurbished theatre. It was a meaningful way to reopen this space to Chandigarh’s audiences and to celebrate the vitality of French creativity,” said Fiona Guerra, Director, Alliance Française de Chandigarh

The Chandigarh showcase was part of Scharlé’s India tour, which includes performances across New Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, and other cities. He has performed over 500 concerts across 40 countries.

The evening concluded with resounding applause as audiences celebrated this meeting of nostalgia and innovation — a vivid reminder of how art continues to transcend time, language and form.