If Not For You(2019)

A Bob Dylan Film

If Not For You is a documentary tribute to Bob Dylan that explores the folk singer's profound influence on Indian music and culture. Set against the backdrop of Calcutta, the film traces how Dylan's revolutionary songwriting resonated with generations of Bengali musicians. Through interviews with notable Indian artists inspired by his work, the documentary draws striking parallels between Dylan's poetic approach to folk music and the centuries-old Baul tradition of Bengal—a lineage of wandering minstrels known for their spiritual and socially conscious songs. The film uses the city's landscape and streets as a visual canvas, weaving together Dylan's legacy with India's own rich musical heritage. It's a meditation on how a American folk icon found unexpected kinship with an ancient Eastern musical tradition.