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This is a Guest Post by K.P Sasi
A cry that echoes through forests and mountains in India today as adivasis, the original or indigenous dwellers, face massive displacement due to developmental projects, destroying the roots of their survival base…Gaon chhodab nahin! (We will not leave our lands!) A voice of assertion that echoes throughout this music video that captures the marginalisation of adivasis all over India and forces us to ask: In whose favour does the God of Development work, and whom does it curse?
(11 votes, average: 3.82 out of 5)
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July 3rd, 2009 at 10:53 AM
If this is a music video, what are we doing all these years?
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:09 PM
If this is not a music video, then what is? A group of people standing in the graphical images background, trying so hard to make themselves look “funny” and “hip” (they “looked funny” anyway, or rather “idiotic”), singing some silly lines that you ever heard in Malayalam? A music video would do justice when it properly handles the message of the song (if there is any) and convey it to the viewers. Look at the most popular music videos. Take Michael Jackson’s for example – the “Earth Song” or “Heal The World”. Oh, and am not talking only about environmental music videos, but take a look at the metal music band Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”. They also convey the ‘message’ that their song has.
You cannot be blamed, because we live in a time where music videos are filled with “appealing” “images” and repeatedly play it on TV channels just to make even a crappy song sell in the market. But if you ever get a chance, ask that question to yourself: “what were we doing all these years?”
July 4th, 2009 at 11:04 AM
“Look at the most popular music videos. Take Michael Jackson’s for example – the “Earth Song” or “Heal The World”. ”
Thanks for the advice. Enjoyed reading your comments. Then what are “thriller,beat it, jam, bad, speed demon, smooth criminal….n number of ‘less popular’ (read mortal!) videos doing there?
July 4th, 2009 at 11:38 AM
You still don’t get the point, Sire. I said – “A music video would do justice when it properly handles the message of the song (if there is any) and convey it to the viewers“. And this music video does just that and you wondered if this is a music video at all!
Oh and well – You thought “Thriller” is less popular? And those MJ videos Beat It, Smooth Criminal etc did not convey the theme of the song? Ever cared to check out the lyrics and the theme of those songs and then watch the video?
July 4th, 2009 at 11:47 AM
“A music video would do justice when it properly handles the message of the song (if there is any) and convey it to the viewers“.
Is the above said a rule? If so, who makes such rules? Is every art form (may it be a msuic video, film or literary piece)bound to convey any message?
its not only just music my friend. we are discussing about music videos. Visuals do play a role (I believe so – mea culpa!)All the videos you mentioned are visually ‘appealing’ too.
peace
Fave
July 4th, 2009 at 12:03 PM
I have a question before I answer further – What are the faults you see in this music video to claim this is not a music video?
July 4th, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Before I answer, tell me something that prompts you consider the above posted thing a music video?
July 4th, 2009 at 12:51 PM
Tell me something that prompts you consider the above posted thing a music video
Okay. Here are my reasons to call this “thing” a music video.
The original song is about the plight and fight of the Adivasis and their environment. Now either the director could choose to write a separate script for the song telling the story of one Adivasi family, their displacement etc. and have a beautiful girl to play the role of an Adivasi woman. Or he could choose to show the moving images from real life. Raw, not so beautiful, but the message of the song gets into you straight and it shakes you, makes you think about it. When I played this music video in my office, the techies around me watched the video in full length and those of us who don’t usually bother much beyond the product releases even discussed about the topic for some time. The purpose of the song and video is served because this song has a message and the message conveyed well.
If you still don’t get it (or pretend not to get it), I don’t know how else to explain. Good luck and please do create more fine pieces of music videos like you did for “Akkarapacha”. Thank you.
And about your other question: Is the above said a rule?
No rules. If I was given this song to direct, I could shoot it in a pub with some urban hip-hoppers showing piece sign and still call it a fine piece of art. If it’s called junk by others, I could still get away by saying, “I set my own rules”. Well, that attributes to the artistic freedom and ALSO a chance to avoid criticism. And if this music video is not a music video, according to your rules, who sets that rule? No need to answer that, because I got it already.
July 4th, 2009 at 5:53 PM
“If it’s called junk by others, I could still get away by saying, “I set my own rules”. Well, that attributes to the artistic freedom and ALSO a chance to avoid criticism.”
Your Answer is SELF EXPLANATORY
Thanks
Keep the faith
Fave