This Apeejay alumnus produces a unique musical video

Director, producer, and screenwriter, Ajay Govind really enjoys working on music videos. “It’s because the approach is so different when compared with short films or feature films. The song is already telling a story, so the video has to be in sync with what the song says, but also present it in a different way that’s not literal. So the challenge of writing a narrative story for a music video becomes exciting and challenging. And thanks to the song, the video often has a longer recall value as well,” expresses the alumnus of Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication (AIMC), whose production house Sisyphus Rocks Films, on the occasion of World Music Day 2023, produced and launched yet another beautiful music video ‘A Dhrupad Alaap’. The music video has been released on the YouTube channel and Instagram page of production house Sisyphus Rocks Films. 

Music: The old friend

Moreover, Ajay’s bond with music is literally old. He has learned classical music since he was very young and has always been drawn to it since. “Music is something that fills me up with a lot of joy, and hope. I often find myself listening to songs that become an extension of what I am feeling, and just as often I’d be listening to an intense or angst-ridden song while actually feeling quite happy and content,” shares the creative filmmaker.

The beginning of A Dhrupad Alaap’s creative journey

When asked how did this creative journey begin, Ajay explains, “The idea was to create something non-narrative based, which was focused more on the music than the visuals. Yes, it’s a beautiful setting. But the draw is Dr. Sumeet Pandey’s singing and Rahul Bhattacharyya’s Pakhavaj. Given this background, we wanted to create something that was not heavily produced. In terms of the video, for instance, we employed minimum gear and depended on natural light. And the sound was recorded on location.”

What makes it unique?

The filmmaker believes that it’s important to create avenues for young people to listen to and be introduced to the magic of classical music. “Dr. Sumeet who performed the vocals and Rahul who accompanied him on the Pakhavaj were in Dehradun for a live performance. Thus, we  decided to make the most of this opportunity to shoot a video. The video was shot in a place called Kharakhet which has historical relevance. As far as I know, the drone hasn’t been used too much in classical music performances/videos, so that was something we wanted to experiment with,” Ajay shares.

Also Read: ‘Don’t wait for opportunities, create them,’ says Indian filmmaker

Learning on the go

Explaining further, Ajay said that this was definitely the smallest crew that he worked with, in keeping with the times, and their desire to keep it ‘unproduced’. “I felt the weight of the responsibility of directing was executed by the one-man technical team including Dishant Jaiswal, who did both the camera and drone,” he said. The Apeejay alumnus further mentions that this entire project was a reminder that one never stops learning, and the intention to improve is the biggest motivator. “Even at the edit, Ashik Pushparaj and I worked remotely – a first for him, but the desire to create the best possible version meant we did some 8-10 cuts before arriving at the final one. And as always, Akshay Madan transformed it with the titles he added. Also, given the location wasn’t conveniently accessible, it was good to have had the support and encouragement from friends as well as team members including Faizi Aleem Khan, Ritika Pandey and Remya Sasindran, during the early morning shoot itself,” Ajay states.

Read This: Alchemy of music; understanding the emotional impact

Future plans 

The passionate producer-cum-director has already written and directed 2 feature films and 8 music videos. He is currently writing a web series, based in Dehradun. “This is the first time I am writing something episodic, so I am enjoying the challenge,” he mentions.