My heroes lived simply. These are people who don’t matter to most, yet, unlike them, I fail to use thrift and consumerism in the same sentence, especially each time I look at the little folder marked ‘shopping’ on the homescreen of my smartphone. That’s not the case with Pranav Bhasin, who “doesn’t buy random things”. The 26-year-old filmmaker-musician has been able to chanel his thoughts into his first single of the year — Screaming on the Fly (featuring Ro Maiti), which comes with a rewind-worthy video that made a premiere at SXSW 2023. The song’s video was, in fact, one of the nominees for best music video.
How is Pranav able to fill his shopping bag with conversations and joy rather than the next big blingy thing dangling before us? He lets words unroll.
It’s easy to be biased towards the song as well as the video. Anything in particular that triggered Screaming on the Fly?
I recall standing by my window one afternoon, humming a chorus to myself, rushing to the laptop and playing the first draft out. I felt like multiple friends were dealing with this shopping-for-no-reason phenomenon and found it funny.
How did you meet Rohini (Maiti) and anything about her vocal quality that made you involve her in the collaboration?
Rohini is presently in Chicago, and we’ve been collaborating on songs for over two years now. We think we’re able to collaborate with ease because neither of us are full-time musicians, so we’re probably more patient. I didn’t know this until recently, but her brother (Rounak) is also an established musician from New Delhi. I, of course, love Rohini’s vocals, she tends to bring her rendition to the table and it’s great. She’s kind and open to experimenting. We build slowly, and sometimes taking a year to finish a track. Especially the one that’s releasing next.
You make films as well as produce music and write. Do you think Screaming on the Fly makes for a great song on its own, without the video? Or, do you think it’s the video that makes the song stand out?
I’m a storyteller first. So whatever medium is strongest finds a match. I love movies, and since they’re an expensive art form, I’ve been toying with music in my free time. Most of my prior releases were instrumental tracks like Titan, which is an entirely instrumental track about our Labrador, Titan, who was sick at home in his final days with us. It felt like he was saying something before he left, it was the rainy season and I was playing a melody out on the keyboard at the time. I think that track made me realise something real and beautiful can be encapsulated in music.
Screaming on the Fly is a sonic adventure for the woke. I’m having fun, I think the song is unique in itself. It was when Dheer Momaya (executive producer and co-founder Jugaad Motion Pictures) heard the track and shared a bunch of insane ideas for what the visuals could be like, which he is a genius at, that the idea of making a video felt stronger. It was as if what needed to be said hadn’t found its final form, so I picked up the camera.
The cover art for the single Screaming on the Fly. Artwork: Jishnu Bandhopadhyay
How much are you a victim of consumerism and all the trappings e-commerce brings?
I don’t know… I find it a bit depressing to see India become a dumping ground for cheap capitalism. Through social media especially, but even otherwise. I don’t buy random things, and it’s hard for me to shop in general to be honest. My friends know I’m stunted when it comes to shopping for clothes. But I get why it can feel like an addiction, and how it’s a symbol of our times.
You have worked with Chai Met Toast and Prateek Kuhad. In the long run, do you want to focus on the independent music scene (and musicians) where there’s just about enough money or do you see yourself also working on “commercial” projects? What finds you at your happiest?
I direct commercials and have been doing so for the past few years. Independent music videos have their boundaries drawn out tighter than I had initially hoped. Both people and artistes want what they have already seen, or things that are relatable or accessible for the most part — I’m happy to make that sometimes, but I’m starting to see ads and music videos as the same thing lately, at least as a director. I’m interested in breaking and pushing cinematic boundaries one way or another. Let’s make cooler things. Let’s bet better for growth.
Maybe this is generalisation at its extreme, but do you see the school education system offering a massive push to extroverted traits, which ultimately make the person we are becoming/have become controlled by social media?
It could be, in some cases. A better education system certainly brings in great change. It pretty much looks like our country’s art appreciation consensus is led by Taarak Mehta ka Ulta Chashma at present. Art is for the rich. Which doesn’t look right. I remember being in a big film studio meeting and the executive calling Zindagi Na Milegi a flop according to their numbers. So….
Maybe Kerala’s sanity with regards to its literacy rate is the reason we find that a bunch of great collaborators and artistes come from there. At least I have. I don’t know.
But about extroversion being applauded — I think we want to be confident people, so seeing someone else look confident or loud makes them aspirational, it’s probably as simple as that.