Director Wanphrang Diengdoh will release the music video of Lorni-The Flâneur, his new film, in the city on May 11.
The video has been directed by Diengdoh and the music is by Hammarsing Kharhmar. The director has also written the lyrics for the track. The two form part of the #khasinewwave act Ñion.
The track was recorded at Reddur Productions and will be released under Rynsan Records.
“We recorded the track at this 100-year-old plus bungalow and the Khasi percussions, the guitars, pipes and the chanting just sounded out of this world — primordial and trance inducing. Yet at the same time those instruments sounded so humble and almost aware that the music they resonate should ignite a conscience of who we were, we are and will be,” said Diengdoh in an email interview.
“When we finished the recording session and stepped out, it was as if we were transported to some other world. It was an extremely strange yet profound experience. That is what music can do to you — defy time and space even,” he added.
The five-minute music video has footage from the film and will be released at the Evening Club. “The video is being released online but Ñion will play at the club on May 11 at 9pm. The performance will start off with the release of the music video,” the director informed.
Diengdoh said he was looking for cutting edge local music to accentuate the film and “I had requested Hammar to write some for the film”.
“He came up with this hypnotic riff that supported the visuals in the film where Adil Hussain (who plays the lead in the film) was running around the streets and alleys in Laitumkhrah looking for this suspect who has stolen these objects of great cultural value from the Khasis. Apart from Adil, the other actors who make an appearance in the film are Merlvin Mukhim, Lumbor Mawsor, Randell Nongkhlaw, Dawiat Syiem (one of the best artistes I have worked with), Elizer Bareh (watch out for this one) and my favourite Khasi pop icon, Rana Kharkongor,” Diengdoh said.
The director said musically, it really asserts Hammarsing as the sonic architect that he truly is and “if you are from Shillong, you will immediately understand both visually, aurally, metaphorically what the track is all about”.
“Although having said that, we sent the track to a few people in the country and elsewhere for feedback and they said that it sounded so old and haunting yet still very contemporary and relevant. I like that we are surrounded by our past,” he added.
Lorni-The Flâneur is already selected for a few film festivals in the country and elsewhere but the Shillong release is scheduled in October.
“The whole film is like a song. I don’t think the film would have shaped up the way it is without my constant attempt to further understand Khasi philosophy which I now understand is deeply rooted in our legends, lores and our music. Also, for me, a film is a musical composition. Every crest and trough should correspond to how our emotions respond to what we see on screen. Film is truth every frame and every second while music or sound multiplies that truth every millisecond. That is how crucial sound and music is with regards to controlling our emotions and our sense of understanding of the world,” Diengdoh asserted.
There are other musicians who contributed to the film — including Gareth Bonello who has been working extremely hard these few years to understand the nuances and complexity of Khasi music, Stefan Kaye- keyboard extraordinaire and musical genius who has single-handedly changed the music scene in this country in the past decade and most importantly, a true punk!
(As told to Nabamita Mitra)
