KOCHI: There is a quote about how art, music and poetry keep this world together. Even during the most difficult days, they can give us hope and make us smile. Ask Sandeep Vasudevan, Vishnu Udayan and Kiran Ashok, makers of the romantic album ‘Meghamaayi’. The soothing melody takes you back to the nostalgia of falling in love, while you are busy sailing through the lockdown and global pandemic.“Lockdown has not affected our passion. The idea came up on a WhatsApp group with friends who also love music, and we just went for it,” says Kiran. Interestingly, the team has worked out an international wonder with this track. Kiran has assisted in many commercial hits like Ishq and Anaparambil Worldcup, and is currently working on the upcoming Mammootty starrer, ‘The Priest’.
Sandeep, who composed the track, is an IT professional and part-time musician living in Germany. This song took birth almost six years ago. The actors were selected after an online audition. Discussions were held through video calls. “We loved the song and have been discussing about producing a video for it. The lockdown led to a few changes in our plans, but we made use of the many communication channels to put it together despite the circumstances,” he adds.
The actors R Unnikrishnan and Malavika Murali were filmed at their respective homes in Thiruvananthapuram and Pune. Looking at a well-crafted video, slipping between monochrome and colour, you would never guess that it was shot entirely on mobile phones. They worked hard for almost a month to finish it, fixing the continuity with many retakes.
Vishnu Udayan, an associate director in the ad film industry, directed and edited the album. Vishnu and Kiran have always been passionate about films and were on a mission to make the lockdown productive. They have also produced a mini web series named, ‘Corona kaalathe Jeevitha Kazhchagal’ on their YouTube channel Green Parrot Talkies. The show has 21 episodes that depict the real-life experiences of people amid the lockdown. All the episodes were shot using mobile phones.
V Unnikrishnan penned the lyrics while Saubhagya Narayan brought them to life in her soothing voice. Devika Murali handled the flow and choreography. This team is definitely proving that genuine love for music and art cannot be stopped by anything -- even a pandemic. It is also quite inspiring to see how the internet and communication is used for the right reason. “We are indeed happy that the song is doing well on social media and platforms like Saavn and Gaana,” says Kiran.