In a yellowish light that metaphorically indicates the early morning, as a soft beat is being played in the background, a sister character (Liza Karki) is splashing a drop of water on his brother (Nirajan Karki) to make him wake up from the bed. He wakes up and then squabbles with his sister. Then, the shots shift outdoors where the family members are painting their house because it is the festive season. Then, the brother character is invited by his friends to fly the kite. At first, his father, played by Hark Saud, does not allow him to go but later he lets him join the lads.
This is how the musical film Dhaago Sambandha Ko, a recent work of Artmandu, begins.
When it comes to the music video for festivals, specifically Dashain and Tihar, most of the time it is just about celebration: eating, playing, meeting and drinking. But, Artmandu’s new work Dhaago Sambandha Ko stands out in this context. In this musical film, they have shown something that has been unnoticed by the Nepali video makers or directors, who have worked in making music videos in Dashain and Tihar.
Deep dive amid celebrations
The musical play Dhaago Sambandha Ko, said to be based on a real incident, shows why the time of the festivals cannot be similar for all the families. Where there are people who celebrate the festivals together with family members, there are also people who celebrate by missing the members of the family who are not with them anymore. This new musical play exactly depicts the same kind of story.
How does the time of festivals look like when some member of your family, who would bring joy to a house, is no more? Watch this musical film to know about it.
The power of this musical film, directed by Nabin Chauhan, rests on its storyline which has gone beyond the traditional notion of portraying Dashain and Tihar. However, it does not mean that Dhaago Sambandha Ko is entirely centred only on tragedy. There are also things to watch in the video that would bring a smile to your face and provoke nostalgia as well, especially in the scene that shows a brother character crying after receiving dakshina less than his sister. The scene where the same character is trying to steal money from the puja thali also creates a sense of joy. Additionally, the video also vibrantly features other activities like flying kites, playing swing, performing Deusi-Bhailo and others.
Having said that, the musical play at the end can even leave you in tears.
Another unique strength of Dhaago Sambandha Ko can be found in its lyrics by Hark Saud. Usually, in the songs about the Dashain and Tihar, you talk about tika, jamara, and Deusi-Bhailo, but here, things are different. None of such words has been included in the lyrics.
In fact, unlike the lyrics of other Dashain Tihar songs, the verses of this song tell nothing about the festivals. But the makers of the musical play have worked well in composition and directing the storyline to make the lyrics relevant.
“It was an emotional journey to work on such a tragic storyline,“ says Nabin Chauhan, the director of the musical film.
Performance
The composition of the song, brilliantly accompanied by the voices of singer SD Yogi and Subani Moktan, flows smoothly. Dhaago Sambandha Ko has a catchy melody that can easily captivate listeners. Specifically, the chorus part, hawa jhai shital shital / phoola jhai komal / sambandha ka dhaagoharu sari [ As fresh as the wind / As soft as flowers / Like a thread of relations] sounds more appealing. Surprisingly, the composition also features panchebaja , which is well arranged, making it sound authentic.
In its camera work, the cinematography has not only covered the various festival activities and beautiful greeneries but it has also nicely filmed the expression of the characters minutely.
Overall, Director Chauhan hopes that, with Dhaago Sambandha Ko, his team has been able to provide justice to the tragic story that happened in real life.
Artmandu has always been popular for its unique and original video-making ideas and this time too, it has continued the legacy.
Note: Watch Dhaago Sambandha Ko until the end to know the original characters of the tragic incident which inspired Artmandu to make this video.
