Track title: Halka halka suroor

Artist: Farhan Saeed

Genre: Classical rock/ pop

Year of release: 2013

Music video director: Humza yousaf

Record company: Sidereal studios

Produced by: Saad Sultan

Music video type: Narrative based music video

Concept/ narrative: The thematic concern in this music video is the lover singing the praises of his beloved and blaming her voluptuous ways for his intoxication. He croons about her hypnotic effect on him and how she draws him into a state of addiction. The protagonist claims that he is so taken with her that he has lost track of himself and can’t seem to recover from her overwhelming presence.

Media message: Although the music video romanticizes the relation between two lovers. But it could be a metaphoric reference to the love for God. The ‘Mild intoxication’ it talks about could be related to the ‘Whirling Dervishes’ who lose themselves in their platonic love of God.

Representation: The music video represents a culture typical to that of Pakistani culture. The male protagonist seems to have all the power and he keeps on denying the woman and her love, stating her to be delectable and voluptuous.

Moreover, the song is also from the point of view of the male, showing the woman in objective light and from his point of view and what he thinks of her. There are only her weak, mewl responses to his accusations; which is not surprising considering the male-chauvinistic society of Pakistan. However there is one moment of aggression shown by the woman when she rises passionately and

there is fire behind her in the background denoting the catharsis of her pent up emotions.

The costumes of the actors are quite traditional; especially the one where the artist wears Shalwar Kameez and a waist coat and the woman is in a rajisthani attire representing a common custom of Sufi and classical genres. The male artists also wears a long Shawl in more than one occasions which is a common piece of cloth worn usually landlords or powerful men of rural areas who have a chauvinistic mindset.

Ideologies: The main ideology in this music video is that of spiritual love, which is considered pure and unconditional and usually is in the name of God. It denies all that is worldly and materialistic and so is seen in the music video. From the historic bungalow and natural locations (desert, sea) to the mention and use of alcohol, all this contributes to the spirituality. The Whirling dervishes who are crazed in the love of God are usually drunk and had lost all their connectivity from the world. A similar situation is represented in the music video where the male artist is drunk and completely unaware of his surroundings.

Audiences: The targeted primary audiences for this music video would be both male and female from early teenagers to the old folks who would be drawn in by the poetic lyrics and the romance created in the video. Since the song is a new version of a Qawali by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, it is likely to attract more audiences since the people would most probably want to see the song visualized.

Moreover, the song and the content is of high concept and easy to sell, no complexities for the audiences to figure out in a 4 min video, this can definitely increase the viewership.

The audience reception (reception theory by Stuart Hall) of the music video is most likely to be passive, considering it is very common and stereotypical concept, nothing that questions the Grand Narrative.

Theories:

Andrew Goodwin:

The music video follows the conditions spelled out by Andrew Goodwin in terms that it demonstrates genre characteristics as certain features are expected out of a video depending on the genre for example, for Classical Pop/ Rock audience expects the artist singing in throes of passion, soft music, a few slow motion moments between the lovers and so on.

There is also a distinct relationship between the lyrics and the visuals where the lyrics illustrate what is shown and helps to portray the message of the song.

-For instance; when throughout the music video the lyrics talk about Intoxication, Alcohol is a recurring prop in the music video.

-Also when the artist says “ Mujhe kis tarha se mitao gay” (how will you erase me out of your life), the visual at that particular line clearly represent it.

The music video tends to give us the gist of text and we make up our own interpretations about what is being told.

Sven E Carlson:

It also includes Binary opposition, where it breaks the music video into black and white boxes, where

Male and female are shown in completely different lights, the man holding all the power and the woman being portrayed as meek. The man being in focus and the woman out of focus.

Laura Malvi:

Malvi was a feminist who suggested the visual pleasure theory and female objectification as a common element in media. This is true in this case as the man is active and the woman is shown passive and from the point of view of men.

There is female objectification in terms that the woman is not focused as a whole instead there are shots of her body parts. It can also be referred to as Voyeurism. Although the woman makes direct contact with the audiences and does break the Fourth wall, there is no denying that she is viewed with sexual interest.

Inter-texuality:

The song pays homage the Legend Nusrat fateh Ali khan by adding the Rock/ pop element to his Qawali.

Codes and Conventions:

Since the genre is classical pop/ rock there are certain recurring factors the could be found in these type of music videos;

-Soft lighting, usually accompanied with a glow, to go along with poetic lyrics and define the love relationship

-Soft focus to create a dream like visual

-A lot of lights and darks involved

-Historical places and mostly, natural locations (deserts, sea..)

-Costumes that represents the culture

-Most scenes are shot in the light of dawn or Dusk to show Binary Opposition (two different times coming together)

Technical codes:

Camerawork/shots:

The frame used in the starting shot shows both the artists on two opposite ends, with a bamboo pillar which is out of focus, the background in focus. It creates a sense of differences between two lovers

The very first visual of the music video, the camera tracks in to the scene using the crane shot

Rule of thirds is used to portray the charcter in a heroistic view, with him in focus and the background out of focus.

The mid-closeup, with half face covered and dark light personifies the woman in a sexually attractive way.

This close-up shot contributes towards Voyeurism, with the artist looking into the camera with hooded eyes.

The wide shot shows a natural background with the man holding the woman in his arms, probably denouncing the world, standing over the edge and celebrating their love.

There is another wide shot used showing the woman in Rajisthani dress along with the historical Rajisthani background, making a contrast of the two.

Editing:

The slowmotion scenes contributes towards creating a dramatic effect.

Here 180 degree rule is used, following the continuity shot rule.In one scene the Guy bends the woman on her arm and the very next scene lifts her up in a different location with a different setting.

Where suddenly the beat shifts from slow to fast pace the editing takes a sudden shift towards fast movement.

Once again there is a use of continuity shot where there is an illusion of the same action being carried forward in the next scene.

Light:

The use of Tungsten is singnificant as Tungsten is a type of incandescent lighting. It creates a romantic aura and signifies that there is love story involved.

Mostly, there has been a use of natural setting with natural lighting which gives of a romantic feel

Props:

Since intoxication is a recurring phenomenon in the music video, Alcohol is also used as a prop through out