The music video is a collaboration of director-writer-lyricist Muhsin Parari and actor-composer Shekhar Menon.
The music video is a collaboration of director-writer-lyricist Muhsin Parari and actor-composer Shekhar Menon.
What happens when a good night’s sleep throws you away? You can think too much and your imagination can be ruined. When director-writer-songwriter Muhsin Parri experienced this, he expressed it in the form of a music video, ’03:00 AM’. Actor-composer Shekhar Menon has composed it with veteran actor Salim Kumar as the singer. The video features Lukman Avran acting.
The recently released video is a satire on this condition. The narrator welcomes everyone to this self-deprecating declaration (self-condemnation parade) taking place in the later hours. The Global Organization of the United Declaration organizes it before the ‘Auction of Biscuit Collection Dipped in Tea Cups and Immersed’! The caveat is that only ‘those who have lost their sense of direction can reach the venue correctly’.
A still from the music video ’03:00 AM’ | photo credit: special arrangement
“It is not a cure for insomnia. It is a condition that many of us faced during the lockdown. Loneliness was a topic that was widely discussed, memes were created and even such people I could relate to that scenario. So I wrote a few lines and shared them with Shekhar. Once he composed it, I sat down to write the rest. Speaking of posing in a funny way, I believe unless you are serious about something, you cannot make fun of it,” says Muhsin.
Muhsin Parri | photo credit: special arrangement
The lyrics were written with Salim Kumar in mind; Muhsin said that his famous voice has been used in the video while presenting the comedy. “He is a master when it comes to presenting serious matters in a humorous manner. There is also an element of self-prank in the lyrics and he nailed it. We have also seen how he excels at using those heavy-handed words to generate laughter,” explains Muhsin.
Actor-Musician-DJ Shekhar Menon | photo credit: special arrangement
Shekhar insists that Salim Kumar was the biggest attraction for him in the project. “I never thought that I would get to work with him on a musical production. It was important to understand the song’s lyrics and put them in the right modulation. He was present. It was one of the happiest recording sessions of my career.”
The video is produced by Muhsin’s venture The Writing Company. Speaking about using the spoken word as a song, Muhsin explains that he started his career with such work, ‘Desi Bapa’ (2013), a story about a father’s suffering. Single when his son is labeled a terrorist. The sequel, ‘Funeral of a Native Son’, composed by Bijibal, was a musical tribute to Rohit Vemula, a Dalit student whose suicide led to nationwide protests against casteism. Veteran actor Mamukoya is featured in both videos.
Muhsin and Shekhar had earlier collaborated in a music video, ‘Kozhipunku’ (2020), based on a poem by Satchidanandan. A project with actor Indrans and actor Chemban Vinod Jose and Tamil rapper Arivu is coming up.