From idea to release, the journey of making the ‘Flow’ music video
Anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that music and dancing are extremely precious to me. Factor in my passion for Pilates and mixing all three together, and you have a real party on your hands.
My journey as a fitness instructor has been defined by my quest to look for newer ways to innovate and motivate people. I believe fitness is a personal journey for each individual, and I’m constantly looking for unique ways and ideas to keep them engaged on this journey. Nothing kills motivation faster than monotony, which is why I’m always on the hunt for ways to give people something new and exciting which fills them with as much wonder and excitement as when they learned their first-ever move.
Music can be very exciting, engaging and even motivating. I started teaching the movements of Pilates to the beats of a song. It was fun and challenging, and clients kept asking for more and even started requesting to synchronise the workout with a specific song of their liking. It was clear that everyone was enjoying this experiment of mine. It perfectly aligned with my philosophy of movement as something that should be fluid, rather than forced or rigid. Like I always say, it is essential to train hard but it is equally important to train smart.
When I was younger I trained as a classical singer, and almost throughout my life I have written poems. When I was studying at university, I randomly had a brainwave one evening. I remember thinking, why not come up with a song of my own that puts the three things that I love together and also encourages flow and smart movement. Unable to contain my excitement, I called Manasi Scott (without whom nothing would have been possible) and she was just as excited as I was, which felt like a sign from above that I should go for it. She immediately started working on it with Brian Fernandes, and sent me sounds and moods while I was still at university in Loughborough. I’d sit all evening listening, visualising and ideating ways to put it all together. Finally, we had a vibe and soundtrack that I loved.
When I was back in Mumbai, Manasi and I sat together — I wrote the lyrics, while she formed the melody. I remember requesting that the flow and the om come together in the end, somehow we managed to blend it together. I sang the shlok and the oms at the end myself! While Manasi gave her beautiful voice to the rest of the song. The real challenge for me was trying to blend Manasi’s ‘flow’s at the end of the song with my ‘om’s. I really had to keep up. While It was a very exciting experience, I must admit that I was also quite nervous. However, before we knew it, it was all done. We booked a recording studio, sang the entire song and, in no time, it was ready.
And then, it was time for the video! I had a strong vision for the video, but had no clue about how to put it together. This is when I met one of my favourite choreographers, Eden Pereira. He is the first person who taught me contemporary, and when I watch him dance, all I can think is fluidity! He immediately understood my vision and started piecing some choreography together.
He would come to the studio and practice Pilates to understand the movements and help me put the Pilates dance together, which is something that no one has seen before. Over the course of a few practice sessions, we put the choreography together.
The next step was finding someone who understood how I really wanted to shoot it and what we wanted to capture. Through a friend Jueta, I met Shubh Mukherjee, who is the director of the song. We met at a café for 15 minutes, and he grasped what I was looking for. We then sat in my car, he heard the song and there was no looking back. Being a dancer himself, I felt confident that he was the right person for this shoot. We blocked a date, decided our locations and were set to shoot.
Fun fact: ‘Flow’ was shot in precisely one day from 5am to 6pm at three different locations in three different parts of this city. But somehow, we managed to make it work. And now, my dream is a reality and you all can watch it here. I hope it brings you as much joy and excitement as I had while making it all happen. So go ahead and connect your body, mind and soul with ‘Flow’.
in India