Odia filmmaker dedicates music video to World Environment Day

Bhubaneswar: Environment issues are not only affecting physical living conditions but also shattering the emotional lives of the affected. This World Environment Day, Odia film maker Snehasis Das highlights the issue in his music video ‘Ghar Jaana Hai’.

Shot in Kantabanji in Bolangir district that is one of the worst-hit drought areas in the country, ‘Ghar Jaana Hai’ focuses on the lives of drought affected migrant labourer’s families. “In the past decade, the effects of climate change have been here for all to see. From unseasonal showers to never-before sweltering summers, we have all experienced it. But for some large portions of India, climate change has dramatically changed their lives. Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan are the worst-hit, with entire villages being forced to abandon their homes for search of work due to water scarcity and drought,” said Das.

Sung by California based Odia boy Konark Sarangi, the music video features veteran film actor Raj Zutshi and Odia actress Gargi Mohanty. The moving lyrics have been penned by Svati Chakraborty, the lyricist and co-director of the famed show Satyamev Jayate. The poignant music has been composed by music directors Sanjoy Dazz and Ambar Das, known for their work with prominent film directors such as Rituparno Ghosh.

Zutshi plays a dadan or migrant worker while Gargi plays the wife. In the touching story of how the family life of the migrant workers affected by drought is shattered, Snehasis shows how environment issues are not only related to health or socio-economic conditions but also impact the emotional lives of people. “Thousands of drought affected families have been forced to abandon their homes to look for an uncertain life elsewhere. This impacts their emotional life and feelings like love fade away in the struggles. Financial compensation is often talked about for them but loss of love affects them most and cannot even be compensated,” Snehasis said.

The video was launched in Mumbai on May 25. The event was attended by several known faces from the world of music, and sports such as Ila Arun, Sanjay Manjrekar, K.K. Raina and Zutshi.