Breaking stereotypes

KOCHI: Karsh Kale, a British musician, record producer, singer, songwriter, and DJ, is known for his expertise in Tabla. He renders classical beats fused with electronica and synth, creating breathtaking combinations. His latest album ‘Touch-1’ features an instrumental piece named Touch, conceptualised and directed by Vinod Ravindranathan. The six-minute-long animated music video, packed with visual metaphors, depict the conflicted psyche of a woman who is taught to embrace the patriarchal stereotypes. The storyline takes the viewer through the gradual evolution of the protagonist once she falls into a liberal world free from the stigmas that weighed her down once.

Here, she unlearns what has been taught to her right from the time she is born. “During the discussions, I had with Karsh, he told me that the track has feminine energy to it. When I heard it, I was reminded of an upheaval — an initial conflict that turns into liberation, completed by the guitar riff in the end. The initial idea was to feature a gender-fluid protagonist stuck in an unpleasant loop, eventually escaping it,” says Vinod, who is a freelance motion designer and director. 

 “The protagonist is not a rebel who breaks free from societal shackles. It is more of self-actualisation. The change happens when she moves to a space that is different from her roots,” adds Vinod ‘Touch-1’ was released two weeks back and has managed to garner positive responses from many. The album is available on all major platforms. Vinod has worked on the DJ Shekhar-Sreenath Bhasi release KozhiPunk, Kayan-Cool Kids, and Sanjeeta Bhattacharya’s ‘Everything’s Fine?’ which screened at the People’s Film Festival in Harlem 
New York.