Aahana Pereira on the Colorful Personalities of “Banna Re”

A writer may possibly bethe most sincere type of professional in the entertainment world; that’s not to discount the artistry of so many other artists in the industry. A writer is someone who accompanies a story from inception to manifestation, all the while witnessing others attempting to materialize the vision which exists so perfectly in the writer’s mind. From films to music videos and other productions, Aahana Pereira has led just such a professional life. Her outstanding creativity has become her calling card whether it be in the advertising industry or the realm of film. Pereira worked with director Anish Dedhia on the film Chypre (an Official Selection of the Interrobang Film Festival, River to River Florence Indian Film Festival, Rumschpringe Film Festival, Rainer Independent Film Festival, and Winner at the Los Angeles Thriller Film Festival) and so impressed him that he called upon her again for a music video by Chhavi Sodhani’s song “Banna Re.” More than 3,212,000 YouTube views confirms the public’s affinity for this highly stylized video. The aesthetic of the video pairs with the traditional folk sound of “Banna Re” to create an intoxicating tale which spoke to modern viewers and generations.

From the beginning, Pereira’s goal exceeded the visual presentation of a classic style of music, she wanted viewers to feel something intensely. Along with her work as a screenwriter for films like Chypre, Aahana has attained great recognition in the world of advertising. As the writer of many award-winning campaigns like Meet the Sydneyporeans for Qantas / NSW airlines (Markies Singapore Winner: Best Idea Digital – Silver, Best Use of Integrated Media – Gold, Best Use of TV / Video – Bronze, Most Creative TV/Video – Gold, Most Effective Use TV/Video – Bronze), the Addy Miami Silver 2013 for “Save Tigers”, and many others, Aahana has amassed a body of work which is hyper focused on eliciting a desired emotion in a brief amount of time. Considering this, the running time of a music video like “Banna Re” provided ample time for her to develop a storyline that would cultivate the type of modern romance she envisioned.

There’s a palpable suspension of reality when one finds themselves in love. The bridge between the real world and the cocoon of excitement in a blossoming romance is the exact location where Pereira has placed viewers of this video. There’s a brightly colored world around the two main characters which transmits the idea of true romantic enthusiasm. Aahana informs, “Colors were a big part of the concept, which we weaved in with the story. The color story is what gives the characters life and tells the audience about the differences in their personalities. The color sets the tone and becomes more and more critical to their story. They also give the video a fun vibe. If you notice the colors start with a stark contrast but as the video progresses the colors somewhat start blending in, especially towards the end when the polka dots shift from his shirt to her dress, a cue to how their personalities are influenced by one another. Love is where you influence and share things with each other constantly.” Revealing an unusual inspiration for this approach, the writer adds, “This idea was born out of my inspiration of color bars, the bars that used to come on our television screens in the olden times. Nobody liked those bars because the bars meant that cable was out but I used to stare at them and I developed a love hate relationship with them. I was little so this rainbow on the television screen fascinated me. I wanted to make this rainbow reflect in a love story set in modern times. That’s how the idea was sown and what we developed were two characters whose personalities are depicted through color. We evolved the concept to what it is now, a girl who is obsessed with the color blue and depicts monotony, whereas the guy is colorful, larger than life and free spirited.”

What’s perhaps most striking about this video’s personality is how it is imbued with a wide-eyed youthful innocence. From the flowers which literally appear in the main character’s eyes to the virtual scooter ride, there’s a noticeable absence of any duplicity in the characters. They are being their true selves while looking for a connection in a partner. That’s a lofty goal amidst so many music videos which embrace the opposite approach these days. As the writer responsible for taking an idea on a page and transforming it into the type of relevant and impactful tale that beckons the audience to watch again and again, Aahana’s success is proven through the massive number of views “Banna Re” continues to accumulate. She relates, “We as a team believed that we had to create something fresh. This was Chavvi’s first music video and we wanted it to reach as many people as possible. I felt responsible for her success. There was something to prove. Music videos have to be a visual delight. If you don’t make it memorable, you have lost out on an opportunity.”