The Bhojpuri music industry has come up with its costliest ever devotional song—one that has been shot in London.
The music video titled ‘Chhath Puja in London’, from an industry best known for its bawdy lyrics and dance moves, is an ode to a British husband’s understanding of his Indian wife’s desire to celebrate the Chhath festival. The role of that British husband is played by Sammy Jonas Heaney- an actor soon to be seen with Parineeti Chopra in a movie.
One of north India’s most popular festivals—particularly so in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh—this is a celebration of the Goddess Shashthi (the protector of children) and the Sun God and his consorts—the Goddesses of dawn and dusk. This year, the festival falls on November 20.
Kumar Saurav Sinha, the director of the video, said that while most devotional Bhojpuri music videos were produced for a few thousands of rupees, this one cost Rs 20 lakhs. He dubbed it the ‘first international Chhath puja song’.
“This video is a conscious attempt to change the image of the Bhojpuri music industry and also set high standards for production,” said Sinha who is the content head of Yashi Films Private Limited under whose banner the video is produced.
The video captures many of London’s most recognised landmarks—among them the Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Butler's Wharf and the river Thames.
The choice of the subject for the music video was a conscious move. “Chhath Puja connects us to our roots. It is one of the most eco-friendly religious festivals which spreads the message of nature conversation. On the day of Chhath, devotees without any distinction of caste, color or social status, gather at the banks of river Ganga to make offerings to the Sun God. This video is an attempt to show how Indians living in the UK celebrate the festival. It shows how a British husband embraces the culture of his Indian wife. This video unifies two different cultures,” Sinha said.