Nitin Sawhney

Always keen to explore new horizons in his music and its presentation, Nitin Sawhney's latest promo video once again takes the creative path less travelled. Taking 'Koyal', from Nitin Sawhney's forthcoming Philtre album, as the soundtrack, director Tim Pearce has created a stunning short film using some fascinating source material.

The video has been created using footage from the 1929 film Prapancha Pash aka A Throw Of The Dice by German director Franz Osten. The film is a love story that tells the story of Ranjit and the nefarious Sohan, two kings with a passion for gambling and the same woman, Sunita. One day Ranjit wagers everything in a crooked game of dice and loses it all, his crown and Sunita, his bride to be and is forced to become the scheming Sohan's slave. Through a turn of fate Sohan's evil deeds are uncovered and undone he hurls himself off a cliff into the raging rapids below. Sunita and Ranjit are reunited, finding true love. The film was a production on a grand scale hardly known at the time, utilising over 10,000 extras, 1000 horses and 50 elephants.

The film is part of the British Film Institute collection, and the beautifully restored film stock has been edited by Tim Pearce into a mesmerising and unique three and a half minute video.

Koyal Video - Windows Media Hi | Med | Lo