Ace musician, artist, and versatile actor, Monica Dogra has begun her journey of self producing socio-political art. Her first step in this new chapter hails the launch of her latest much awaited and somewhat controversial music video, Shiver from her latest album ‘Spit’ which was released earlier this year by Universal Music.  This latest work ignites fire around a very important conversation.  

The concept revolves around a girl who goes to audition at an old theatre full of symbolism and archetypal characters depicting an array of feminine expressions.  We like to call this cast our "sisterhood of the alone ones".  We examine survival, admonishment, and whether or not these protected characters truly want to be other'ed simply because they are different.  The central character has been essayed by Reshma Gajjar, a renowned dancer of Indian origin in the west who has worked with likes of Madonna and Ricky Martin. The team behind the video boasts of several talented individuals including the director Navzar Eranee who's been an assistant director on films like “Guru”, the choreographer Jasmine Albuquerque Croissant who happens to be a profound international dancer having been a part of Ryan Heffington's (Sia/ FKA Twigs choreographer) dance troupe Fingered and has choreographed videos for the likes of Devendra Banhart and Bob Wayne, Shanker Raman, the director of photography for the video is a National Award winning Cinematographer.

Creative direction and executive production has been done by Monica herself who has roped in 11 influencers from India who she has personally cast because of their true life representation of what the video is aiming to communicate. The names featured in the video include the likes of Adhuna Akhtar Rabanne Jamsandekar, Deepti Datt, Navya Singh, Chandni Sareen, Elton Fernandez, Justine Mellocrasto, Rufy Ghazi, Saket Sharma, Tania Aggarwal and Lara Saluja. 

Speaking on the release, Monica said, "Shiver is my largest collaborative effort to date and I have to say I truly understand the value of community and artistic camaraderie as a result of finally making this work....I roped in artists from all over the world from choreographers and dancers from California and a cast that exemplifies true influencers in the realm of making space for a multitude of feminine expressions.  My hope is that this art will quietly enter people hearts and minds, starting very necessary conversation.  But for me, the gift was just creating it.  That was just pure magic".

Shiver is perhaps one of the strongest performance art materials released in India this year.  It encourages a healthy conversation around various social justice compartments like homosexuality, feminism, equality, survival, and embodiment.  The fine thread that binds is..... Simply.... Making space.

Here's the link to the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12pRSHyG5x4&feature=youtu.be