In pursuit of ‘Happyness’

Engineering students who made the 'Happy Hyderabad' video./  Photo: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu
Engineering students who made the ‘Happy Hyderabad’ video./ Photo: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu

Happiness is trending in Hyderabad this poll season with a photo exhibition and candid Happy Hyderabad videos

Hyderabad is on a happy high this poll season. Unmindful of the power cuts, youngsters taking a cue from Pharel Williams’ Happy project have released candid Happy videos online. Adding to the happy flavour is a photography exhibition showcasing colours of happiness through its photographs.

When American singer Pharel Williams in his trademark funky hat sang:

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do…, denizens across the globe are creating their own spinoffs and posting it online.

Narrating a story

Thariq Hussain and Shreyans Dungarwals’ Happy Hyderabad song narrates a small story. “I didn’t want people to just pose in the video. I wanted to tell a story through it,” says Shreyans. Engineering students Melvin Sam, Karthik Malladi, Boga Sunil, Ritesha A Jairaj, Kausar Tabassum, Kushal and Mohith Paul of Couch Potato Productions’ Happy Hyderabad video is also part of the league. Melvin’s passion for filmmaking came handy when the group decided ‘Hyderabad deserved to have an awesome version of the song’.

With a couple of short films and music videos in their repertoire, their happy number shows enthusiastic people dancing merrily at different popular spots in the city. From Charminar and Golconda to Mecca Masjid and Hitech city…. the video showcases the blend of tradition and modernity in Hyderabad. Karthik recalls the Metro shoot at Uppal.

“The workers had finished work and were returning home. They were tired but when we told them about our concept, they were too eager to be part of it.” If SVM and Half Full Creatives’ A Gift to Hyderabad Inspired by Pharel Williams Happy shows candid dancing on the streets, another ‘Hyderabad is Happy’ album has been shot with Nexus 5 phone.

If the online world shines bright with these ‘happy’ sparklers, ‘Magnifying Happiness Photography’ a photo exhibition by Gifting Happiness at Muse Art Gallery celebrates happiness. The company which believes in ‘magnifying happiness through gifting’ helps individuals plan something special for their loved one.

“With the amount of pressures in modern day, it takes time to be happy. We take our loved ones for granted especially when it comes to buying gifts for them. We just buy a gift without much thought,” says Revathi Turaga of Gifting Happiness. The pictures in the gallery are accompanied by a ‘wall of wishes’. The exhibition depicts the journey the company has undertaken in making their customers’ lives happy by customising and innovating their gifts.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Neeraja Murthy / Hyderabad – April 30th, 2014

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