Deep Diving Into the Music Video of Kamakshi Khanna’s ‘Love Is Not a F*cking Game’
As combed over in multiple music features on TFword, this time we delve deeper, freeze frame, and zoom in to connect and uncover as many details in this captivating music video from Kamakshi Khanna and her team.
As combed over in multiple music features on TFword, this time we delve deeper, freeze frame, and zoom in to connect and uncover as many details in this captivating music video from Kamakshi Khanna and her team.
Buckle in and latch onto your gaming controls as the indie scene stalwart literally takes you through a PlayStation video game on her absolutely stunning and visually engaging 2024 single, ‘Love Is Not A F*cking Game.’
“The song is about the power dynamics, mind games, and mixed signals that we often face in love, what it feels like to be taken for granted and eventually learn how to walk away from relationships that feel like a losing battle,” conveyed the artist via social media. “Although it was inspired by a heartbreaking experience, I wanted to have fun with the concept, visuals, and story so it can hopefully be a source of strength for those who have been through something similar.”
Conceptualized by Kamakshi Khanna, this music video is directed by Vasudha Rungta, reeling animation and VFX via visual artists Crispin Cardoz and Rahul Unadkat, and production courtesy of Madhura Rumde and Natasha Mahtani.
Opening with a sound byte and audible chime you’ll find in an arcade machine from yesteryear, the gamer (portrayed by Ankit Verma sitting on a beanbag) selects Kamakshi out of four playable characters – Sonya, Kamakshi, Aria, and Mira – at roughly 08:35 PM. Stacked below the flatscreen television are novels by authors Stella Duffy, Robin Cook, Robin Cook, Dean Koontz, and a few more.
On the subsequent screen, the location picks offered are Udaipur, Kasol, and Mumbai. The gamer chooses Mumbai, depicted by a wall of bricks – which may be a cheeky nod to the rapid and uncontrolled construction in and around the city. This bricklayer crashes down with Kamakshi placed in a Super Mario game layout, in a full Mario-style red and blue outfit, pinned with five hearts to denote lives in the game. Also REPRESENTed is a map, coins collected, a life balance monitor with two lines probably denoting physical and mental health, and a compass.
The “hearts” or “lives” continue to decrease with each passing game level or stage of a relationship. The early levels position Kamakshi playing the guitar in a field, surrounded by sunflowers twitching between glaring eyes and blue-eye lucky charms. It is followed by the singer free-falling from a purple-hued sky, sporting a Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell) type getup.
After the free fall and harsh landing, a revival from a heavenly prison cell ensues on level six. Returning to a full life (five hearts) and playing on the notion that “there are many fish in the sea,” Kamakshi is seen adrift in the ocean, surrounded by hovering hearts or possibilities that unexpectedly morph into dorsal fins peering out of the water. Via social media, the artist has described this frame as “a visual representation of what mixed signals feel like.”
Tracking next is a dry dessert-like setting wherein the songwriter channels her inner Lara Croft (Tomb Raider franchise), navigating emojis (ghost-for-ghosting, aubergine, heart face, drooling face, peach, smiley face, etc.), dodging flames, and besting purple-tinged “control” lasers and orbs, and “lovebomb” heart-shaped attacks, emitted from the mouth of a Temple-God-like figure sporting a horned helmet within the confines of a Mortal Kombat like arena.
A cool detail in this location is the multiple suspended bell-shaped prison cells, one of which lying on the floor damaged, likely suggesting the cell from which the character broke free.
Lastly, in the video game format, we see Kamakshi presumably paying homage to the Matrix films, even glitching on multiple occasions, wearing a black leather trench coat in a marooned dark and gloomy surroundings. On her last life on level ten, she fires a pistol at the TV screen, which turns the screen to static. This weapon appears in her palm during a glitching sequence at the 02:28 second mark.
This shot abruptly ends the game with the clock on the table showing the time as around 09:10 PM. In a crafty reveal, the camera recedes from the television and pans over to unveil the artist, also seated on another beanbag holding a controller. Elements from the game carry on to real life as Kamakshi is seen still wearing the shoulder gun holsters; later, a red and white mushroom from the Super Mario game is seen falling into her teacup.
Music Video Credits –
Directed by Vasudha Rungta
Produced by Melting Clock Films
Animation and Edit by Rahul Unadkat & Crispin Cardoz
Executive Production by Madhura Rumde & Natasha Mahtani
Concept by Kamakshi Khanna
Makeup by Aratrika Das
Hair by Lucky Saikia
Styling (Levels 1-7 & Montage) by Simran Jagdale
Styling (Levels 8-10 & Ankit) by Suvidhi Jain
Managed by Natasha Mahtani, REPRESENT Management
DA/2nd AD: Suhrud Haridas
AD: Omkar Balwant
DOP: Soham Godbole
Line Production & Art: Durgesh Lanjewar
Production Controller: Salman Khan and Neeraj Gour
Spot Incharge: Santosh Paswan
Camera Team: Red Eye Equipment
Lights Team: Famous Cine Equipment
Location: Monochrome Studios
Chief Finance Officer: Navneet Rungta
Find Kamakshi Khanna on: Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music
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