Consumed by wanderlust

Jasmine Singh

If Navjit Buttar were to ever consult an astrologer,( which of course he doesn’t and wouldn’t) he would have definitely said: Navjit, you have chakras in your feet, which means you will travel the world!

This is exactly what this Punjabi video director from Nabha, Patiala does. His passport validates with the number of stamps, one new country almost every month. One of the main members of the group Virsa Arts that changed the phase of Punjabi videos in Punjab, Navjit works independently. A video like Up & Up, the recent Coldplay number is what he would want to direct one day. Here, we catch up with this director, a swashbuckler at heart!

Video directing & how

My friends and I used to make cover videos of the released songs, later this hobby developed into a profession.

If not direction, what else

I would have been a travel photographer, as I love travelling and clicking a lot.

An actor or actress you would like to direct?

Any actor or actress who is really good at his job, who understands and feels the character because I love details. The actors who are good at minimal acting, as they bring layers to their roles, and they are the ones I would like to direct.

Tricky part of direction?

Definitely, executing your visualisation gets tricky at times.

And my family says... First reaction, first time

My family has always encouraged me, they came to know pretty late that I had directed a hit video. As the feeling sunk in, signs of relief became apparent on their faces.

One singer-actor who had to go through umpteen shots to get the perfect one?

Singer Jordan Sandhu, we were doing fight sequence which was quite hard, so he had to give umpteen shots.

A Punjabi video you like the most?

Desi Kalakar by Yo Yo Honey Singh as I love its cinematography, which was by Aron Smith.

The most non-sensical video that you have come across?

There are many, I can't name them all.

Your favourite hands-on gadget?

My cellphone, it has a world inside it.