The 10 Best Indian Music Videos of 2022

10. Disco Puppet – “Speak Low”  

Bengaluru-based producer, drummer and singer-songwriter Disco Puppet aka Shoumik Biswas has a way not just with words and melodies, but also with visuals in their wholly DIY animated music video for the song “Speak Low.” Two silhouetted animal-like figures give each other chase through forests, water and the sky in the video, which even features a likeness of Biswas as a fluffy cloud figure singing the chorus. The animated characters journey through clouds, mazes and even the heart in this enchanting amalgam. – AT 

9. Rono – “Lost & Lonely” 

It’s an added bonus when, as a musician, you know your way around a camera pretty well, like Mumbai singer-songwriter Rono does. The musician, who also doubles up as a photographer and videographer, stitched together quite a cozy clip for his ambient yet soulful track “Lost & Lonely.” The music video – shot by Taab Arshad and Rono – features the singer-songwriter and his friends dancing in a silly manner around their living rooms, while the lighting oscillates between a musky yellow to a moody purple. – DB 

8. Aarifah – “Now She Knows” 

After spending years honing her skills as an artist, Mumbai-bred singer-songwriter Aarifah released her stunning debut single “Now She Knows.” The track was accompanied by a music video directed by Aarifah herself, which captures the singer-songwriter’s journey with archival footage of her, along with friends and family, from the time she was in school to when she played in bands. Videographer Debasis also filmed the artist out in the wilderness as her present self. – DB 

7. Parekh & Singh – “Sleepyhead” 

Kolkata-bred dream-pop duo Parekh & Singh’s track “Sleepyhead,” off their latest album The Night Is Clear, retains the pair’s melodic songwriting, breezy vocals and catchy parts, while sonically they bring forth acoustic guitar, keys, synths, a slick groove and more. The song is accompanied by a music video – directed by Anna Joseph and starring Lakhi Soni – which showcases an artist who has a confusing relationship with social media and uses sleep as a coping mechanism. – DB 

­6. Kanishk Seth, Kavita Seth and Javed Bashir – “Saacha Sahib” 

Taken from his EP Surmayi, composer, vocalist and producer Kanishk Seth teamed up with outstanding vocalists Kavita Seth and Javed Bashir (part of the Mekaal Hasan Band) to create a groovy, electronic-fusion track called “Saacha Sahib.” The song not only adapts the lyrics of saint-poet Kabir, but also envisions some of his spiritual teachings in the mind-bending animated music video. Created entirely in black and white by Shikha Sharma and Adarsh Panicker, galaxies and universes emerge within the individual protagonist (modeled after Kanishk Seth) as he undertakes a quest for answers. – AT 

5. Serpents of Pakhangba – “Panthoibi”  

Mumbai-based folk-metal, avant-garde act Serpents of Pakhangba might have changed lineups over time, but their commitment to narrating powerful stories that draw from folk and tribal traditions has been unshakeable. They enlisted director Kulanandini Mahanta for an invocation of a mystic warrior known from Meitei folklore in Manipur, placing it into a modern-day story of child abuse for the incendiary music video to “Panthoibi.” The song is searing and builds up with time, and the video’s plot is interspersed with Serpents of Pakhangba adorned in ornate wardrobes. – AT 

4. Ritviz – “Aaj Na” 

Ritviz has never disappointed when it comes to quirky visual stories that accompany his affable signature electronic, classical-informed pop sound. “Aaj Na” from the album Mimmi was no different, because it took the essence of the song – about the bond shared between a mother and son – and turned it into a heartwarming story. Created by production studio Catnip and directed by founder Reema Maya, with able assistance from Malay Prakash as director of photography, the video depicts actors Adarsh Gourav and Sheeba Chadha showing us how important family is and, perhaps, how important it is to dance with families and forget about temporary heartbreaks. – AT 

3. Seedhe Maut x Sez on the Beat – “Maina”  

Taken from Seedhe Maut and Sez on the Beat’s mood-hopping album Nayaab, Studio Sideline creates an animated video for the somber yet hopeful song “Maina.” Directed by Nisha Vasudevan, the colorful visual does what few hip-hop videos in India have done so far – tug at the heartstrings. The story of a boy and a myna bird incorporates humor, shows us the cynicism that comes with growing up and the sense of regret and wisdom that comes with growing even older, all entwined into the larger mosaic that is their Nayaab artwork. – AT 

2. The F16s – “Sucks To Be Human” 

Chennai indie-rockers The F16s’ jumpy, yet ethereal track “Sucks To Be Human” off their 2021 EP Is It Time to Eat the Rich Yet? was given a visual treatment this year. In the clip, the band members are seen messing around with the idea of TikTok trends and viral dance videos. The group worked with choreographer Alisha Ajit while Lendrick Kumar directed it. The band also roped in cinematographer Prayoon Sajeev and VFX designer Madhavan Krishnesh to help create the striking visuals. – DB 

1. Sahirah (feat. NEMY) – “Juicy” 

Mumbai/London artist Sahirah’s sophomore single came in the shape of the sugary “Juicy.” According to the singer, the song is inspired by French toast and a crush that Sahirah had on a person, and the musician plays on those factors in the track’s music video. The colorful visuals – directed by Sumer Mehta – showcases Sahirah performing the track in a kitchen, dressed in bright orange amidst a whole bunch of breakfast items before a slick piece of animation by Deepti Sharma cuts midway through the clip, and we once again see the singer clad in a green blazer filling up on cereal and sipping on coconut juice during the song’s outro. – DB