I actually found my way to the song “Enjoy Enjaami” because of an interview with Arivu in which he spoke about the layers nestling in the lyrics of his hit song. What really drew me to it was how Arivu spoke about wrapping elements of a lament (from the musical genre of oppari) and references to a history of caste oppression into a chant that celebrates solidarity and power. That same sensibility runs through the visuals of the music video, which now has more than 129 million views and 3.1 million likes on YouTube.

Director Amith Krishnan has made one of the most stunning music videos I’ve seen in ages for “Enjoy Enjaami”. Not only is it gorgeously shot, it reflects the idealism and richness of the lyrics. With its modern baroque aesthetic — women draped in gleaming fabrics and bejewelled right to the tip of their nails; men decked in gold and glam — the video subtly thumbs its nose at how Dalits and other oppressed, marginalised communities tend to be depicted in mainstream Indian entertainment as impoverished, hopeless victims. At the same time, the fertile dream landscape stands parallel to the rugged real landscape in which people toil, often for very little gain. Despite seeming disparate, “Enjoy Enjaami” shows these worlds are connected — through laughter, dreams, music and dance as a community remembers its past and dreams of a different future.

Bottom line: Come for the politics, stay for the beauty.