Kishte: Dorwin John’s New Single Ponders The Existential Terror Of Authentic Connection

Situationships are the sign of our times. They define a generation that craves intimacy but fears vulnerability. Caught between too much self-awareness and not enough self-assurance, our relationships have been replaced with this nowhereland of will they/ won't they. These half-held bonds mirror a deeper contradiction — the ache to be fully seen, and the dread of what happens if we are.

Dorwin John’s new single, 'Kishte', finds itself in this emotional in-between. An indie pop with an elegiac soul, its dreamy soundscape draws from retro 90s pop. Languid vocals melt into a lush, slightly off-kilter melody that mirrors the ambiguity of its themes. The title, which loosely translates to 'installments', speaks to the piecemeal way love is often exchanged today, where we offer glimpses of ourselves but never the full picture. The track dwells in this dissonance.

And it’s in the visuals that this dissonance becomes a living metaphor. In a photoseries accompanying the track, Dorwin’s custom-made disco ball helmet takes the role of a psychological device. It reflects the world while hiding the wearer. Shot by photographer and director Rishik Raj, the photos abandon traditional portraiture for something more performative and surreal. The helmet, perfectly spherical and gleaming, renders Dorwin faceless, alluding to an emotional armor and fragmented identity. We see this disjointed creature navigate urban landscapes, from Mumbai's Marine drive and oval maidan to a party at Mukesh Mills and there's a distinct sense that they are out of place.

The styling, by Kriti Harsha, pulls in references from traditional Indian silhouettes and sharp Western tailoring, mixing them in combinations that feel both deliberate and disoriented. A thrifted teal blazer over dhoti pants; a red tie juxtaposed with serene, muted tones signal a hybrid identity negotiating cultural overload and inner confusion. They echo the larger tension of Kishte: how do you be sincere in a world that rewards performance.

The production, too, reflects a collaborative refinement. From Dorwin’s own roots in Thane and early rise through a viral Ritviz flip, to the creative scaffolding provided by team UTR and Rahul Sinha’s executive vision, Kishte is the result of many voices aligning around the shared paradox of presence that still longs to disappear.

As the song explores the cycle of infatuations, growing distant, and going through different people in search of connection, the disco ball becomes a shiny spectacle that hides the protagonist's real face; reflecting everything and revealing nothing. It becomes a fitting symbol for how many of us navigate life and love today.

Follow Dorwin here and listen to the song below:

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