Discussing the music-making process he most enjoys, Gunjan Saxena composer Amit Trivedi speaks of his partnership with Sharan Sharma
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; August 17, 2020)

Having first come across the playful Mann ki dori from Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl on Armaan Malik's Instagram feed, we were certain that the track would serve as an all-purpose background score — dish-washing sessions, roti-making routines, late-night story-writing sessions, and, eventually, as an addition to our travel playlist, (whenever travelling is again a possibility). But having watched the Janhvi Kapoor-starrer a day after its release, it was easy to see that there was no other situation in which Amit Trivedi's creation fit like a hand in glove, as it did in the movie. It would be safe to say that the subsequent offerings too — including the quirky Rekha o Rekha, and the tear-jerker, Dori tutt gaiyaan — lift each sequence in equal measure. Imagine our surprise then when Trivedi tells us that he did not have access to the rushes of the film when creating the songs, having simply worked on them based on the brief given by director Sharan Sharma.

"All the songs were created before the film was shot. The only exception being [Arijit Singh-rendered] Bharat ki beti, which was created after watching about 80 per cent of the film. The most exciting part of every project is working with different directors, and analysing their distinct tastes. That discovery is a beautiful process. My biggest take-away from this project is how fantastic Sharan is, as a filmmaker. His sensibility, when it comes to selecting a tune for a situation, is bang on. And, just like he knows what he wants, he is well aware of what he does not want too," says Trivedi, whose YouTube channel is for a music aficionado, what a candy store is for a kid.

Since he launched his independent label A T Azaad, three months ago, Trivedi seems to have got a new lease of life. While he cherishes the opportunity to compose songs devoid of the trappings of commercial cinema, he isn't one who can celebrate this period of solitude that has been forced upon us. "As someone who enjoys travelling to different countries, or even merely to Goa when making music, being cooped up at home is not conducive. My [best] creations have been worked on in planes, in cars, or in hotel rooms. So, doing it in such an environment is tough."

Up next for the composer is Anurag Kashyap's offering, tentatively titled Doing Love Story, which "has a dance-oriented soundtrack". It will be his second attempt at creating a dance film after the upcoming Rocket Gang, a discussion on which instantly lifts his mood. "I cannot tell you how much fun I had while working on Rocket Gang," he says of choreographer Bosco Martis's directorial debut, an out-and-out dance venture. "Bosco's energy is likely to get you charged-up. People will discover a new side of me via this soundtrack because I haven't attempted a dance film before. Often, in the studio, Bosco would show me the set where the dancers would perform, and would also start dancing to depict the moves on which songs must be created," he says, adding that work on the five-song playlist has wrapped up.

After 13 years in Bollywood, Amit Trivedi to release a treasure trove of desi songs that didn't make it to cinema, via a new label
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; April 6, 2020)

Unhindered celebration of Amit Trivedi's work, right from the assuming Emotional Attyachar (Dev D), to the delightfully rustic Daryaa (Manmarziyaan), could well be seen as music aficionados' snub to seekers of perfection in the art. And as though his repertoire isn't testimony enough, the composer has repeatedly reiterated his bias for "voices that come from the heartland" of India. But when the varied cinematic content coming out of Bollywood also couldn't find place for the bucolic tunes being churned out of Trivedi's city studio, he knew it was time to let them out for his fans anyway. "Not all expressions get an outlet [in Bollywood]. A song like Moti veranaa would never find place there. I'd have to keep waiting for the chance [to present it], if a demand for such a song comes at all," says Trivedi of his five-day old peppy garba track, complete with dancers matching step for step, released on his week-old music label, A T Azaad.

In our second interaction with Trivedi, we learn that the seemingly reticent musician is rendered a ball of mush when discussing how folk fusion defines his music sensibilities. "It is my favourite genre," he says passionately, adding, "Folk is raw and earthy, and there is nothing regular about it. [Rustic] voices resonate with me, and I love working with [such singers] and creating something new. But, I create music and do not take any [existing folk song]. For instance, people thought that [my song] Chaudhary was an [old] folk number, but it was actually created by me," says Trivedi, adding that even as he explores and represents the different subsets of folk music from across India, he will continue to present authentic material via his label.

The first of five songs that comprise his label's debut album, Songs of Faith, Moti veranaa was created by his mother in 1987. "The remaining songs will be released frequently; one in every 20 days. We have yet to shoot one song, and should we be able to do so, considering the ongoing situation, we will release the album in June. [A T Azaad] will include songs that I have worked on as long as 23 years ago, and those that I have created during my time as a Bollywood composer. These amazing tracks had been sitting in my hard disc for years, and hence, I decided to give them out," says Trivedi, adding that he will, in due course of time, promote promising artistes on his label as well.

Meanwhile, work on his film commitments is halted. Having access to his studio may not necessarily be a boon since he isn't among those who finds solace in the silence afforded to musicians owing to this involuntary confinement. "Some films are in pre-production. Others are on the verge of being completed. No one knows what's happening. I'm bored."