From making bit-sized jingles, to eight-hour web shows, Bandish Bandits composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy on meeting industry's evolving demands
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; July 27, 2020)

After repeatedly offering content that is markedly superior than its cinematic counterpart, OTT platforms could perhaps also offer solace to music aficionados who seek melodies that are free from commercial trappings. Following A R Rahman's foot-tapping soundtrack that elevated Dil Bechara, starring Sushant Singh Rajput, next week's release, Bandish Bandits will see the web debut of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

"This is a new experience for us," says Mahadevan of the long-format narrative that explores the stories of two protagonists with distinct music sensibilities. "It's a 10-part series. We began our journey with 30-second jingles, moved on to creating two-hour long films, and now, [we're creating] music for eight-hour shows." The relatively new platform, he says, also comes with its set of fresh challenges. With a movie being in and out of theatres within weeks, they can usually simply focus on the project at hand. "In the case of a series, we need to consider how it will play-out after a couple of months as well, [because web shows are leisurely consumed]."

Anand Tiwari's directorial venture for Amazon Prime Video features Ritwik Bhowmik as a Hindustani classical performer and Shreya Chaudhry as a pop-star, along with a supporting cast comprising Naseeruddin Shah, Atul Kulkarni, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Sheeba Chaddha and Rajesh Tailang. In order to meet its music demands, the makers knew they could only turn to this trio to do justice to the distinct genres. "The three of us can tackle any genre that exists on this planet. The beauty of this show is that there are so many forms of music, including classical, folk, pop, in play. So, it is exciting for us since we have the scope to experiment. Also, we're looking at a global market; we need not only consider Indian [sensibilities]."

If the narrative provided them with the opportunity to exploit their talent, the musicians count themselves fortunate to have the finest cast enhance their creation. "When the character of Pandit [played by Naseeruddin Shah] was narrated, we were certain that we wanted to feature Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty. We've always wanted to work with him. When we learnt that Naseer saab was playing the role, we were delighted. It is owing to his greatness that he adapted to Pandit sa'ab's singing."

Apart from the 12-odd full-fledged tracks, the trio peppered the offering with abundant melodic moments that viewers can indulge in. "You'll see scenes being [influenced by music], like when someone does riyaaz, teaches music, or jams. Apart from pure Indian classical music [like Sajan bin], there are pop, fusion, folk and Rajashthani elements," says Mahadevan, as Loy Mendonsa adds that it was Mahadevan's background in Indian classical music that enabled him to "catch finer aspects of the [genre] and bring that to the table."

In an industry where egos fly high, the trio has stood the test of time to complete over 25 years in Bollywood. Bound by their love for music, Noorani says it is their ability to hold their own that has kept them together. "We are respectful of one other's inputs. I have seen many bands dismembered in as little as seven years due to ego issues. We are here to serve a bigger [endeavour]. Millions love our music, so we owe it to them."

(From left) Amritpal Singh Bindra, Naseeruddin Shah, Anand Tiwari
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; July 23, 2020)

Making a musical series for an OTT platform, creators Amritpal Singh Bindra and director Anand Tiwari could think of no one but Naseeruddin Shah for a pivotal role in Bandish Bandits. The Love Per Square Foot director says the veteran actor "adds value to the script".

"Naseer sir was a clear choice [to play the grandfather] since we began writing the script," says Tiwari, adding "We were clear about roping in someone who could showcase his stature and gravitas the moment he walked into the frame without uttering a word." Shah was the obvious choice, chimed in Bindra.

The makers accept that they had apprehensions before approaching Shah for the role. "We know he is picky about his roles, but [I'm glad] it resonated with him at the end of the day," says Tiwari as he firmly believes that every artiste wrestles with the idea of what art means to them until s/he identifies with it. "[Naseer sir plays] a morally upright grandfather [and a Hindustani classical musician]. He showcases varied character shades."

Set in Jodhpur, the Amazon Prime Video 10-part series introduces newcomers Ritwik Bhowmik and Shreya Chaudhary as Radhe and Tamanna respectively. Bandish Bandits will also mark musicians Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Qureshi and Loy Mendonsa's debut in the digital entertainment. "We signed Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy because we wanted a blend of classical, pop, and contemporary music," says Bindra of the musical drama that unfolds on August 4.

The actor, who shot to fame with Gully Boy (2019), has written, co-composed and sung Dhoop,which drops online soon
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 2, 2020)

Early last month, Siddhant Chaturvedi took to social media to offer a glimpse of a special track that he had been working on. Now, the Gully Boy actor is ready with the song, Dhoop, for which he has collaborated with DAWgeek (Devansh Bhatia), a record producer, DJ and songwriter. The song, composed by Siddhant and DAWgeek, features a slow rap by the actor and he has also lent his vocals for the chorus. He shot the song at home with the help of his parents.

Siddhant said, “This song came to life in the form of a poem, which I tried on my guitar, and it sounded decent. I casually sent it to DAWgeek, who’s working with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. He made it into a full-fledged song. This track is just another way of connecting with, and entertaining my fans in these tough times as the theatres are shut. The urge for creativity doesn’t fade, I’ll keep finding ways to bring a smile on my audience’s faces.”

When asked about his love for penning poetry, Siddhant said, “I enjoy wordplays. It also helps me dive into the thought process of a character in a more interesting manner. I just write my thoughts and since rap is the new cool, I don’t mind it taking a different form. I was 16, when I penned down my first thoughts on paper. It was a love poem, which I never had the courage to give to the girl I liked. I was shy. That wrinkled piece of paper is still lying in a drawer somewhere.”

To take her guru’s legacy forward, Rekha Bhardwaj has contributed to a new edition of a landmark book by him
Urmi Chanda (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 16, 2020)

Bongaa: ‘Unmusical’; idiotically out of tune and unaware of it.

Opening a random page of the new edition of The Dictionary of Hindustani Classical Music by Pandit Amarnath, the first word I chance upon is this. Given that it is a ‘book’ about music, this is a most hilarious irony. But I can almost picture its writer, grimly chiding a student and calling him or her “bongaa”. And suddenly, it’s not funny any more. Imagine sitting before a stalwart of Indian classical music and being called that unironically, and finding the insult documented in his landmark book. Almost 25 years after it was first published, it has been revived by Penguin Publications with a short biography of the master — written and edited by his daughters — and a foreword and some additions by his student Rekha Bhardwaj. Mumbai Mirror spoke to the renowned singer about her guru, his book, and the intertwining of life and music.

You’re a classical singer, but also part of the Hindi film music industry where there is little appreciation for classical music at present. Why did you feel the need to revive this book now, when the roost is ruled by remixes, Punjabi pop and TikTok stars?
My roots are in classical music, and just because the current trends include Punjabi pop, remixes or TikTok, it doesn’t uproot me as an artist. And contrary to what it may seem, a lot of young people continue to take up classical music as a profession, it is a popular performance category in music reality shows too. Also, it’s not like the entire Hindi film music industry has forgotten its classical sensibilities. There are still music composers like Amit Trivedi, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Pritam, Sachin-Jigar, who are making music that blends classical tunes with other elements, and I think it’s okay. Everyone has the right to express their musicality and choose the music that appeals to them. As for why now, I think the time is right. Many of the young generation of musicians I interact with seem genuinely interested in knowing more about classical music, but do not know where to start. This book is an excellent starting point for anyone curious about this art form. I feel fortunate to be able to utilise my position and bring the focus back on this important piece of work. As they say, there are only two ways of bringing light into the world — be a lamp or a mirror. I am just upholding a mirror to my Guruji’s luminosity.

In your foreword to the book, you warmly describe your relationship with Pandit Amarnath and the way it embodied the guru-shishya tradition. Have you had such a relationship with any of your students?
To be anything close to what my guru was like, takes immense patience and practice. As a performer and a busy artist, I’ve not really had the time or opportunity to take on any long-term students. I’m still learning myself. But as and when possible, I share my riyaaz with some of my peers and fellow artistes and those are always wonderful experiences. The guru-shishya tradition may not be as common today as it once was, but there still continue to be teachers and schools that uphold those values and teach their students the old way. For example, the respective schools of Pt Hariprasad Chaurasiya and Pt Jasraj, the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Delhi, and the Gundecha Brothers in Bhopal still teach in the old tradition.

Pt Amarnath’s decision to write this musicological dictionary in English can be said to be a ‘progressive’ step since this is a field where ‘linguistic purity’ is valued over Westernisms. What do you, as his student and an artist, think of that?
I’d just say, my Guru was very farsighted and decided to write this dictionary in English because he knew that would become the language of choice among the youth eventually. He wrote in an easy manner that would help musically even an elementary reader understand it easily. Remarkably though, he chose transcriptions over translations, when it came to describing technical terms. Instead of terms like ‘legato’ or ‘staccato’, he stuck to Hindi terminology that was best understood by practitioners of Hindustani Classical music. No matter what the current trends, this is a timeless piece of work and essential to any serious student and artist.

If you had to pass on one bit of your Guruji’s wisdom to the aspiring students of today, what would it be?
The most important piece of advice our Guruji gave us was “Listen to yourself.” It was meant to be both, musical and life advice, and practicing that sincerely would always ensure we picked the right path. Listening to oneself allows us to see our own weaknesses and strengths, understand the areas that need work, and to know what we truly are and want instead of being told that by society.

What is that one new term/phrase that you would add to this dictionary?
Frankly speaking, I would not dare to add anything to this dictionary, because that would be like sacrilege for me. I’m pretty orthodox in that sense; I take my responsibility of preserving my guru’s knowledge as it is very seriously. All I’ve done is added a very brief foreword and updated the book with some important profiles of musicians who were his contemporaries (he had written only of artists from the earlier generations). All we want is for this book to reach more people, translate it into other languages, and publish some more of his works in the hope that his art and wisdom remain immortal.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 20, 2019)

Eight years ago, Zoya Akhtar took us on a journey through life… A life-changing journey of three lives. And since then, every time we ask someone to get a life, we say it with the title of the film, “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.”

The story revolved around a road trip through Spain that three young men—copywriter Imran, financial broker Arjun and Kabir whose family owns a construction business—take off. Kabir’s ‘mistaken’ fiancee, Natasha, joins them on the way, as does Laila, a Bohemian diving instructor, and Nuria, a local girl and Imran’s love. Zoya’s brother Farhan, (who wrote the dialogues and co-produced the film with Ritesh Sidhwani) Hrithik Roshan and Abhay Deol lived the roles of Imran, Arjun and Kabir.

For Zoya they were the natural choices: “I’d worked with Farhan and Hrithik before (in her first film Luck By Chance), while Abhay was in Reema Kagti’s (who wrote the story and screenplay with her) debut directorial (Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.). Also, Farhan’s into sky-diving, Hrithik is a certified deep-sea diver and Abhay is an athlete.”

She turned to her friend, Kalki Koechlin for Natasha and cast Ariadna Cabrol after seeing her in a Spanish film Eloise’s Lover as Nuria. “Katrina whom I knew socially, was apt for Laila. She and Hrithik were also a fresh pair. Interestingly, while the boys were confused, the girls, as different as chalk and cheese, were very clear about what they wanted from life,” she points out.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s songs, from the zingy rock track “Dil Dhadakne Do” and the lilting “Khaabon Ke” to “Senorita” crooned by Flamenco singer Maria del Mar Fernandez with Hrithik, Abhay and Farhan and “Ik Junoon” are still hummed. Zoya recalls how the whole town of Alajar, including the mayor, joined the “Senorita” shoot. Prod her on the La Tomatina festival of Bunol, recreated for “Ïk Junoon” and she shares, “We had to import 16 tonnes of tomatoes from Portugal because local tomatoes had yet to ripen and after getting permission, we couldn’t delay things”.

The film also has snatches of Javed Akhtar’s verses which Imran, a closet poet, sprouts. “Ek baat hoton tak hai jo aayee nahin, Bas aankhon se hai jhankti, Tumse kabhi, mujhse kabhi, Kuchh lafz hain woh maangti, Jinko pehanke hoton tak aa jayee woh…”

Zoya points out that many young boys internalise their deepest feelings. “I thought poetry could be a gentle way for Imran to articulate emotions and the essence of the film,” she says.

Will ZNMD return, dobara? “I don’t want to spin a sequel just for money. If I stumble on a story that resonates with me, I’ll be happy to go on the road again,” she promises.

Dhaval Roy (DNA; April 13, 2019)

Music has always been an integral part of Farhan Akhtar’s repertoire, whether as a filmmaker or an actor — right from his directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai (2001) to his last outing as a singer, Rock On 2 (2016). Over the years, he has lent his voice to tracks in Rock On!! (2008), Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015) and more. While all those have been in Hindi, the actor-filmmaker-musician’s first solo English album Echoes released yesterday. The musician, who performs with Farhan Live Band, says that he has chosen to release the 11-track record in English because that’s the language in which he can best articulate his feelings.

A MEDIUM TO EXPRESS EMOTIONS
Four singles of the album — Rearview Mirror, Seagull, Why Couldn’t It Be Me and Pain or Pleasure — were released earlier. Farhan tells us that they are acoustic and intimate. The subjects are as varied as the Peshawar School Massacre in 2014 (Why Couldn’t It Be Me) to falling out of love and more. “I’m really excited about this album,” says the 45-year-old. He continues, “I’ve been performing as an artiste for six-odd years, and having a lot of fun doing music for films. But, I realised that it would be nice to share with my fans who I am and what my feelings are about things, instead of what a character thinks in a film. I’ve been writing poems for decades now and in the last couple of years, I started feeling a strong urge to put it all down and release it.”

Farhan tells us, “Music is a great outlet and has given me immense comfort. There’s so much love in creating something and it’s great when you are able to share it with people,” he states, adding that he cannot wait to play these tunes for a live audience.

MORE MATERIAL READY
The award-winning filmmaker tells us that he has more stuff ready to enter the studio again. The next record is likely to have collaborations. “Also, I need to focus on my film work. Currently, I’m in serious prep for the movie (Toofan) that I’m doing with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and need to see that through,” he explains. Farhan took a year-and-a-half off his film career to work on the album. “I didn’t shoot for anything between Lucknow Central (2017) and The Sky Is Pink, and only focussed on music. I’m trying to be as single-minded about each task as possible,” he elaborates.

NO COMPOSITIONS FOR FILMS
Since Farhan has also created these tracks, we ask him if he has given composing for his own movies a thought. “Making music for Hindi movies is a completely different ball game. Also, I have been extremely fortunate to be working with the best in the business for the past 20-odd years. And like it’s said, if something is not broken, why fix it?” he reasons, “We have a great collaborative relationship with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. It has worked so well over the years and I choose to keep it that way.”

The trio was also among the first people whom Farhan played the album for, when the songs were just scratches. “They loved the writing. They had tips in terms of music production and direction and I took the advice. They care a lot about me not only as a friend but also as an artiste, so the feedback was important,” he says.

FEEDBACK FROM THE FAMILY
Needless to say, lyricist-poet father Javed Akhtar and director-screenwriter sister Zoya Akhtar form the inner circle that will always hear everything he creates. “For dad, what each number said, the word, as well as the story, was important. It’s not just tracks put together without any thought that impressed him the most. It’s easy-listening stuff, so he liked that as well,” Farhan signs off.

Producer Sandip Ssingh’s explanation for giving Akhtar credit in Modi biopic poster does not fly with lyricist
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 25, 2019)

Lyricist Javed Akhtar has slammed the explanation offered by the producer of a Modi biopic, Sandip Ssingh, who said that Akhtar was credited as lyricist in the poster as one of his old songs was included in the movie.

After Akhtar expressed his shock on finding his name credited as lyricist of the movie PM Narendra Modi as he had not written any songs for it, Ssingh tweeted, “We have taken the songs Ishwar Allah from the film 1947:Earth and the song Suno Gaur Se Duniya Walon from the film Dus in our film, thus we have given the due credits to respective lyricists Javed Sahab and Sameer Ji. @TSeries is our Music partner.”

This explanation did not go down well with Akhtar, who questioned the makers’ intentions for putting his name on the poster. Akhtar told Mumbai Mirror on Sunday, “Firstly I don’t know who Sandeep Ssingh is. Secondly, when you take an old song in your film you don’t give credit to the original person on your promotional material because I have not written anything for the film PM Narendra Modi. You can’t behave like I’m a part of your unit, as your songwriter. At the most you give a mention in credit titles along with the name of the original film from which the song was taken. If they wanted to give me respect, why haven’t they given the same to Shankar Ehsaan Loy and A R Rahman? (music directors of the songs Sandeep mentioned).”

Akhtar went on to say he was shocked that no one reached out to him before using his name to promote the film. “If they have bought my song from the music company they should have mentioned the original film (1947:Earth) while using my name on promotional material, along with music by A R Rahman. They would have done it if their intentions were correct, which clearly weren’t. Such an incident has never taken place in the Indian film history. Nowadays every second film has a recreated song but never has the original lyricist been mentioned on posters of the film.”

Akhtar’s wife, actor Shabana Azmi also waded into the battle on Twitter, posting, “It’s quite clear this was done with deliberate intentions to mislead public into believing that @ Javedakhtarjadu has written the songs for Mr PM Narendra Modi when the song Ishwar Allah Tere JahaN meiN is from @IamDeepaMehta film 1947Earth.”

The trailer of the Omung Kumar directed film, featuring Vivek Oberoi in the lead, released on March 20 and the film is scheduled to release on April 5, six days before the first phase of general elections on April 11.

Deepali Singh (DNA; January 31, 2019)

Prasoon Joshi admits that when it comes to stories of bravery and national heroes, he has always wondered why Rani Lakshmibai’s story hasn’t found many takers in Bollywood. That’s why he was more than happy to green-light Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi, when it was offered to him. In a candid chat, the wordsmith reveals more. Excerpts…

Post Neerja (2016), you didn’t choose any other assignment?
Yes, I was contemplating many subjects. Moreover, I was travelling a lot. I also became the chief of the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and was trying to streamline as well as smoothen the whole process. I signed Manikarnika two years ago.

So, what made you say yes to it?
I had been thinking of doing something new. Producer Kamal Jain explained the subject to me and asked me if I would be interested. Subsequently, I met the entire team. The one thing that struck me was why more films have not been made on Rani Lakshmibai before. She is a national hero and I felt ashamed that we haven’t done many movies on her... at least five films should have been. So, I felt I must write for this project.

What do you feel about Kangana Ranaut playing the lead role?
She was an apt choice. I have always liked her work. I feel she does every role with complete dedication. She was a natural fit here.

Does a historical require more research than a contemporary subject?
Every subject requires research and understanding. As for Rani Lakshmibai, I knew more folklore than the nitty-gritty of her story. But it’s something that has always interested me because I have this natural inclination towards bravery, valour and stories of our pre-independence era. So, writing for it was an organic process. The key message is that the independence we gained wasn’t achieved only because of slogans, but because of sacrifice. Sirf naaron se nahin, khoon ki dhaaron se bhi mili hai azaadi. Many people, especially the youth, don’t realise it. Rani Lakshmibai’s story inspires us. It asks whether you want to waste your youth or dedicate it to the country. What did she get out of it? She could have taken a pension and lived a good life. That’s what struck me and I wrote Main rahoon ya na rahoon, Bharat yeh rehna chahiye.

You have had a long association with Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy. How was it collaborating with them once again?
From Phir Milenge (2004) to Taare Zameen Par (2007), London Dreams (2009) and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), we have done a lot of films together. It’s always a joy to work with them.