The man and his music - Page 2

Renowned actress Mita Vasisht enacts the journey of a fearless woman who leaves an abusive marriage and works as a truck driver to support her daughter and herself. Women of all ages and backgrounds climb into the truck to escape the violence they face in their lives. They dance and rejoice on the back of the truck, and the video closes with them dancing together on the sand dunes of Rajasthan. The video is well-choreographed, exuberant and enchanting, and has proved an invaluable tool across the globe in raising the important issues of violence against women, women in non-traditional occupations and women's access to public space.

Winner of the Screen Awards 2001 in India and nominated for the MTV Awards for best Indipop music video category, Mann ke Manjeer reached 26 million households via six satellite music television channels, effectively mainstreaming discussions about domestic violence issues throughout South Asia and reaching as far as Tajikistan, Indonesia and the United States. Breakthrough received messages from around the world expressing support for the work we are doing and many men and women empathized with the story of the video. The success of Mann ke Manjeer shows that it is possible to bring alternate voices and images into the popular mainstream, spurring dialogue on sensitive human rights issues.

The story of the music video was inspired greatly by the life of a young Muslim woman in named Shameem Pathan. Shameem is from the area of Juhapura and is a proud role model for women. The only daughter among seven sons, Shameem was born into a well-to-do-family. She fell in love, and much against the wishes of the family, married the man of her choice. That she had made the wrong choice soon became apparent. Her husband expected her family to support them and refused to work. When her son was three and a half years old, Shameem finally decided to fend for herself.

She went through a series of businesses, milk vending, kite-making and doing any job available to make ends meet. Finally, she learned how to drive, an unheard of occupation for a woman in her society. She now drives her own matador van in Ahmedabad, ferrying passengers. Shameem encourages other women to transform their false notions of their own limitations and to reach for their dreams.

Director: Sujit Sircar and Gary, Red Ice Films
Actress: Mita Vashisht
Voice: Shubha Mudgal
Composer: Shantanu Moitra
Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsFha77l3RY&eurl=

Originally posted by: trishanku3

No my dear, three sets of composers did the job in K3G, Jatin-Lalit, Adesh srivastava & Sandesh shandilya.

okay tanks😃

I realised Shantanu Moitra's greatness after listening to Aneek's rendition of "Laaga Chunari mein Daag" during the 2007 competition.

Originally posted by: Summer3

I realised Shantanu Moitra's greatness after listening to Aneek's rendition of "Laaga Chunari mein Daag" during the 2007 competition.

What Aneek sang was from the 1963 movie 'Laaga Chunari me daag', music composed by Roshan, and sung by the legendary Manna Dey... The recent movie takes its name from the famous song, and has a track sung by Shubha Mudgal as a tribute to the original song...

Originally posted by: *Jaya*

What Aneek sang was from the 1963 movie 'Laaga Chunari me daag', music composed by Roshan, and sung by the legendary Manna Dey... The recent movie takes its name from the famous song, and has a track sung by Shubha Mudgal as a tribute to the original song...

Thanks for the clarification. I had gone to youtube and head the same song being played during the trailers.😆

Originally posted by: Qwest

Director: Sujit Sircar and Gary, Red Ice Films
Actress: Mita Vashisht
Voice: Shubha Mudgal
Composer: Shantanu Moitra
Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsFha77l3RY&eurl=

Thanks a lot. this is truly most wonderful. Everyone should watch and listen to it. Very emotion packed.👏

'No musician in the world is free from influences'

... says musician Shantanu Moitra, who says that if his songs sound like they've been lifted, it's because there's no way a musician can escape being inspired by musical greats

PIALI DASGUPTA

AS a child, he'd harbour dreams of going abroad while watching international flights take off and land near his house. "And since I couldn't afford a trip abroad back then, the next best thing was listening to international music. The folk music of places like Nigeria and Austria would transport me to these countries," says musician Shantanu Moitra. His music thus bears strong folk influence and sounds very Indian, something that Shantanu is proud of.

" I'm an Indian and proud of my culture. The country has a lot to offer. Yet I have the pleasure of using western instruments for Indian tunes," he says. His brand of music is often described as soothing and melodious. But can he break away from the mould and compose an item number?

"For me, Samjho Ho Hi Gaya from Lage Raho Munna Bhai is an item number. Fun, light, easy on the language - that's my interpretation of an item number. Even the songs I have composed for Shyam Benegal's Mahadev are very racy. But I won't be able to compose a song with raunchy, loud lyrics," explains Shantanu, adding, "The lyrics of a song are my biggest determining factor for choosing a project. Lyrics give the composer direction. The lyrics of a song can either make it soothing or cheap." Is that why he mostly teams up with lyricist Swanand Kirkire? "Swanand is very good with his work. Besides, our sensibilities match. But I've also worked with Gulzar saab," he points out.

He also takes the storyboard into consideration and says the intention of the script is important to him. "Usually, I can't work if I'm not convinced about the script. I like working with makers who don't consider box office success as the sole reason to make a film," says Shantanu.

And does staying loyal to the Pradeep Sarkar-Rajkumar Hirani-Vidhu Vinod Chopra clique serve his purpose of putting creative satisfaction ahead of commercial success? "Creativity is all about knowing a person. I want to work with people who focus on creativity. You can't create music with appointments. These people understand that," says Shantanu.

And in the forthcoming Khoya Khoya Chand, Shantanu has tried something new. He's made Sonu Niggaam sing a song called Ore Pakhi with just the piano as accompaniment. "Sometimes we hide the performance with a lot of layering of instruments. When a singer has a great voice, why not exhibit it? That's what I have done with Sonu," he states.

But in spite of his emphasis on creativity, Shantanu has been accused of lifting tunes. His songs Kaisi Paheli and Pal Pal have been inspired by western hits. But Shantanu says it was deliberate. "I had to make Kaisi Paheli from Parineeta sound that way because most nightclubs in that era would play English songs with that kind of tune. As for Pal Pal from Lage Raho..., the film was supposed to show Vidya Balan as a Cliff Richards fan and that's why the song sounded that way," he explains.

"Your brain functions like a hard disc. Since I listen to different kinds of music all the time, I don't know how they're influencing me. Of course, I'd love to be in a situation in which I'd be free from all influences. But it's impossible. No musician in the world is free from influences. Even Mozart and Beethoven had folk influences in their compositions," reasons Shantanu.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin. asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=T OIBG/2007/11/22&PageLabel=27&EntityId=Ar02701&Vi ewMode=HTML&GZ=T

Interview : Shantanu Moitra, transforming music to a different level

The most celebrated work of art of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhayaya 'Parineeta - The Married Woman' is to appear in the celluloid. Shantanu Moitra who was a popular composer of music albums and for films like Leela and Hazaron Khwaishen Aisi, takes to mainstream music with this. The scores are just tailor made for the appeal and impact of the film. You understand music with taste and sensibilities through this different effort. For one and all this is a representation of class and splendor. And the credit rest on the shoulders of one man named, Shantanu. Excerpts from an Interview: What was in your mind when you set out to compose the music of this film? I wanted to compose music that is a treat to the ears. I wanted to create good music that spills simplicity and also revitalizes the era the film is set in. Even the makers of the film were on a look out for this. I put in romance and innocence without screaming on the top of my voice. Thus there is silence and peace as the music flows. It's a nostalgic experience. How did you bag the film? To cut a long story short, I was working as a client servicing in an ad company where Sarkar was the creative head. I had prepared many jingles for his ads. When I heard that he was making Parinneta, I was certain that I would be given the responsibility of composing. And something such happened too. But for everything I had to impress Vidhu Vinod Chopra first. I went to him with Raat Hamari To and he said me to create all the songs according to the pulse of that tune. This film is a dream come true for me. From where do your music derive the orientation? Though my family was related to classical music I never wanted to pursue it as my career. In Lucknow we used to live opposite Ustad Alauddin Khan's house. Though music was important to me it took a backseat when it came to career. I've grown up hearing S D Burman, Salil Chaudhary, Illayaraja and BBC world service. These have formed the base of my music. I've tripped on the music of yesteryears and this film gave me the platform to create music of a periodic era. What is your pick from this album? 'Kasto Mazza' appealed to me while composing and as a listener too. 'Raat Hamari Who' is a song that speaks on void, its stupendous. 'Piyu Bole' and 'Kaisi Paheli' are also special. I've summed up almost the entire soundtrack. All of us contributed to the compositions and so it was a kind of jam session running through while composing the tracks. Have Vidhu Vinod Chopra set a pattern for the song? On the contrary he allowed me to do whatever I wished just keeping the basic things in mind. He didn't say me to compose for the people or compose an album that can be marketed. He held a belief in me. How was it to compose music for this film? It was a learning experience!

Music interview: Shantanu Moitra

The music director of Parineeta on his past and present

"The feedback is encouraging"

You must be getting a lot of feedback about Parineeta?
Yes and its very gratifying and encouraging.

How did you think of Rita Ganguly on to sing?

I had heard her before and liked her singing but strangely her choice in the film came more from her face, her acting rather than singing because Pradeep sarkar's role of the "Mausi" fit her exactly. So it was visual first and audio second. I remember after my first album 'Ab ke saawan' she'd told me that we should work together and now it materialised in Parineeta.

Are you based in Mumbai?

Yes I've shifted here three years back. I was in Delhi before that. In fact I grew up in Delhi. I was born in Lucknow. And am from Benares. My father is from Benares. After partition there were two sets of Bengalis-one set came to Kolkata, the musicians came from Bangladesh to Benares. My father's family is into classical music-they were all sarod players. Mum is from the Lucknow College of arts. Then very early we moved to Delhi. But in Delhi we lived in Chitaranjan park-so we have always lived in a Bengali atmosphere.


How did you get interested in music?


My introduction to music as a composer/singer came at the Durga puja mandals. Here you sing and compose what you sing. That's where I first realised what I could compose. A lot of sounds that I heard as a child- [we were a very musical family.] remained with me but my family had seen a lot of poverty after leaving their zamindari in Bangladesh and dad was very clear that music should be no more than a hobby-not a career.


I am an Economics graduate and I joined client servicing. My music exposure was substantial but not in a commercial way. In Delhi's Chitaranjan park music used to be the focus during Durga puja. If I hadn't been given that platform I might never had found out that I could compose. My work at the ad agency wasn't greatly satisfying in the sense that one is earning ones bread and butter but if I am asked what I am doing, I have nothing to show for it.


How did films happen?


Ater Ab ke baras a friend Somanth Sen from Delhi asked me to compose for Leela. Then I did Hazaron khwaishen aisi. Then came Parineeta, I've got Yahaan, Munnabhai 2 and Saade saat phere..


Shreya Ghosal sound positively honey sweet in Parineeta?

Yes I got her to sing at a lower pitch for that honeyed effect.

Well,this is one person whose music I really like among the present lot of MDs.With SEL getting repetitive,A.R.Rehman getting rarer(ard,once in a yr) and ID out of work,SM is the only one who seems to be composing reasonably good music in today's world.Most of the other popular MDs(other than the ones mentioned above) seem to have something like a music factory from which they churn out standardised products.....I mean,their music is like the soaps/shampoos produced by P&G or HLL ,call them by different names and put them in different packets,but the product inside is the same 😉 ,just difference in packaging 😆 ........
I guess not many will agree with me,but I find most of today's songs hardly worth listening to a second time....Of course there are some exceptions like Life in a Metro and a few songs from OSO are ok... 😊
Anyways,I loved SM's songs in Khoya Khoya Chnad..they are a class apart from today's music