Blog: How producers/item songs are killing the music industry

There was a time, not too long ago, when it was impossible to start the pre-production of a film without a few heavy-duty meetings with the music director. Traditionally, the business of Bollywood films have depended a lot on its music. Superhit songs have always been the best promotional tool for any film.

That hasn't changed. But in the last decade a lot has.

With the marketing of Bollywood music changing rapidly, the role and importance of music directors, singers have diminished considerably.

Right now, it has hit rock bottom.

What has gone wrong?

Things started going downhill when Bollywood started over-depending on item songs.

Though item songs have been a selling point of a film since the days of Helen, these days they have become extremely important. Filmmakers are inventing new ways to minimise costs and ensure that they get a rocking item song for their film since one good item song and the right promotional strategy are enough to guarantee success.

Producers have now started roping in guest composers to compose item songs without the consent of the original music directors. There are numerous examples where at least eight different composers were roped in to create music for one film - a deeply flawed strategy where you aim to get the best composition from each music director.

Today, music directors don't hold any position of power in the filmmaking process - a far cry from what they used to be even in the nineties. Most music directors have been reduced to, what they themselves admit off-the-record, to tune composers'.

How music is scored now?

Even 15 years ago, composing a film's music meant at least 25 sittings with the producer, actors, singers and the director. This was followed by intense recording sessions. The music director dominated the proceedings and was aware how the songs were being shot.

Today, music directors compose a tune, which is recorded and played back to the producers. If the producers don't like, it is immediately rejected.

So how long does this process go on? "I remember a producer rejecting 22 tunes before finally selecting three. It was a painful experience. I would play a tune to him and he would say, Kya bhai yeh copy-copy lag raha hai'. Or he would say, Kya bakwaas tune banaya. Isko kisiko mat sunana bhai'. He would keep ridiculing me and my music and reject the tunes. Finally, when he selected a few, he made me sign a contract and took away the rights of those tunes. I never heard from him again. I have only got a small part of the payment as per the contract. I don't know what is happening with my songs," admits a reputed music director-singer on strict conditions of anonymity.

"There are times when an antara of a song has to be changed at the last-minute or the producer insists that I put a rap number inside a song even if I don't wish to. The producer's wish is my command now, you don't have an option but to do whatever he tells you.

You have sold your song, now f*** off

Ask any music director and he will tell you that they don't have the faintest idea about how a song will be picturised or promoted for a particular movie. Quite often, somebody else is roped in at a high price towards the end of the shooting to compose the item number.

In most cases, the one composing the item number is paid more money for one song than the original music directors who have composed the other songs.

When the promotions of the film start, the item numbers are promoted with gusto while the other songs are used as back-up.

Many-a-time the original music directors have to plead with the producers to promote their songs.

In Bollywood, there is a new genre of music directors coming up who are known to compose only item numbers and they are the ones who are earning the highest, not to mention the huge publicity that automatically comes with it. Most of these musicians, who are composing only item numbers, are singers themselves and have a popular band on the side.

What about Bollywood playback singers?

There are a still a few stars singers left who are getting good assignments. Typical examples would be Mohit Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, Sunidhi Chauhan and Sonu Nigam.

But barring these, singers have lost their rightful place in Bollywood. With singing reality shows throwing up at least 15 singers every six months, Bollywood is flushed with talents.

There is a large supply of Bollywood singers compared to the demand. Singers get a chance to sing only a few songs in a year and if they are unlucky, the songs won't get any publicity as well.

Singers are keeping themselves busy with reality shows and concerts in the hope that they will get to sing that one hit number of a blockbuster film.

You see, item numbers aren't only ruining a film's quality, it's driving a lot of people out of business too.