Nitesh Tiwari is a well-known name in the Bollywood music industry as a composer, writer, and director. Coming from a small town in Siliguri, West Bengal, he completes a decade in Mumbai. Talking to Indulge he spills the beans on his latest works, turning director, the Bengali music industry, and the significance of music videos in contemporary times.
What are you currently working on?
I am preparing for Sufi Rocks Season 2. There are three Sufi songs by Salman Ali, Mohammad Danish, and Hemant Brijwasi and the rock songs are by Amit Mishra, Dev Negi, and Raj Burman. The audio recordings are complete and I am working on the videos now. It will be released later this year. I am also preparing for the release of Volume I Ghazal which is a series of nine ghazals.
Do you look up to anyone in the field of music as your inspiration? Who and why?
In the music industry, Salim-Suleiman and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy are doing fabulous work. New artists are emerging and new genres of music are being explored as well. I believe with time the trend of music changes but even then melody should be kept alive. Music and melody together expand the life of music. Today it has become very commercial and many are under pressure to make certain types of music. Even after overcoming such obstacles Salim-Suleiman and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy are doing amazing work.
As a newcomer to the music industry almost a decade ago, what challenges did you face?
I joined the industry after passing out of school and faced my share of struggles. Coming from a middle-class family it was challenging to make a mark in music. I needed producers who could finance my music and videos. But this was overcome and I have done almost 100 music videos; and as a director, I have directed a movie called Machaan and parts of the award-winning film Ek Aasha. Challenges have come in life and will continue to come, but I face them, take my lessons, and move ahead.
Having lived in Bengal for a while, will we see you making a mark in the Bengali entertainment industry too?
I always wanted to come to the Bengali music industry and work and that dream has also come true. I came to Kolkata and have recorded two songs here. It was a very good experience because coming from Bollywood I worked with the top musicians of the Tollywood industry. I have also arranged live music with instruments like guitar, flute, violin, and mandolin. Also, people know that I am from West Bengal. This tag is very important in my life because when we talk about Bengal people think that the music made in Bengal is special and unlike any other. Be it Rabindra Sangeet or Folk Music, they have a great influence all over the country.
From musician to director, what made you take this plunge?
It’s a big deal in my life to take the plunge from being a music director to a film director. Whenever I used to make a song, I had in mind how the song should be shot. I used to discuss this with producers. So, they believed in me and gave me a chance to create almost 100 music videos and two movies. I would say today both music and the video together provide a wholesome experience to the audience.