While the fans haven’t still gotten over Iman Chakraborty’s rendition of Pakhider Smriti from Indubala Bhaater Hotel, the popular singer is back with another single, Tomake Dekhbo Bole, to celebrate International Music Day. This Bengali original track has been sung by Iman, composed by Saptak Sanai Das, with lyrics penned by Dipangshu Acharya, and the music arranged by Nilanjan Ghosh. The video of the track sees Iman as a young woman enjoying her own company, and the song is all about self-love. Indulge speaks to her to know more about the song, Bengali independent music, Iman Chakraborty Productions and more.
Tell us about Tomay Dekhbo Bole.
The song is out-and-out romantic, but romance is something very relative. In this song, we have spoken about self-love and its importance. We tend to love and give our all to everyone around us while forgetting about ourselves. The video shows this woman flourishing, all by herself, and how self-love and care are of utmost importance. The arrangement has been kept very subtle and sweet, keeping with the vibe of the lyrics and music. It has a nice, flowy, stringoriented arrangement.
Are you recording anything for films?
Though I have sung many film songs, more recently for Indubala Bhaater Hotel, Ardhangini, and Love Marriage, among others, they are not the only option these days. Basic independent songs are very important for any music industry. Think about Hollywood. There are hardly any songs in the movies, but the moment Beyoncé drops a song, it becomes a global sensation. We are unable to reach that height because we always look out for film songs. There is nothing wrong with it because it reaches the mass more easily, but we need to search for good music beyond them.
Has the independent music scene changed for the better?
I can spot a lot of musicians who have become popular because of their original music and songs. For example, Darshan Raval. You cannot really remember his film songs, but you can quickly remember his original compositions. The same is the case with Prateek Kuhad. Think about our very own Nachiketa, and how he made a whole genre of songs popular. If you give it a thought, Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey, and Hemanta Mukherjee all had sung equally popular non-film songs.
Instagram allows people to explore audio and songs in any language of their choice. Is that also a way to popularise songs?
It’s an avenue, I would say, and we should not undermine any avenue that can popularise our work. Not just Instagram; when TikTok was popular, I sold my songs there as well. After all, I have to make people listen to my songs in whichever way possible. It also happened that when I released my first album, my friends and I were selling the CDs on Rabindra Sadan premises. So, I have no problem with people listening to my music on any platform of their choice; I just want them to listen.
How do you spend time when you are not recording or practising?
I don’t get too much time when I am not into music. I am either taking classes, rehearsing or recording or listening to music. Listening to music is also an important part of our job. When I am not doing anything at all, I try to do some household chores and tidy up my room, and closet. Touchwood, I have a fantastic husband Nilanjan, who supports me through and through to manage the household.
Do you practise together?
Yes, but rarely so, because most days we only get to see each other at night. But sometimes we do practise together. He plays the tabla and I sing. Tomay Dekhbo Bole is released under Iman Chakraborty Productions.
What else is getting released?
Iman Chakraborty Productions is supporting a lot of emerging musicians, who are doing a great job. We started it in 2020 during Covid and since then have been supporting many youngsters to release their singles. I am very choosy about music pieces, but if someone brings us good independent music, we would support them wholeheartedly.
Tomay Dekhbo Bole is streaming on YouTube