Mumbai-based versatile music composer, Amitabh S Verma has once again mesmerised us with his latest music video Khelo Shyam Sang Hori. It connotes how harmony can transcend language and cultural barriers while bringing people together in celebration of life and love. With stunning visuals, capturing the essence of rural India, and melodious music, the piece is a treat to the senses and an experience to behold. The video starts with a beautiful shot of a group of women dressed in traditional attire, dancing to the rhythm of the dholak. The camera then pans to the presumed ‘Lord Krishna,’ depicted as a young boy, playing his flute amidst lush green fields. The central focus of the release is the fusion of classical and contemporary music. Amitabh has skillfully blended Indian classical music with modern-day beats. The result is foot-tapping, soul-stirring music that will stay with the listeners long after the video is over.
In the piece, you have brought a contemporary musical interpretation of the raga, Kafi. Why was that important to you?
The most important things in any song are its melody and lyrics. The song is a traditional bandish and I have been singing it since I was a child. But if I want it to appeal to the listeners today, the arrangement and the sound have to be contemporary. That is why I got Nirmalya Humtoo Dey to create the track because he is a classically trained musician, so he understood what I wanted in the song. He has, as always, done a good job.
You have taken creative leaps while infusing Kafi into your composition. How did you maintain the authenticity of the raga yet add a unique spin to the rendition?
The melody and the singing stick to Kafi because it is a bandish. We stuck to the original tune. We took creative liberties in the arrangement because it had to sound modern.
From being a lyricist to singing and to directing music, how do you look back at your journey so far?
I learnt Hindustani classical music when I was in school. I was a well-known singer in my school and college. In fact, my friends thought I would become a playback singer. But then the film bug bit me and everything changed. Music took a backseat, and for about 20 years, I didn’t sing. My wife Shruti literally forced me to get back to singing and here I am today with my second single. I have also been directing for a long time now. I have directed many short films, documentaries, music videos and web series. The journey has been great, full of ups and downs but always very fascinating and interesting. I have no complaints.
How did you venture into writing lyrics?
Writing lyrics happened by chance. Music director Pritam was my batch-mate in FTII and a close friend. I was studying film editing and he was doing sound. We have a student exercise called the playback exercise where every unit has to picturise a song. We decided to make our own song and because there was no writer available for free; so Pritam forced me to write it. We made a song which became very popular on our FTII campus. After that many of our friends came to Pritam and me to make songs for them, which we happily did. By the time I left the campus, I had 7 songs to my credit! Later, I worked with Sanjay Bhansali as an assistant editor for Khamoshi The Musical and Pritam went around meeting directors with the songs we had made on campus. Hansal Mehta heard one of the songs and called me to write songs for his film Chhal, which had Viju Shah as composer. When I got a call from Hansal, I thought he was calling me to edit his film but I was surprised to know that he wanted me as a lyricist! That’s how my journey as a lyricist began.
Lastly, what’s next?
There are several projects that I am working on. I am writing two films, doing lyrics for a few films and preparing for my next directorial venture, a feature film.
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E-mail: chokita@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @PaulChokita