Antara Mitra on what makes Raat Akeli Thi special!

Raat Akeli Thi from Merry Christmas is on a loop on everyone’s playlist. The voice behind one of the most trending love songs right now, Antara Mitra, says that she is content with whatever work she’s doing. “I have always been a content child. My heart is full of gratitude thinking that I completed these many years in the industry,” she adds.

The Bengali girl who rendered songs like Bheegi Si Bhaagi Si, Gerua, Janam Janam, and many more, speaks with us on what makes Raat Akeli Thi so special. Excerpts:

If you could tell us in detail about the song?

This is a different kind of love song. This song doesn’t simply talk about a boy and girl in love. It has that whole mystery of falling in love, a story of two strangers meeting probably for the first or second time. It’s a song about two people who haven’t fallen in love yet but they think that they have known each other for a long time. We rarely sing songs with a briefing like this, and it happened only because this film demanded a song like this. It has a layer of mystery to it, especially the tune, because the film is a murder
mystery. I think it is a little difficult to include a love song into a murder plot.

What attracted you to choose the song?

Frankly, I did not choose the song, the song came to me. While we were recording the song, all of us in the studio knew that it was a one-of-its-kind, clutter-breaking composition. The songs that are releasing now, sound very basic, and have all the trendy ingredients including an uptempo tune, a little rap, and Punjabi lyrics. This song is nothing like them.

You have collaborated with Arijit and Pritam many times before. What makes it special this time?

It’s the opportunity to work with filmmaker Sriram Raghavan. He’s such a wholesome director — simple, down-to-earth, wellread — and has no airs!

Your upcoming projects?

I have been recording a few songs but I can’t say when those will be released and for which films. Besides, there are a few independent songs including an EP that will drop soon! I have plans to work on a few Bengali independent songs apart from exploring more in the genre of thumris and folk songs.