EXCLUSIVE Cannes 2025: Assamese musician and composer Himangshu Saikia opens up about composing the music for A Doll Made up of Clay
The only movie from Kolkata to be selected under the La Cinef section at the Cannes Film Festival this year is a production from the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) called A Doll Made Up of Clay directed by Kokob Gebrehaweria Tesfay. The music has been aptly composed by Assamese musician and composer Himangshu Saikia. Ahead of the screening of the movie at Cannes on May 21, we catch up with Himangshu to know how his music elevated the narrative.
Excerpts:
Tell us about your journey as a music composer. What attracted you to music?
I have always had an interest in music. I took it as a hobby when I was in school. It was just me and my friends performing every now and then. Slowly, the interest grew. And then, the more I started watching films, the interest grew even more. Then I started learning how to produce. I started off working with artistes from Assam and then joined SRFTI as well.
Coming from Assam, have you noticed any difference or similarities in the music scape liked by the audience in the two states (Assam and Kolkata)?
Yes, there are some similarities as well as differences I would say. Similarity is the shared cultural roots through instruments. Some instruments like dhol, khol, gogona, are used by both cultures for their festivals, etc. The difference is the type of music that comes out, both independent and mainstream. I would say some types of music coming out in Kolkata might not run in Assam or vice versa. But, it's subjective, so we can't be one hundred per cent accurate with it.
Having worked across various genres, which do you find most exciting to work with?
I would say maybe hip hop or rhythm and blues. But if I have to be honest, recently I've been learning new genres and I get excited to work with any of them. That's fun! You go into a project with a clean slate and just go with the flow.
What were your first thoughts when the opportunity for composing for A Doll Made up of Clay came to you?
At first, I was excited but confused because I didn't know what to do. Then, Kokob and me sat down and had a discussion, and things got cleared. But yes, for sure I didn't think something I made sitting in my bedroom would end up in a film, and then at Cannes.
In your recent post, you mention that the movie" allowed me to work with a genre I’ve always wanted to try but never had the opportunity to". What attracted you to the genre?
The genre is 'New Age'. The briefing I got from Kokob, pointed me towards Hans Zimmer. I spent almost a week listening to Hans Zimmer's compositions. I have seen many movies where the music is composed by Hans Zimmer. I always wanted to try out the genre ,and I finally got the opportunity with A Doll Made Up Of Clay.
What was the brief you received from director Kokob Tesfay?
Kokob gave me a reference from Interstellar. He also said that he wants me to add some Ethiopian instruments. So I got this instrument called Masenqo. I sampled it and used it in the outro.
What was your creative process for composing the music? Did you keep elements of your Assamese background while composing the music?
This is completely a 'New Age' genre. I did try blending some tal sounds but it was not going well. I laid down some basic synths at first and then basically made the other melodies on top of it.
What has been the most challenging part of composing for A Doll Made up of Clay?
The vocals! Composing the vocals took me a lot of time. The hardest part was to mix it and make it one with the whole visual- a bit of trial and error experiments.
Has the musical genius of Satyajit Ray influenced you?
Yes, I learnt a lot about playful use of music and also digetic sound, especially from movies like Charulata and Jalsaghar (The Music Room)
One trend in music scape that will pick up in 2025.
To be honest, I feel like it is hard to tell. Nowadays, with the opportunities and platforms available, anything can become a trend.
What are your upcoming works?
I have an instrumental compilation coming up named 'JukeBox'. It might have the music of 'A Doll Made Up Of Clay' as well. I also have a few songs that I produced with artistes from Assam.
