Final Media Coverage Update: October 15 2014

Transcription

FinalMediaCoverageUpdate:October152014-March2015
ShantanuMoitra's'UndertheWingsofMusic'
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(AnandaPlus)datedDecember12,2014
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(Kalam)
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Shantanu Moitra: Gulzar is my
youngest friend in Bollywood
Kasmin Fernandes,TNN | Dec 12, 2014, 12.00 AM IST
READ MORE Shantanu Moitra
Shantanu Moitra
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I am working on conserving certain bird species in the Northeast
You have to understand that music is just one part of my life. There are other things —
mountaineering, climbing, birding, photography, astronomy. This is why I left my corporate life. I had
started with a multi-national bank, then moved to advertising. I was working as a client servicing guy.
I left the corporate life because I didn't want to ask my boss permission to go for a trip. I wanted to do
something where I could go when I want. I was finitely aware of the limited time I had.
Music isn't just in the recording studios
It is everywhere. We make the mistake of sitting at the keyboard and thinking that is music. I have
been to places at 23,000 ft where a lone temple bell is ringing - that is incredible music too. I have
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been to forests in Kaziranga where tribals sing songs to ward off wild animals at night. That is music
too. I find music more in nature than in the cities. I am a very outdoor, non-city guy. I come here to
work and then go off. I do two trips every year — one with my family and one alone. The one I do alone
is slightly ambitious, like climbing Mount Everest or a journey down Mongolia through the vineyards.
Music pays me for it. I do this because to be with somebody, to share with somebody, to learn
something from somebody happens when you travel.
ALSO READ: Shantanu Moitra 'very happy' with PK music
People are my book
I wrote a Bengali book called Ferari Mon. I wrote it because, the India that I have seen somehow
doesn't match with the headlines of newspapers — rape, murder, dishonesty, lies — the billion-plus
people residing in this country cannot function if the headlines were true. The incredible people I have
met along my journey make me believe that their stories need to be told. For example, travelling to a
place which is two days from an area which is on the Chinese border where you require a permit. I stay
the night, backpack early morning and reach the check post and put my hand in my pocket and realise
there is no wallet. The guy says, 'Sir, you have to get the hell out of here otherwise you will be behind
bars.' I went from there to a nearby village and stayed in the night, gradually figuring that I left the
wallet behind in a tea shop. Two days later, I see the tea stall owner standing there. The journey I did
in two days, he did in one. The city bastards that we are, I take out money to give to him. He said, 'Sir,
pray that the next time somebody does that, don't think of the money, think of the fact that I could
reach out and help you. Let money not be the motive. My book Wings Of Music is really about these
people, also people I have met along the way, like Gulzar. As I have mentioned in the book too, he's my
youngest friend in Bollywood. His mind is so young, I can talk to him about things I can't even talk to
my father about. Why Gulzar is Gulzar is because of the way he perceives even inanimate things like a
planet. In his foreword to my book, he has written a beautiful line, 'Shantanu is like a lantern, he
keeps on picking.'
Music cannot just be for the music
It is shocking that our country's representation of music is films. Nowhere else in the world — France,
Italy, Spain, Belgium — does this happen. We have a rich and diverse culture of music. We have, we
have folk, ghazals, thumri, Indipop. They are blaming Bollywood. It has always been glamorous. It is
like a magnet, it takes the best of the other genres. When other genres aren't there anymore, it's like a
starburst. What does a starburst do? It starts eating into itself and killing it. Lyrics don't matter. They
are getting funnelled so they can fit into ringtones. The last time I heard a ghazal on radio was when
Jagjit Singh died. How many times does an artist have to die before a genre can be heard!
There's a world waiting for you outside
If you can empower yourself with that knowledge, and go out and seek things, you will never be
hungry in your life. If you have a place to stay and there is food, you can go anywhere in the world. I
have seen so many people who have never left the city for years because of the cocoon we live in,
thinking bahar pata nahin kya hoga. In many ways, my music says that. After 3 Idiots was out, I shut
my phone for six months and went to Arunachal Pradesh. Even if the industry forgets about me, so
what? There's a whole world out there. Rather, let me do something where the industry remembers
the work.
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Listen to the songs of Shantanu Moitra on Gaana.com
WATCH: Shantanu Moitra with Komal Nahta
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/Shantanu-Moitra-Gulzar-ismy-youngest-friend-in-Bollywood/articleshow/45475604.cms
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On the Wings of Music
By Sanat Mehra |Posted 6 hours
On the Wings of Music is a collection of short tales that are autobiographical in nature. These
memoirs have been translated from Shantanu Moitra’s writings in Bengali, with the help of
Aruna Chakravarti.
Musician Shantanu Moitra at his studio. Pic/Sayed Sameer Abedi
The book has been written a lot like a documented conversation, letting you in on all the
adventures Moitra had. At some point, most readers would feel that these adventures could
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be shared at no price at all, may be, as a blog or a freelance contribution. Why buy someone’s
incomplete scrapbook?
On the Wings of Music: A book of Journeys, Shantanu Moitra with Arun Chakravarti,
HarperCollins, Rs 325. Available at leading book stores.
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Besides, the charm of short anecdotes is that they leave you thinking for a long time; in a
weird way, the best short story writers can disease you with their thoughts but here one is
convinced that not all diseases are communicable. Sample this: “He knew neither English
nor Hindi but his smile was Esperanto. Carrying the load on his back as lightly as if it were a
fly, he strode jauntily ahead of us, exchanging greetings with other porters and chit-chat with
the villagers we met en route.”
Nevertheless, Shantanu Moitra can be credited for his thirst for adventure that is quenched
by a lot of travel and a philosophical temperament that makes its presence felt at the end of
every narration. What one takes back is the simple fact that is less than the 140-character
limit: “Travel is Inspiration”. And just in case you are in two minds about paying just for the
literature, there is a free CD inside as well.
- See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/on-the-wings-of-music/15830183#sthash.ccpZuX42.dpuf
http://www.mid-day.com/articles/on-the-wings-of-music/15830183
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Making melodies
Lyricist Swanand Kirkire and composer Shantanu Moitra (Source: Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Written by Sankhayan Ghosh | New Delhi | Posted: December 7, 2014 12:50 am
While recording a romantic song, Shaan walked up to music composer Shantanu
Moitra and admitted that after a long time he had been asked to sing in the C scale,
which brings out the gentleness in the voice of a male playback singer. Shaan later
told Moitra that he enjoyed the session particularly because he did not adhere to
today’s flashy music norms, where one is made to sing at the top of their voices. “In
my interpretation of a love song, nobody screams,” says Moitra. The song Chaar
Kadam for Rajkumar Hirani’s PK, thus, has a nursery rhyme-like melody, debunking
popular trends that drive film music. The lyrics too, are simple, penned by Hirani’s
long-time collaborator and lyricist Swanand Kirkire.
While some of PK’s compositions have a familiarity to them, reminiscent of Moitra’s
work on 3 Idiots, it is a relief to hear songs that don’t use auto-tune, with
arrangements that are uncluttered.
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Moitra and Kirkire confess that PK’s music is a knee-jerk reaction to film music today.
“There is a perception that the youth is dumb and only parties. I see young people
attending Hari Prasad Chaurasia’s concerts as well,” says Moitra. “When you sit in the
canteen, humming to a guitar being strum, do you think of auto-tune before breaking
into a song? With singers such as Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam and Shaan, I just
throw a tune at them and they add to the song in ways I could never imagine,” Moitra
adds. The composer has stayed away from the use of electronic music in PK, making
way for composer duo Ajay-Atul to work on the song Tharki Chokro. “I am not very
comfortable with the new age arrangements. But in the songs I composed, I’ve used
orchestra with a treatment that is almost baroque. Like chamber music,” he adds.
Kirkire says that unlike other Hirani films which belonged to “one world”— 3 Idiots,
for example, had a setting of a college campus — PK has many worlds. “You have
Aamir Khan’s character who is from an ambiguous world, Sanjay Dutt’s is Rajasthani
and Anushka Sharma’s comes from an urban setting,” says the lyricist, who is
working with Ilayaraja for R Balki’s Shamitabh and Amit Trivedi for Fitoor. But in this
increasingly commercialised scene, where lyric writing is suffering the most, PK gave
Kirkire the chance to be profound and entertaining at the same time. Moitra aptly
describes Kirkire’s style of writing as “lingo of the streets”.
This composer-lyricist duo has delivered some of the most soulful Hindi film albums,
such as Parineeta (2005) and Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi (2003), working with likeminded directors. But where they truly struck a successful, ongoing partnership is
with Hirani, with whom they have created memorable albums such as Lage Raho
Munnabhai (2007) and 3 Idiots (2009). According to Kirkire, what connects him with
Moitra is their rebellious attitude. “When my father or teachers asked me not to do a
certain thing, I did just that. It continues here and it has worked well for us. You don’t
tell me what not to do,” he says.
It also helps that neither had set out for a career in Bollywood. Kirkire, also a singer,
is a theatre actor and is making his debut in Prakash Jha’s upcoming film. Moitra has
his passion projects too. “For us, music is not limited to films. We recently recorded
an album with the Pakistani musicians Zeb and Haniya. I didn’t want to leave my
fantastic life and music in Delhi to work in Bollywood all my life. I was supposed to do
selective projects and go back,” says Moitra.
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Over the past two years Moitra’s worked on the National Award-winning score for
Telugu film Na Bangaaru Talli, Shyam Benegal’s TV series Samvidhaan, Madras Cafe
and Bobby Jasoos.
http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/making-melodies/
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(SangbadPratidin)
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Published on 2 Dec 2014
Dev graces the launch of singer Shantanu Moitra's book On the wings of Music: A book of journeys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkQEl1k2sFg&feature=youtu.be
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Shantanu Link
02.mp3
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Shantanu Link
01.mp3
(Ebela)
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Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home
Entertainment
I used to travel in search of music:
Shantanu Moitra
10:6 HRS IST
Kolkata, Dec 1 (PTI) Music director Shantanu Moitra says he used to travel across
India in search of music.
Shantanu, who began his musical career composing jingles in advertisements, has
penned his debut book in English titled- 'On the Wings of Music.'
The composer said his first such travel was while he was still a fresher in college to
Jaisalmer from Delhi, where he grew up, to listen to Ravanhatta, a little-known string
instrument.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/5409541_I-used-to-travel-in--of-music--Shantanu-Moitra-.html
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(SalakerVarta)
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https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DVJ4QZqGoj
Z4&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoTNzUzNTI3OTM0OTE4MTUyOTc3NDIaMzZmZjBkYjQzMWNiY2ZkZjpjb206ZW
46VVM&usg=AFQjCNFL6YbMcPilVkHo8iKU6DyPf0AmnQ
https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DVJ4QZqGoj
Z4&ct=ga&cd=CAEYACoTNzUzNTI3OTM0OTE4MTUyOTc3NDIaMzZmZjBkYjQzMWNiY2ZkZjpjb206ZW
46VVM&usg=AFQjCNFL6YbMcPilVkHo8iKU6DyPf0AmnQ
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I used to travel in search of
music: Shantanu Moitra
Press Trust of India @ibnlive
Ads by Google
Kolkata: Music director Shantanu Moitra says he used to travel across India in
search of music. Shantanu, who began his musical career composing jingles in
advertisements, has penned his debut book in English titled- 'On the Wings of
Music.'
The composer said his first such travel was while he was still a fresher in college to
Jaisalmer from Delhi, where he grew up, to listen to Ravanhatta, a little-known string
instrument. "I had heard it but once at a cultural festival in Delhi and was completely
mesmerised by its sound," he said.
His mysterious encounter with a chained dacoit, who played the Ravanhatta for him,
in the dead of the night in the pitch dark railway station is the first anecdote in the
book.
Shantanu, who began his musical career composing jingles has penned his debut book in English.
#shantanu moitra
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#shantanu moitra book
#on the wings of music
"I am pulled by the fact that there is a whole big world out there... I have moved
around extensively in off beat places. I have realised that what governs the world is
love," Moitra, whose latest musical venture is upcoming Aamir Khan starrer 'PK'.
"Travels liberate me from the grind of big cities like Mumbai.... The journeys have
blurred the lines between home and the world and I get the glimpse of the meaning
of vasudhaiva kutumbakam." Shantanu said he is also a mountaineer, a cook and a
writer.
He also has an interest in photography in equal measure. "I live life for the moment.
Music is a small part of my life, travelling and mountaineering are my passions," said
the man who shot to fame with his composition for 'Parineeta', and followed it up with
films like 'Lage Raho Munnabhai', '3 Idiots' and 'Madras Cafe'.
Shantanu said he was initially reluctant to relocate to Mumbai from Delhi where he
had grown up. "I think it was my frank declaration of my feelings that intrigued Javed
Akhtar,who had first asked me."
'On the Wings of Music' is a collection of 28 anecdotes, reminiscences and self
revelation charting the growth of a timid, diffident and self-effacing boy to a music
composer of international repute.
The book, second by the musician after his Bengali work 'Pherari Mon', is written in
an autobiographical vein with his ebullience and sense of adventure coming through
in each anecdote.
Shantanu said the book was written to fulfil the demands of his friends after the
success of his first one. The spark to write was ignited by Gulzar, who had cleared
his doubts about his ability.
His love for cooking and travelling is contained in his anecdote on the visit to
Kazakhstan where he had gone to participate in the world folk and pop meet and
during a visit to a high altitude desert there cooked for an Australian group.
Among the anecdotes in his new book are the passion about astronomy that he and
Gulzar shares, his becoming a professional composer in 'Parineeta' from a rookie,
relation with Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika, whose last recorded song was
composed by him and his vibes with Javed Akhtar.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/i-used-to-travel-in-search-of-music-shantanu-moitra/515884-45-75.html
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Shantanu Moitra ‘very happy’ with ‘PK’
music
The music composer won the National award this year for best music direction
PTI
Published: 09:50 December 1, 2014
Image Credit: IANS
Indian music director Shantanu Moitra and actress Tanushree Chakraborty during special screening
of Bengali film Buno Haansh in Mumbai. (Photo: IANS)
Music composer Shantanu Moitra is “very happy” with his work in the forthcoming
Aamir Khan starrer PK and hopes people will love it.
“I am very happy to have used the classic waltz, lyrical, lilting music and duets for
PK,” he said during his visit to Kolkata for the launch of his debut book in English
titled On the Wings of Music.
“My use of music in PK goes with my belief that a rich baritone like Nat King Cole
has an eternal appeal,” said Moitra, who has previously composed music
forParineeta, Lage Raho Munnabhai, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Madras Cafe and 3
Idiots.
“The experience of composing for PK has been excellent,” said the music composer,
who won the National award this year for best music direction for the Telugu film Na
Bangarru Taali.
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PK has been directed by Raj Kumar Hirani and also stars Anushka Sharma, Sanjay
Dutt and Sushant Singh Rajput. It is scheduled to be released on December 18 in
the UAE.
http://gulfnews.com/arts-entertainment/celebrity/india/bollywood/shantanu-moitra-very-happywith-pk-music-1.1420438
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Shantanu Moitra ‘very happy’
with ‘PK’ music
Press Trust of India | Mumbai | Posted: November 30, 2014 4:55 pm
"The experience of composing for 'PK' has been excellent," said the music composer.
Music composer Shantanu Moitra is “very happy” with his work in the forthcoming Aamir
Khan starrer ‘PK’ and hopes people will love it.
“I am very happy to have used the classic waltz, lyrical, lilting music and duets for ‘PK’,” he
told PTI during his visit here for the launch of his debut book in English ‘On the Wings of
Music’.
My use of music in ‘PK’ goes with my belief that a rich baritone like Nat King Cole has an
eternal appeal,” said Shantanu, who has previously composed music for ‘Parineeta’, ‘Lager
Raho Munnabhai’, ‘Hazaron Khwahishen Aisi’, ‘Madras Cafe’ and ‘3 Idiots’.
42
“The experience of composing for ‘PK’ has been excellent,” said the music composer, who
has won the National Film Award this year for best music direction for Tamil film ‘Na
Bangarru Taali’.
‘PK’ has been directed by Raj Kumar Hirani and also stars Anushka Sharma, Sanjay Dutt and
Sushant Singh Rajput. It is scheduled to be released on December 19.
http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/shantanu-moitra-very-happy-with-pkmusic/
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/shantanu-moitra-veryhappy-with-pk-music/#sthash.bxONqLc4.dpuf
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Dev, Tony cheer Shantanu Moitra's book
launch
TNN|Dec1,2014,02.21PMIST
RELATED
Friendsareforever.So,whencomposerShantanuMoitraturnedupforaliterarymeetata
citybookstorerecently,palsAniruddhaRoyChowdhuryandAnindyaChattopadhyaywere
seenpresentbyhisside.
Thetriohadrecentlycollaboratedforthefilm,BunoHaansh,anditsheroDevalsocame
downforameet-and-greetsession.AsShantanugavetheaudienceapeekintohisworld—
fromhisearlydaysinanadagency,collaborationswithmusiciansandfilmmakers,anallconsumingloveforastronomytonear-deathescapadesintheHimalayas—everyone
listenedinraptattention.Thehappiestwere,ofcourse,hisfriends...
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/Dev-Tony-cheerShantanu-Moitras-book-launch/articleshow/45334024.cms
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ENTERTAINMENT
KOLKATA, December 1, 2014
Updated: December 1, 2014 16:22 IST
PTI
Special arrangement
Shantanu shot to fame with his composition for Bollywood movie
‘Parineeta’.
TOPICS
arts, culture and entertainment
books and literature
music
Music director Shantanu Moitra says he used to travel across India in search of music.
Shantanu, who began his musical career composing jingles in advertisements, has penned
his debut book in English titled- ‘On the Wings of Music.’
The composer said his first such travel was while he was still a fresher in college to Jaisalmer
from Delhi, where he grew up, to listen to Ravanhatta, a little-known string instrument.
46
“I had heard it but once at a cultural festival in Delhi and was completely mesmerised by its
sound,” he said.
His mysterious encounter with a chained dacoit, who played the Ravanhatta for him, in the
dead of the night in the pitch dark railway station is the first anecdote in the book.
“I am pulled by the fact that there is a whole big world out there... I have moved around
extensively in off beat places. I have realised that what governs the world is love,” Moitra,
whose latest musical venture is upcoming Aamir Khan starrer ‘PK’.
“Travels liberate me from the grind of big cities like Mumbai.... The journeys have blurred
the lines between home and the world and I get the glimpse of the meaning of vasudhaiva
kutumbakam.”
Shantanu said he is also a mountaineer, a cook and a writer.
He also has an interest in photography in equal measure.
“I live life for the moment. Music is a small part of my life, travelling and mountaineering are
my passions,” said the man who shot to fame with his composition for ‘Parineeta’, and
followed it up with films like ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’, ‘3 Idiots’ and ‘Madras Cafe’.
Shantanu said he was initially reluctant to relocate to Mumbai from Delhi where he had
grown up. “I think it was my frank declaration of my feelings that intrigued Javed Akhtar,
who had first asked me.”
‘On the Wings of Music’ is a collection of 28 anecdotes, reminiscences and self revelation
charting the growth of a timid, diffident and self-effacing boy to a music composer of
international repute.
The book, second by the musician after his Bengali work ‘Pherari Mon’, is written in an
autobiographical vein with his ebullience and sense of adventure coming through in each
anecdote.
Shantanu said the book was written to fulfil the demands of his friends after the success of
his first one. The spark to write was ignited by Gulzar, who had cleared his doubts about his
ability.
His love for cooking and travelling is contained in his anecdote on the visit to Kazakhstan
where he had gone to participate in the world folk and pop meet and during a visit to a high
altitude desert there cooked for an Australian group.
Among the anecdotes in his new book are the passion about astronomy that he and Gulzar
shares, his becoming a professional composer in ‘Parineeta’ from a rookie, relation with
Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika, whose last recorded song was composed by him and his
vibes with Javed Akhtar.
Keywords: Shantanu Moitra, music director, book, On the Wings of
Music, PK, Parineeta, Madras Cafe, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, Pherari
Mon, Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, music
http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/i-used-to-travel-in-search-of-music-shantanumoitra/article6651120.ece
47
Monday, December 1, 2014 | 02:35 PM IST
Shantanu Moitra 'very happy' with PK
music
Press Trust of India | Kolkata
November 30, 2014 Last Updated at 15:30 IST
Music composer Shantanu Moitra is "very happy" with his work in the
forthcoming Aamir Khan starrer 'PK' and hopes people will love it.
"I am very happy to have used the classic waltz, lyrical, lilting music and duets for
'PK'," he told PTI during his visit here for the launch of his debut book in English 'On
the Wings of Music'.
"My use of music in 'PK' goes with my belief that a rich baritone like Nat King Cole
has an eternal appeal," said Shantanu, who has previously composed music for
'Parineeta', 'Lager Raho Munnabhai', 'Hazaron Khwahishen Aisi', 'Madras Cafe' and '3
Idiots'.
"The experience of composing for 'PK' has been excellent," said the music composer,
who has won the National Film Award this year for best music direction for Tamil
film 'Na Bangarru Taali'.
'PK' has been directed by Raj Kumar Hirani and also stars Anushka Sharma, Sanjay
Dutt and Sushant Singh Rajput. It is scheduled to be released on December 19.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/shantanu-moitra-very-happy-with-pk-music114113000338_1.html
48
Breaking News -- Entertainment News -- Music
Shantanu Moitra 'very happy' with PK
music
Last Updated: Sunday, November 30, 2014 - 16:32
SHARES
Share on Facebook
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Kolkata: Music composer Shantanu Moitra is "very happy" with his work in the
forthcoming Aamir Khan starrer 'PK' and hopes people will love it.
"I am very happy to have used the classic waltz, lyrical, lilting music and duets for 'PK',"
he told PTI during his visit here for the launch of his debut book in English 'On the Wings
of Music'.
"My use of music in 'PK' goes with my belief that a rich baritone like Nat King Cole has
an eternal appeal," said Shantanu, who has previously composed music for 'Parineeta',
'Lager Raho
Munnabhai', 'Hazaron Khwahishen Aisi', 'Madras Cafe' and '3 Idiots'.
49
"The experience of composing for 'PK' has been excellent," said the music composer,
who has won the National Film Award this year for best music direction for Tamil film
'Na Bangarru Taali'.
'PK' has been directed by Raj Kumar Hirani and also stars Anushka Sharma, Sanjay Dutt
and Sushant Singh Rajput. It is scheduled to be released on December 19.
PTI
http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/music/shantanu-moitra-very-happy-with-pkmusic_1507143.html
50
Home » Entertainment
Monday, 1 December 2014 - 11:02am IST | Place: Kolkata | Agency: PTI
Music director Shantanu Moitra has released his debut book in English
Music director Shantanu Moitra says he used to travel across India in search of
music.
Shantanu, who began his musical career composing jingles in advertisements,
has penned his debut book in English titled- On the Wings of Music.
The composer said his first such travel was while he was still a fresher in college
to Jaisalmer from Delhi, where he grew up, to listen to Ravanhatta, a little-known
string instrument.
"I had heard it but once at a cultural festival in Delhi and was completely
mesmerised by its sound," he said.
His mysterious encounter with a chained dacoit, who played the Ravanhatta for
him, in the dead of the night in the pitch dark railway station is the first anecdote
in the book.
51
"I am pulled by the fact that there is a whole big world out there... I have moved
around extensively in off beat places. I have realised that what governs the world
is love," Moitra, whose latest musical venture is upcoming Aamir Khan starrer PK.
"Travels liberate me from the grind of big cities like Mumbai.... The journeys have
blurred the lines between home and the world and I get the glimpse of the
meaning of vasudhaiva kutumbakam."
Shantanu said he is also a mountaineer, a cook and a writer.
He also has an interest in photography in equal measure.
"I live life for the moment. Music is a small part of my life, travelling and
mountaineering are my passions," said the man who shot to fame with his
composition for Parineeta, and followed it up with films like Lage Raho
Munnabhai, 3 Idiots and Madras Cafe.
Shantanu said he was initially reluctant to relocate to Mumbai from Delhi where
he had grown up. "I think it was my frank declaration of my feelings that intrigued
Javed Akhtar, who had first asked me."
'On the Wings of Music' is a collection of 28 anecdotes, reminiscences and self
revelation charting the growth of a timid, diffident and self-effacing boy to a music
composer of international repute.
The book, second by the musician after his Bengali work Pherari Mon, is written
in an autobiographical vein with his ebullience and sense of adventure coming
through in each anecdote.
Shantanu said the book was written to fulfil the demands of his friends after the
success of his first one. The spark to write was ignited by Gulzar, who had
cleared his doubts about his ability.
His love for cooking and travelling is contained in his anecdote on the visit to
Kazakhstan where he had gone to participate in the world folk and pop meet and
during a visit to a high altitude desert there cooked for an Australian group.
Among the anecdotes in his new book are the passion about astronomy that he
and Gulzar shares, his becoming a professional composer in Parineeta from a
rookie, relation with Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika, whose last recorded song
was composed by him and his vibes with Javed Akhtar.
http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-i-used-to-travel-in-search-of-music-shantanumoitra-2039909
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53
Blogs
Book Review: On The Wings Of Music
November 23, 2014, 6:58 AM IST Abhijit Bhaduri in Just Like That | Books,
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Reviews | TOI
We were meeting after a long time. I remember Shantanu Moitra who used to be the guitarist
in school and now a successful composer in Bollywood. We were all waiting to hear
Shantanu tell us stories. He is now on a mission to save Indian folk music. The stories about
his early attempts at composition and more.
“Remember the rock show you pulled off. We actually sold tickets – and they were
expensive tickets we sold.” Syeda’s comment made us smile. Talking about Springdales
school always makes us nostalgic.
Shantanu was having his usual fish curry and rice like a true blue Bengali. He said, “Imagine
the principal giving us a way to sneak past the bureaucracy of the school. I truly owe her a
lot and Sushmit Bose for introducing all of us to the world of Dylan.”
“After all that musical education in Dylan, you had to make jingles for a while. Did you
actually enjoy making them?”
“Let me just say that it was a long wait to finally get a break in films. Of course, getting
Shubha Mudgal to sing a rock song was a great beginning. I heard it in the strangest places.
I was enjoying the rain in Delhi one August evening. It was pouring. I saw this car full of
youngsters hurling towards my car at breakneck speed. I had mentally written off my
chances of survival. The car stops in the nick of time, the youngsters inside roll down the
window glasses to apologize and guess what was playing in their car?”
54
“You have to sing Bawra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna from Hazaron Khwaishein Aisi. The
lyrics by Swanand Kirkire are unforgettable. Remember Chanda Re from the film Eklavya
sung by Hamsika Iyer – another of my favorite pieces of poetry by Swanand.”
Syeda asked him what we all wanted to, “Why don’t you make music like Parineeta
anymore? I love that music. It is truly my all time favorite.”
That sparked off a debate. We forgot about food. We all had our favorite compositions.
Shantanu said, “I really don’t know. Parineeta is special. Each song has a story. Everyone’s
joining that film has a story. Vidya Balan had gone through seventy auditions before she got
accepted as the lead. We had gone to Amsterdam for the release of the film. The whole
team traveled together. Swanand was particularly excited about his first trip abroad. He
called up his friend in India on his mobile to listen to the sound of the breeze in Amsterdam
for which he got a bill of thirty thousand bucks! In
Piyu Bole You have to listen to Shreya try to smile and sing at the same time – tough thing to
do. But just listen to her doing it so well.”
Partho asked the best question of the evening, “When a kid does well in Science, the
parents know that this is a good indication that he or she will pursue a career in Science.
Why doesn’t that happen when a kid wants to be a composer? How many instruments does
a person need to know before the parents are reassured that the kid has the ability to be a
composer?”
Shantanu’s answer surprised us, “Being good in Science is no guarantee that the kid will
turn out to be a good doctor or engineer. It is just a probability. To be a music director all you
need to do is to dream. You don’t need to know how to play an instrument – though that
helps. It is all about being able to imagine a tune. I have to have the full song in my head
before I start layering it with a few chords, then embellish it some more. As Gulzar saab says
the songs have to be nurtured. Just the way RD Burman did. Sometimes a song has to be
nourished and nurtured over days and weeks.”
We had long since finished eating. The signs of food on the plate had faded away. We
wanted Palash and Shibani to sing one of Shantanu’s compositions from Welcome to
Sajjanpur.
“Zeb sings Jaise Mile Ajnabi so beautifully. Bilal Sami’s lyrics are awesome. This is the
return of pure melody backed by powerful lyrics. That makes the songs so hummable. I
would be happy if you made more such songs.” Shantanu bowed down in an exaggerated
manner and strummed the nylon strings of his guitar.
“What can be done to encourage more composers? How about increasing competition for
Shantanu?”
Shantanu missed the nudge. “There are no reality shows that let people showcase their
ability to compose. You guys should sponsor such reality shows. Or when we invite people
to sing songs composed by others during the neighborhood functions, we should keep some
time for people to sing their own compositions.”
55
Pinaki said, “Guys it is late. I don’t know about you, but I have to get to office tomorrow
morning. One last song that all of us can sing together. I vote for my favorite song from 3
Idiots. Give Me Some Sunshine.”
Shantanu’s book On the Wings of Music has many such anecdotes and all the songs that we
sang that day. The CD is part of the deal. Check it out.
Spoiler: This is a review of Shantanu Moitra’s book On the Wings of Music. The evening
described here is created from the anecdotes that are there in his book.
DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/just-like-that/book-review-on-the-wings-ofmusic/
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Shantanu Moitra 'very happy' with
PK music
PTI|Nov30,2014,03.49PMIST
ShantanuMoitra|musiccomposer|AnushkaSharmaSanjayDutt|AnushkaSharma|AamirKhan
ShantanuMoitra
RELATED
•
•
•
•
•
ShantanuMoitratoattendEkMulakatseriesinJaipur
PK:AamirKhansaysloveisawasteoftime
ChaarKadam:SushantSinghRajputromancesAnushkaSharma
AnushkaSharmaattendsLondonFashionWeek
AnushkaSharmaavoidsquestionsaboutherengagementtoViratKohli
MusiccomposerShantanuMoitrais"veryhappy"withhisworkinthe
forthcomingAamirKhanstarrer'PK'andhopespeoplewillloveit.
"Iamveryhappytohaveusedtheclassicwaltz,lyrical,liltingmusicandduets
for'PK',"hetoldduringhisvisithereforthelaunchofhisdebutbookinEnglish
'OntheWingsofMusic'.
"Myuseofmusicin'PK'goeswithmybeliefthatarichbaritonelikeNatKing
Colehasaneternalappeal,"saidShantanu,whohaspreviouslycomposed
musicfor'Parineeta','LageRahoMunnabhai','HazaronKhwahishenAisi',
'MadrasCafe'and'3Idiots'.
64
"Theexperienceofcomposingfor'PK'hasbeenexcellent,"saidthemusic
composer,whohaswontheNationalFilmAwardthisyearforbestmusic
directionforTamilfilm'NaBangarruTaali'.
'PK'hasbeendirectedbyRajKumarHiraniandalsostarsAnushkaSharma,
SanjayDuttandSushantSinghRajput.Itisscheduledtobereleasedon
December19.
WATCH:PK'snewsongreleased
StayupdatedonthegowithTheTimesofIndia’smobileapps.Clickhereto
downloaditforyourdevice.
READ:ShantanuMoitra-RajasthanrepresentsIndianfolkmusic
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/Shantanu-Moitra-very-happywith-PK-music/articleshow/45325285.cms
65
Shantanu Moitra at PK's presentation in Bruges - photo 2
Posted On : November 26, 2014
Shantanu Moitra & Swanand Kirkire at PK's presentation in Bruges - photo 2
Read / Post comments
Views : 60
<< Previous | Home | Next >>
Event:
Guest List:
Director Rajkumar Hirani talked about the presentation of his upcoming
film PK in Bruges. Also present were Shantanu Moitra, Swanand Kirkire
& others. Starring Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma, Sanjay Dutt, Sushant
Singh Rajput, Boman Irani & Saurabh Shukla, PK is set to release on 19th December, 2014.
Rajkumar Hirani, Shantanu Moitra, Swanand Kirkire
66
http://www.glamsham.com/picture-gallery/rajkumar-hirani-talks-about-presentation-of-pk-inbruges-gallery/event/15226/2/index.htm
High on music
By Deepali Dhingra |Posted 23-Nov-2014
A decade in Bollywood and a National Award later, composer Shantanu Moitra still considers
music his hobby. The artiste, whose next offering is Aamir Khan’s film PK, tells Deepali
Dhingra why most of his compositions come to him when he’s in the mountains
As he zoomed into his camera to capture the elusive Black-Necked Crane in Leh, a hint of a
tune flashed across Shantanu Moitra’s mind. He immediately turned on his recorder and
hummed the melody. On returning to Mumbai, he met Rajkumar Hirani and made him listen
to it. Today, that very tune, along with many others, has transformed into a composition for
PK — Hirani’s upcoming movie starring Aamir Khan, which releases on December 18.
Shantanu Moitra has a simple formula to what constitutes a good song — a
combination of a good melody, good lyrics and good singing. The rest is
intellectualisation, he tells us. Pic/Atul Kamble
67
“Most of the tunes for the film came to me when I was on that 10-day camp in Leh, and
during my earlier trip to Nagaland,” the music composer tells us.
The mountains have been a part of Moitra’s life ever since he can recall. The 46-year-old left
his job as a client servicing executive to get into music full-time. “On mountaineering
expeditions, one needs to camp in villages. While it’s fascinating to learn about different
music and food cultures, travelling also makes you humble. You need to break the shackles
of your idiosyncrasies and be a part of the journey. And this is the reason why many of my
compositions come to me when I’m travelling. That’s when my mind is truly free,” he
explains.
Bollywood beats
When Moitra is not scaling mountains, he’s busy climbing the music charts, what with
movies such as Parineeta, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi and 3 Idiots
in his kitty. However, the musician doesn’t believe in the number game, and prefers to let his
work do the talking. “On my website and as the closing line in my email, I have put an
inspiring line by pianist Glenn Gould: ‘Music is not about instant gratification but the slow
poison that fills your body and gives you divine sublimation’. This, I believe, is the point of
music. My music is about songs that can become a part of your life. That is why I’m
extremely proud when I know what effect Behti hawaa sa tha woh has on people,” says the
musician.
PK will be Moitra’s third project with Hirani as well as lyricist Swanand Kirkire after Lage
Raho Munnabhai and 3 Idiots. Ask him about his rapport with Hirani and he laughs, “If I have
given four-and-a-half years to PK, then I had better be friends with Raju.”
As for Kirkire, their friendship goes back 10-12 years, when they worked together on the
song Baawara mann for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003).
Counting the similarities between them, Moitra says, “Both of us did not want to be part of
Bollywood, but both of us landed in this industry. While our music has socialist undertones,
good poetry and offbeat voices have contributed to our popularity. While he is a fantastic
theatre actor, I’m an avid mountaineer. Our worlds outside music are fascinating, and we
admire each other for that.”
Off the beaten track Moitra, who was part of Coke Studio and The Dewarists, is excited
about working on the fourth season of The Dewarists. “I think these shows are fantastic. I’ve
said this many times earlier, that a country’s representation of music cannot be its film
music. Film music is influenced by various genres such as folk, traditional music and
ghazals. Without these, it will fail. These shows are a platform for the incredible singers and
music of my country, and that’s what makes them so exciting to be a part of,” he says.
The musician is also working on a seven-part television series called Songs of the River,
which is still in the making.
- See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/high-onmusic/15787190#sthash.R9qHdMfL.dpuf
http://www.mid-day.com/articles/high-on-music/15787190
68
HYDERABAD,November10,2014
Updated:November10,201420:37IST
‘I’ve come across incredible stories of
honesty’
SangeethaDeviDundoo
ShantanuMoitra
69
DirectorRajeshTouchriver,actressAnjaliPatilandcomposerShantanuMoitraduringan
interactionfor'MaaBangaaruTalli'.
Photo:NagaraGopal
Shantanu Moitra talks about composing for a TeluguMalayalam bilingual and his forthcoming book
Shantanu Moitra feels the National Award Best Background Score he bagged for Naa
Bangaaru Talli is truly national in its sense. “I am a Bengali born in Lucknow, grew up in
Delhi and working in Mumbai, winning this award for a Telugu/Malayalam bilingual. Can it
get any better?” he quips. He was in town for the film’s audio launch and discussed how he
got involved with the film, why he’s selective with films and where his interests lie.
Shantanu was neck deep in recording for 3 Idiots when producer-activist Sunita Krishnan and
director Rajesh Touchriver showed him their film. “I met Sunita five years ago after a TED
talk and was astounded by the work she was doing through Prajwala. I had no idea how I
could help but I told her to let me know if there was anything I could do. In between my
schedule for 3 Idiots, I saw this film and couldn’t get it out of my head for the next three
days,” says Shantanu.
He found himself is a tight corner. He was in awe of the film but felt the makers didn’t have
its background score in place. “I was looking at it from a craft point of view and not as their
friend. I knew what could be done but was afraid to voice it because they’d ask me to do it. I
had my hands full with 3 Idiots,” he says. Shantanu ultimately shared his thoughts with
Rajesh, who also felt that the background score had to be redone.
70
“It was challenging. The score had already been composed and I had to strip it down to zero
and start from scratch,” he says.
He also composed a song, sung by Shreya Ghoshal, which was later incorporated into the
film. If Shreya is nearly flawless with her Telugu diction, Shantanu adds, “I couldn’t
understand the language. I found her impeccable with the emotions. Meanwhile Rajesh was
filming how we, a bunch of people who didn’t know Telugu and Malayalam, responded to
the visual medium and composed music.”
Shantanu, now working on Rajkumar Hirani’s PK, says his bread and butter comes from
composing for commercials. That, he says, makes it possible for him to be selective with
films and allows him time to travel and work with independent artists in remote villages who
may not be able to make the journey to the recording studio. “I believe that any country’s
representation of art, especially music, cannot be only from its cinema. If I travel to Spain
and want to listen to music the country has to offer, I wouldn’t pick a Spanish film. A movie
is about a story and its characters and music matches that. We are brainwashed into believing
that unless a film star lip syncs a song, it cannot have a reach,” he says.
Shantanu has collaborated with independent bands and artists for Coke Studio and credits this
interest to his beginnings, when he shot to fame with Ab Ke Sawan, sung by Shubha Mudgal.
“Back then, I was in Delhi and had no interest in cinema. That year, I learnt that Javed Akhtar
played Ab Ke Sawan repeatedly in the Holi bash at his house. He coerced me to move to
Mumbai,” says the composer, who has penned his travelogues and musings on music in the
forthcoming book ‘On the Wings of Music’. “Stories of rape and corruption alone do not
represent a billion people. Through my travels, I’ve come across incredible stories of honesty
and bonhomie and wanted to share this through the book,” he says.
Keywords: Shantanu Moitra
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/ive-come-across-incredible-stories-ofhonesty/article6583207.ece
71
Bangaaru Talli: Not for the weak hearted
CINEMA PLUS » REVIEWS
November 21, 2014
Updated: November 21, 2014 20:27 IST
· A still from the film
TOPICS
cinema
Telugu cinema
Week after week, when one gets to watch films that re-churn staid commercial
formula, boredom creeps in and one wonders where the truly absorbing stories are.
And then, out of the blue comes a Telugu film that steers clear of a predictable story,
stereotyped characters and force fit comedy and stunt sequences. With three
national awards and five international awards under its belt, Naa Bangaaru
Talli by director Rajesh Touchriver has received a delayed yet limited release. From
the pre-release publicity, it was clear that the film is narrating a true story of sex
trafficking. Yet, nothing prepares a viewer for the twist in the tale.
The story is set in a hamlet somewhere in Rajahmundry where a teenager, Durga
(played by Anjali Patil) is celebrating her state-level rank and dreams of pursuing
72
higher studies in Hyderabad. Her doting father (Siddique) is eager that she
continues her studies, but not in the big, bad city.
Naa Bangaaru Talli
Cast: Anjali Patil and Siddique
Direction: Rajesh Touchriver
Music: Sharreth and Shantanu Moitra
Bottomline: Truth is stranger than fiction
The film takes its own time to establish the father-daughter bond and through a few
sporadic incidents, shows the young girl’s anger when she comes across instances
of sexual harassment. There is a sense of lurking danger as the director keeps
viewers guessing as to what will shatter this close-knit family. Will it happen when
she travels by train one night to Hyderabad? Will one of the men in the village turn
out to be her nemesis? When the twist in the tale is revealed, it comes as a rude
shock. More so when we process the fact that it’s a true story.
The film picks up momentum from here and doesn’t shy away from showing the
predicament of an innocent teenager caught in a cesspool of flesh trade. The father
goes in search of his daughter who is now coming to terms with what has happened
to her and attempts to escape, in vain. The film that had all the potential to be a
riveting thriller slows down when it lingers more than necessary on the attitude of
women and men at the brothel. Some of the dialogues that convey the treatment
meted out to girls who try to escape, the leering men in the background and the
women with heavy make-up, can make the weak-hearted uncomfortable in their
seats.
The last 15 minutes make up for the rough edges in the earlier portions.
Words are used minimally and the story telling happens largely
through the expressions of the actors involved and the terrific
background score of Shantanu Moitra. Initially, one tends to feel that Anjali
Patil’s expressions and dialogue delivery and expression precariously border on
going overboard. But as the film progresses, she comes into her own and owns the
film in the final moments. Siddique is pitch perfect as the father with a natural,
believable performance. Theatre actor Ratna Shekhar Reddy puts in a neat
performance as Durga’s fiancé. Rama Thulasi’s cinematography deserves a
mention.
Naa Bangaaru Talli narrates a hard-hitting true story that requires courage to
digest.
Keywords: Naa
Bangaaru Talli
, Rajesh Touchriver, Telugu cinema, movie review
http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/bangaaru-talli-not-for-the-weakhearted/article6621864.ece?textsize=small&test=2
73
Shantanu Moitra: Rajasthan represents
Indian folk music
RichaShukla,TNN|Nov5,2014,12.00AMIST
Shantanu Moitra
WhenmusicdirectorShantanuMoitrawasrecentlyinthecity,hesharedhisloveforRajasthani
music.Hesaid,"Itwon'tbeanexaggerationtosaythatIndianfolkmusickarepresentationsabse
zyadaRajasthanifolknehikiyahai.Rajasthanisthebest-marketedintheworldofmusic."
Onbeingaskedaboutthecopyrightissuesofthefolkartists,hesaid,"Copyrightlawsarethe
weakestinIndia.Suchissueshavecroppedupvarioustimeswhenfolkartistsarenotgivendue
credit.Thebiggestfalloutintheprocessisthatthephysicalformatofmusicisbecomingobsolete,as
everythingisbeingdigitalized.Atimewillcomewhentherewillbenoacknowledgementor
recognitionforthecreativeteambehindit."
Moitra,whostartedhiscareerasabanker,movedtoanadvertisementagencyandtookupmusicas
hisprofessionafterthat."Iwas27whenIenteredamusicstudio.Itwastoolatethen.ButIwasstill
happythatIpushedmyselftofulfillmydream,nomatterhowlatethatwas.Betterlatethennever.I
startedafresh,andthefirst26yearsofmylifecompletelyvanishedfrommymemory,"hesaid.
ThecomposeralsobelievesthatBollywoodmusicisgoingthroughanuncertainphaserightnow.He
explained,"Today'sBollywoodmusichasnothingtodowithcinema.Itwon'tbeanexaggerationto
saythatsongsinanymannerdonotbelongtothestoryofthefilm.Anysongcanbeusedinany
film.Andtheyarenotdirectlyconnectedtothestory.Therewasatimewhensongswereanintegral
partofthenarration.Nowifyoutalktoyourdirector,hisfirstreactionwillbe,'gaanakamaalhai
lekinringtonemeinchalegayanahi?'Amajorcriterioniswhetherpeoplewouldliketouseitastheir
ringtoneornot,asthatwilladdtotheirbusiness."
ALSOREAD:DevmeetsShantanuMoitraandPaponatBunoHaanshmusiclaunch
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/Shantanu-Moitra-Rajasthanrepresents-Indian-folk-music/articleshow/45034100.cms
74
Shantanu Moitra to attend Ek Mulakat
series in Jaipur
TNN|Oct19,2014,12.00AMIST
ShantanuMoitra
Musicloversrejoice!ShantanuMoitra,thenationalaward-winningmusiccomposeroffilmslike
Parineetaand3Idiots,willbeinJaipurtoattendtheEkMulakatseriesasaguestspeaker,wherehe
willbeinconversationwithsingerManeshaAAgarwal.
EkMulakatisajointseriesofPrabhaKhaitanFoundationandITCRajputana,whererenowned
personalitiesfromvarioussegmentsofsocietyinteractwithselectguests.PtShivKumarSharma,
BaronessSandipVerma,SharmilaTagore,GoutamGhoseandDiaMirza,amongothers,have
attendedtheseriesinthepast.TheeventisscheduledtobeheldonTuesday,October21,atHotel
ITCRajputana.SunilGupta,generalmanagerofthehotel,said,"Wearelookingforwardtoasession
withShantanuMoitra,ashisloveforRajasthanifolkmusiciswellknown."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/jaipur/Shantanu-Moitra-to-attend-EkMulakat-series-in-Jaipur/articleshow/44868122.cms
75

Final Media Coverage Update: October 15 2014

Transcription

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