Picture by Akhilesh Rai

Neel Dutt, the music director of Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona, settles down for a t2 adda with Ranjana’s voice Somlata Acharyya Chowdhury by his side at Alice Villa, an old heritage hotel in Darjeeling.

What kind of voice were you looking for for Ranjana?

Neel: I was looking for a very clear voice. Somebody who’s well versed with the Bengali language. A contemporary voice but with no false accent. Ranjana comes from the suburbs and she’s quite a stubborn girl. Unless she was adventurous she wouldn’t have taken the step of coming down to Calcutta and trying to make a career. Therefore the singing too had to be slightly edgy but not very rock. Melodious and Bengali but with an attitude.

How many singers did you audition before choosing Somlata?

Neel: I tried out a couple of singers and had also considered not having just one voice for Ranjana but then Somlata did fill the whole gap. When the character was being written and the old songs were being thought of, which Ranjana might sing with Abani Sen [Anjan Dutt], I felt that Somlata has that perfect blend of both a contemporary voice and the perfect pitch.

Somlata: Tumi ashbe bole was supposed to be dubbed by someone else but on the day of recording Anjanda told Neel that it’s better if the same voice remains.

Neel: Both of us thought that it’s better to stick to one voice and Somlata likes the song.

Somlata: The moment I heard the arrangement of the track I cribbed to Neel ‘You’re not giving the track to me’.... When Anjanda said that he wanted me to do it I was very excited. At the same time there was pressure since the song is a very famous number of Anjanda’s.

Neel: I know that Somlata had never sung a song like that before, with this bluesy kind of feel.

You guys have worked together before?

Somlata: We have, in Cross Connection and some of Anjanda’s telefilms. He had told me that this was going be a big project so I was kind of getting ready and pretty excited when it actually happened.

Neel: I usually never precondition a singer but for Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona I had given Somlata a brief of the story and Ranjana’s character which helped her chalk out the image in her head. Here was this girl who sings and plays the guitar so would she be like a Janis Joplin? No. Mousumi Bhowmik? No. There aren’t many references for this in Bengali music so she would be the first of her kind female rock star who reaches stardom through ups and downs. So there had to be that struggle in the voice. At the same time fun and vibrant.

Somlata: Anjanda and Neel leave it to you and accept if it turns out well.

How much do you relate to the character of Ranjana?

Somlata: The biggest connection is music. I am as passionate about music as Ranjana but the level to which she has had to strive I probably haven’t had to, till now. I am trained in Indian classical music under Pandit Biresh Roy at Sangeet Research Academy but I had a knack for western music. I always wanted to sing like that but could not find anyone in Calcutta who could teach or guide me. Tai shuney shuney I would pick up songs of Backstreet Boys or Aqua. In films I’ve sung for Box No. 1313 and a crossover film called The Perfect Woman by Marvel Gima.

Neel: I think Somlata’s voice has that vulnerability too. She is relatively a new singer in the industry; that also works for Ranjana.

How much is it about the singer and how much about the song in Tollywood music today?

Neel: Well it’s always about the song. The song has to be good. It has to work. The melody has to be touching and hummable. But we also need fresh and unique voices who can deliver. At the same time the song has to go with the film.

Somlata: That was a question that bothered me even till a few days back. The notion that producers had that it was only the singer who was responsible for a hit because of which they’d get singers from Mumbai to sing Bengali songs. Tollywood films are undergoing changes and so is the music. Music directors are open to experiments and that has helped a lot of new singers to surface.

Neel’s favourites

Singer? John Lennon. The purest voice in human history.
Music director? Nino Rota, John Williams, Pandit Ravi Shankar.
Music influence? The Beatles.
Studio or stage? Stage for its spontaneity, vibe, energy, emotion, a culmination of whatever I’ve learnt.
Bengali movie soundtrack? All the songs from Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne.

Somlata’s favourites

Singer? Asha Bhonsle for her versatility.
Music director? A.R. Rahman, Ilaiyaraja.
Music influence? My guruji Pandit Biresh Roy
Studio or stage? Studio. It’s where I’m more comfortable.
Bengali movie soundtrack? Tumi ashbe boley from Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona and Chupi chupi raat from Chalo Let’s Go…