With hoots, cheers and claps, Jadavpur University welcomed the 36-year-old guy whose song gave a name to a breakthrough movement on the campus some months ago. As Bangladeshi singer-songwriter Arnob took the stage at Sanskriti 2015 on April 29 and strummed the first few chords of Hok kolorob, the crowd erupted in a kolorob, singing along and cheering him on. A day later, t2 caught up with the reclusive singer at a Lake Road coffee shop.

You had a spare day after the gig. What did you do?

On Thursday (April 30) I went back to Jadavpur University to catch Indian Ocean’s performance. I enjoyed it because when I sing live I am too scared to look at the audience. I search for an empty spot somewhere, at times the notebook which has nothing written in it except for the song list. Actually, I don’t know how the audience is going to react and I fear getting distracted. I prefer singing with my eyes closed. I am also making it a habit to stand and sing. However, for the song Majhe majhe tobo dekha pai, the students sang the entire song. It’s fun to sing with the entire audience. 

How was the JU crowd?

I have a special liking for Jadavpur University because of the way they took the Hok Kolorob movement forward and used the song (Hok kolorob). They captured the essence of the song. As we grow up, we lose the innocence. Children question all the time, and similarly the students questioned the authority here in a peaceful way through a song. I now feel Hok kolorob belongs to the students, it’s not mine anymore. I dedicate the song to them. That is why I sang the song twice. 

Where were you when the Hok Kolorob movement was in full swing last September? 

I was in Dhaka then. A friend of mine informed me about the Hok Kolorob movement. He asked me to look up Facebook. I first saw a video that the students had made, and then I started getting phone calls. I was spellbound.  
 
So what was it like performing Hok kolorob at JU finally?

I had no clue that so many people would show up! When I entered the university, the area around the gates were quite empty but as I moved towards the OAT, I could see more and more people. That scared me. I went up on stage and said, ‘I am nervous, so please sing along with me.’ Not just me, everyone in my band was surprised to see such a huge crowd. Many even requested me to stay back in Calcutta. 

Do you know that you are a rage on Calcutta campuses?

I don’t know when people started listening to my songs, when they accepted me and when they started liking my songs. On April 29, I felt like I was one of them, a part of the movement... I felt like I was still in college!

Do you get feedback from the  Calcutta fans on your Facebook page?

Yes, I do. Some say they love my voice, some love my approach, some say I sing effortlessly. But I really don’t know why people love me so much. In fact, I would like to know what exactly people like about me! I have seen people use some of my songs to convey their emotions, what they are feeling. I really like when someone makes my songs their own. 

Do you feel satisfied as a musician?

I feel I should slow down the music-making now. I had never planned on becoming a musician or a singer. I wanted to draw. Now the more I do commercial music like jingles, I feel it is a mechanical process. The studio is an artificial place, it’s so suffocating. You cannot understand if it is day or night. It is almost like ‘typing music’. The interaction with the listener is missing. I don’t think I can continue this for long. 

After a point of time, I get very depressed. Who am I doing it for? I think if it is for the money, I better do something else. After working on commercial music the whole day, I don’t feel like playing the guitar and singing for myself. 

Would you like to compose for Bengali films?

I have to arrive at a decision before it’s too late. When it comes to making commercial music in a studio, there’s no routine or structure. Today one has work, tomorrow there might be none. Since childhood I have wanted to make a movie. I have made a documentary on my father Swapan Chowdhury (artist) called Introspection. After watching it, a number of people told me to make a film. So I’m going to the New York Film Academy to do a two-month course on screenplay writing and direction in July. I’ve already completed writing a story, and will start working on the screenplay next. And once I’m back from New York, I would like to teach visual art in an art institute in Dhaka. I’ll be with people then… I’ll go crazy if I’m left on my own! 

But if you start teaching, what will your fans do?!

I feel if my life has structure, I’ll be more productive. Then I’ll feel the urge to compose music. I’ll feel inspired. Anupam Roy had paid me a huge compliment. He had said, ‘Your songs helped us find a new direction.’ I like his songs.... The industry puts so much pressure on artistes. I get confused at times, which is why I want to get out of this. If I have to make music, I have to leave it first. 

So what’s the story of your film?

It’s about purono Dhaka but I’ve not set it in a specific period. In the ideation stage, I opened a dictionary and randomly picked a word without looking. I repeated the process for another word, and another and another, and somehow through these word associations a story formed, and it somehow connected with my memory. There was a link. I’ve structured the two main stories in such a way that they run parallel to each other. There’s an element of magic realism to it. And the sense of innocence prevalent in my songs is also there in the story for the film. It’ll be a film that cuts across all age groups, just like my songs.  

Your memories of Calcutta?

Most of my friends are here. Calcutta is like my second home. Now I don’t have much time to go anywhere but years ago, around 1996, I would frequent Olypub, Someplace Else, the book stores and record stores on Free School Street. I bought a lot of LPs from those shops. I would go to Academy of Fine Arts, Nandan, but now I don’t know… I feel scared. I want to be a part of a crowd, so that no one can single me out. In Dhaka, wherever I go, someone comes up to me… doesn’t even ask ‘How are you?’, just whips out the cellphone and takes a selfie. 

Would you like to take a selfie with someone?

(Thinks hard) I take selfies with friends, people who I’m meeting after a long time. Zakir Hussain had come down for a gig in Dhaka (where Arnob was also playing), and I was so scared that I didn’t go anywhere near him. Finally, I bumped into him at dinner. He told me I’m on the right path and not to be scared. All my band members took pictures with him, but I couldn’t do it.... I would like to take a selfie with Bob Dylan. 

Do you have crazy fan moments?

Fans send me gifts from New York, Calcutta… in fact the watch (Citizen) I’m wearing now is a gift from a Calcutta fan. She had told me to wear the watch whenever I’m in town (laughs). She is crazy like me. It’s great if you can share things with like-minded people, or talk to someone special.
 
Is there a special person in your life?

My friends have strictly told me not to fall in love (smiles)! Aami ektu pagla achhi (I am a little crazy). I have an addictive personality. If I start doing something, I won’t stop until I’m getting it right. If you give me a problem, I’ll keep at it until I solve it. A relationship demands a lot of time, and I don’t have that time right now. My career is at a crucial stage now. Half my life is gone, and I want to do a lot more. 

But aren’t you looking for love?

I’m open-minded about it. I would like to meet people, talk to them, but I can’t commit right now. Only when I’m a bit settled can I invite someone into my life. I’m not sure which way life will take me.  

Is this loneliness a driving force behind your songs?

I talk to my friends, like Sahana (ex-wife, now based in London), about songs. We have a different deal. She asks me to do the music for her song, and I tell her to write me a song (smiles). We are friends. My next album Khoob Doob will be coming out soon.

Arindam Chatterjee and Malancha Dasgupta
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