In the past you have worked with music composers like (brother) Mayookh, Neel Dutt, Rupam-Allan.... What do you look for in a music director? 
Mainak: Everyone has their own school of making music. I have been friends with Neel and Anjanda for a long time. With Rupam, my association goes back to the time when I first heard Fossils. I wanted to keep the aggression as part of my soundtrack. With Anupam (Roy), it was always about owning his songs! Most of Anupam’s songs are very cinema-friendly. I don’t mean it in the Bollywood sense of the word ’cause that’s not how I like to use music in my films. Music should ideally trigger an emotion in you.

The Facebook page of Family Album says it’s a romantic comedy. What’s the ideal soundscape for a Bengali romantic comedy?
Mainak: Some people are calling it a romantic comedy but there’s a serious angle to Family Album (produced by Friends Communication) that is parallely running. I have never thought of sticking to a genre ever. I have never believed in it. I’m telling a story, and if it branches out into something funny then great or if it takes a serious turn, then it goes that way. I won’t stop it. Musically, I never thought that this is the sound I’m looking for. I really wanted to hear the acoustic guitar, tanpura, sarod... I wanted to have a classically versed singer (Kaushiki Chakraborty). The two things may not go together but it didn’t matter to me. I wanted the soundtrack to be as erratic as the film.

The importance of music in your films...
... is so that I can own music for my iPod (laughs). I already have songs from Anupam’s albums and other film songs, and now I’ll have five more! If I had to produce an album of his, these are the songs that I would keep. 

Are you constantly talking about new international music releases with Anupam?
Music is so personal. It’s like asking a guy the number of Sunny Leone films he has. He would never tell you! Similarly, I would not like to say how many Avril Lavigne albums I have on my iPod. People have judged me on that in the past and I don’t like being judged. Oddly, we end up talking about more films than music. 

Both of you like Woody Allen films, right? 
Anupam: Yes, I like his Matchpoint. 
Mainak: Yes, that and also Crimes and Misdemeanours. 
Anupam: I try to catch all his films… what was the last one? Blue Jasmine?

Magic In The Moonlight came out after that…
Anupam: Ei re, pichhiye porechhi (smiles). I really liked To Rome With Love… remember that character played by Roberto Benigni, who doesn’t know why he is a celebrity.
Mainak: Which is also the case with some of today’s celebrities! We actually got talking about Woody Allen films before we started working together. And oddly, our personas are similar in a weird way. Anupam is not flashy, probably not fitting in, and…
Anupam: Both of us look as if we have entered a biyebari and do not know anyone!
Mainak: After a long time, I met someone who’s so politically incorrect. Now, after a lot of hard work I have become diplomatic, but Anupam can say anything in the blink of an eye. As long as he can maintain that honesty, it’ll be an advantage. 

Why do you like Anupam’s songs?  
Mainak: I have these favourites. If I go from Sting to Taylor Swift to Kelly Clarkson to John Mayer… I know there are no comparisons… Anupam has these influences somewhere. Also there’s a high Indian quality to his music. He has got a point of view, and musically the influences are something I can relate to. I love soft, lyrical, acoustic music.  
Anupam: My songs easily fit in with Mainak’s film. The best part is we can talk about one thousand other things. Whenever he calls up, I feel something exciting or interesting is going to happen.  

Did you have to leave out any one number?
Mainak: We mostly discussed two songs — Sheddo bhaat and one more song which is now only in my iPod. It’s a very special song, but it’s not there in the film. We went back and forth between Sheddo bhaat and this other special song and finally we felt Sheddo bhaat suits the film better. 

Isn’t the song Balika one of Srijit’s (Mukherji) favourites?
Anupam: Yes, now Srijit and Mainak can argue over it!
Mainak: And we have already done that (smiles). The moment I heard Balika (sung by Somlata Acharyya Chowdhury) for the first time, I knew that I had to have it for my film. So Anupam told me that Srijit had blocked this song. Then I get a call from Srijit asking if I have taken Balika, and do I plan to use it in a film. And I said yes.  And at that time I wasn’t sure how I would use this song. I didn’t want to take a chance with Balika. The song was like a valuable property, haat chaara kora jabe na! 
Anupam: I had composed all the songs some time ago and they were waiting to see the light of day. In 2013, I was also dying to see a film releasing that would have my songs. Only Shunyo Anka (with Anupam’s songs) released in 2013, that too in January. And now three releases — Piku, Family Album and Bela Sheshe — this month. 

But Anupam’s best songs somehow end up in Srijit’s films....
Mainak: Srijit and I go back a long way. We are friends. One of the songs in Maach Mishti & More was written by Srijit. In fact, Srijit told me to work with Anupam. Srijit has brought out the best in him. He knew exactly what his talent was. There are very few people in the fraternity with whom you can freely mix and have this exchange and it’s not a competition game. I like this vibe. This is how it should be. At the end of the day we are all making films, music. If we can all influence each other, that’s good for everyone. The films will then improve. 

Somlata, Balika has already notched up 17,300 views on YouTube...
Somlata: Balika is my first song with Anupam, though Mone pawrar gaan from Chotushkone released last year. I must have recorded Balika one-and-a-half years ago. Initially, I was super excited to get a call from Anupam to do the song. I found the lyrics really interesting. I am a big fan of his writing and when it comes to songwriters, Anupam is among the top three. The catchline of the song is very hummable. 
Anupam: Balika is a very urban, modern-sounding pop song, and I 
immediately thought of Somlata for this.

Kaushiki, tell us about your song, Je alap...
Kaushiki: My raga-based song has a very hummable melody, and it has been treated very smartly. The song has a lot of spontaneity.  
Anupam: We are very happy with the way her song has shaped up. We are all her fans. She is open to all kinds of ideas. 

Mainak, can you tell us how Kaushiki’s song has been used in the film?
I can’t actually, it’s in the climax (smiles)! 

Kaushiki, what’s your take on Anupam’s songs?
Kaushiki: I like his songs. Incidentally, I’ve watched him perform live in Bombay... we were also performing at the same gig. In fact, Hariprasad Chaurasia was in the green room, and he asked, ‘Who’s the guy singing?’ When I told him, he said, ‘He sings well, he is also playing the guitar.’

Mainak, with Anupam making his big Bolly debut with Piku, what are the advantages of having him as your composer?
Mainak: As long as he is successful as a music director and music keeps paying his bills, he’ll keep on writing songs. And I’ll keep listening to them and hopefully book some more since we are working on another film. 

Arindam Chatterjee