SNV Shoppee, a new retail chain from the house of Sanvie Retail Private Limited, launched a Durga Puja song, Namo Durge, on August 27 to celebrate the spirit of the biggest festival of Bengal. The song has been sung by Padma Shri-winner Kailash Kher and his voice perfectly captures the essence of the festival, which is around the corner.
Namo Durge has been composed by Arin and the lyrics are by Suprotim Dey. The video for the song — launched on the same day at JW Marriott Kolkata — is directed by Shibram Sharma and has been shot across the City of Joy, featuring the likes of Sanvie More, Viyan Lohia, Noah Sharma, Shreema Bhattacherjee, Riya Ganguly, Sneha Ghoshal, Shreeradhe Khanduja, Tanmoy Bhattacharya, Shadman Khan and Tasha K. The song, which essentially captures the heart and soul of Bengali nostalgia, is available across leading digital platforms, like Gaana, Damroo App, YouTube Music, Spotify, Jio Saavn, Apple Music and Amazon Music. The business group has also launched its logo on the occasion.
Before the launch of the music video, we spoke to Kailash Kher about Namo Durge and more. Excerpts.
How did the idea of this Bengali Puja song come about?
People often ask me to be involved in songs that are spiritual in nature but sometimes you don’t know the people well enough or you don’t know if they are in the project just for the sake of it. I have no idea of their inner spiritualism. The owners of Sanvie Retail Private Limited are entrepreneurs from Calcutta but they have a philanthropic and humane side to their business. When my office told me about their motto and philosophy I was immediately ready. They have a good intention of venturing into spiritual music and they have decided to give the profits to an NGO associated with charity. Industrialists and entrepreneurs are business-minded people who are usually interested in the ROI (return on investment) but you will rarely come across businessmen who want to do some kind of service to God or for charity.
A still from the music video for the song Nammo Durge
You seem to give most of your songs a touch of the divine... right from Jhoomo re to Bam lahari to Namo Durge... is this a conscious effort?
It’s because of the way I have been brought up. I grew up in a gurukul, studied there. I had never heard of film music while being there. But as fate would have it, now I am in the film industry and I compose film music. With films, glamour followed. My life is like a film and I have seen that journey like a movie. Everyone’s life is built around struggles and challenges. In the film Dasvidaniya, I wrote and sang O maa meri maa, which was about my mother. My mother used to pull my ear when I was a child and later too when I became famous. So these thoughts went into writing and singing that number. Life has taught me a lot and that spirituality comes from these experiences. It has happened to me that I involve spirituality even in romantic songs because I believe that the ultimate love is between us and Parmatma. All else is untrue.
Your music is soulful and touching....
Spirituality is something that resides within me but I have put in my best effort even then. Nothing happens without hard work and God’s blessings.
Actress Shreema Bhattacherjee, who stars in the video and was at the launch, said: “The best part about this video is the Durga Puja vibe. The song is special because of Kailash Kher sir and also because it has so many emotions associated with the festival.”
Alok Kumar More, chairman, Sanvie Retail Pvt Ltd (right), told: “We launched this beautiful song Nammo Durge. The song’s lyrics are in Bengali and Sanskrit. And Kailash Kher’s pronunciation and command over Sanskrit has elevated it to a different level. We hope that the song is able to do justice to the range of emotions exuded during Durga Puja and gets inscribed in the hearts of the listeners.”
Varun More (left), managing director, Sanvie Retail Pvt. Ltd, said: “The song aims to focus on the festive spirit of our consumers. As we have just launched our retail chain, SNV Shoppee, we intended to give something special to the people of Bengal, which has a rich culture.”
I guess you didn’t need a brief for this song because this one is a veneration of the Goddess Durga.
When I heard the words Nammo Durge I was fascinated. Then my team told me about the group behind this initiative. I realised they wanted to get into religious music to make a change in society.
Tell us a bit about the song, its essence.
It’s a veneration of Ma Durga. It’s a song in her praise. Bengal and Calcutta’s biggest festival is Durga Puja. If it’s about Bengal, it will be about literature, art, education, music and bhakti (devotion).
Why did it take so long for you to sing something associated with the biggest festival for Bengalis?
I have performed live concerts here. I have also sung a Bengali number called Joy joy Maa for the film Arundhati and it too was about Goddess Durga. Now I have come up with a Puja song and I am happy because apart from the spiritual angle, it has a charitable intention.
Will you sing more Bengali tracks now? Any offers?
I have sung the title track called Renu from a Bengali film Ei Ami Renu. The music and lyrics are by Rana Mazumder. I don’t sing much but I come up with songs that will resonate with you. Kam mein hi dum hota hai (it’s about quality not quantity). Recently, I sang Choti si chiraiya for the film Mimi. I’ve received a lot of praise for it.
