The Importance of Being Switty

Sachin-Jigar may have pulled a winner with this otherwise low profile album. But we are happy to find there are other musicians,who have made it to this marquee. Try listening to the extremely groovy and quirky tracks of Bejoy Nambiar’s critically acclaimed thriller,Shaitan,and you will know how composer Prashant Pillai has added new shade to his music by including Indian classical,rock,folk,hip-hop and everything under the sun. And then there is the Dhinka Chaka track,for Salman Khan fans,who are still dancing to the part-gibberish track full of pedestrian language. If Rajiv Bhalla’s Bojhil Sa from Onir’s I Am struck a chord,then Delhi Belly is being referred to as Ram Sampath’s most credible score.

For most of these musicians,it is not having to work under a blueprint that works. “The directors are not looking at a very commercial sound these days. In the case of Shaitan,I had to break away from the clutter,” says Prashant Pillai,whose six tracks from Shaitan are being appreciated for their grungy feel along with a blend of hip-hop and classical riffs. A self-taught musician,Pillai assisted AR Rahman and posted his music online before Nambiar stumbled upon it. Add the new lot of experimental directors and their cinema to this and you get an eclectic blend.

Having proved that it pays to break a few rules along the way,the musicians are busy doing their own thing. “This is an Amit Trivedi inspired generation and definitely ready to do their own thing,” says Jigar Saraiya,27,of the Sachin-Jigar duo. Trivedi is known for his music in Dev D and No One Killed Jessica.

A lot of mixes seem to be working suddenly,thanks to some risque lyrics adding to the edginess of the tracks,the recent one being Bhaag DK Bose from Delhi Belly,that mixes Eastern music with punk-rock. “The album is a mix of heartbreak and hip-shake. The music has to do with the times we live in. For instance,Bhaag DK Bose is all about our hurried lives,” says Sampath. So,Switty Tera Pyaar spoofs the psychotic stalkers of Hindi cinema,whereas Penchar Disco,a folk-meets-rock number,shows the protagonist tripping on a heartbreak.

But there are still some,who are cashing in on the success of commercial sounding tracks. “And that is what a Salman Khan track does. It has to be catchy,with part-gibberish lyrics,” says composer Devi Sri Prasad,otherwise known for his famous Telugu song,Aa Ante Amalapuram.