Shantanu Moitra on composing for Mujib: We decided not to use modern instruments

Music director-composer-pianist Shantanu Moitra is known for his work in musically-rich films like Parineeta (2005), Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003), Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006), 3 Idiots (2009), among others. The composer is now excited about the music of his latest, Mujib: The Making of a Nation, releasing in Indian theatres on October 27.

This Shyam Benegal directorial is an India-Bangladesh co-produced biographical film on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman aka Bangabandhu (translated as friend of Bengal), the Father of their Nation and first president of Bangladesh, who was assassinated with most of his family during a coup d'état on August 15, 1975.

In this interview with Moneycontrol, Shantanu Moitra talks about the music and score for the film, the genius of Shyam Benegal, transformation of Bangladeshi actor Arifin Shuvoo into the titular role and more. Edited excerpts from the interview:

Mujib: The Making of a Nation was made under trying circumstances, post-COVID. Could you tell us about it?

The film was around four years in the making. We started post-COVID under trying circumstances because we had the whole crew coming here from Bangladesh. Most importantly we were worried for Shyam Benegal. He was 84 then (now 88). But that man has been so amazing, he truly was the captain of the ship. He was so clear and fearless about it all and I think that was great. The shooting was happening at Film City for the India parts where we had created sets for Bangladesh. And I would often go there.

How involved are you when creating music and scoring for a film?

My technique of composing is that I generally believe in the fact that a song or a score comes from the story, characters and the environment. You cannot create in isolation. You have to be involved right from the beginning of the film and I have done that for most of the films in my life. For this one, I was there during the shoot, I would see them prepare, so that, by the time it came to my scoring, I already knew what Shyam Benegal’s vision was. The point is either one can share a vision by interview, reading the script or you can slowly imbibe the vision. I do that, I imbibe the vision — what is it that the director wants to say.

What was the brief given to you by Shyam Benegal when you began working on the film?

Shyam Benegal and I had a conversation about the film. He told me, ‘Shantanu, there is a big danger of being over-awed by this film on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman because it is totally larger than life. Even as a personality, he had been larger than life and that is why he could take on the mighty Pakistanis during the Bhasha Andolon (Language Movement). He created a movement out of nowhere, that was the kind of power he had right from childhood. We had to score for that, and we scored for the man’s intention: which was that he was a family man. I don’t know of any political leader in the world who was as successful as he was and yet was such a dedicated and devoted family man, otherwise because of one, the other always gets affected. This was primarily a father’s story about the father and daughter and son and how he loved the shadharon manush (general public).

What went into the making of the music and score? How did you capture the nuances of the story through the songs?

We decided a few things right at the beginning, one of which was not to use modern instruments. The song Ochin Majhi is like a tribute to my father who used to tell me stories of the Bangladesh he had left behind. Since childhood I grew up listening to Shonar Banglar golpo (stories). Since I hadn’t been to Bangladesh, I had conjured an image of that beautiful land in my mind and that was the reason why I could score Ochin Majhi. Shyam Babu also briefed me about this song saying we are paying a tribute to the love of the land. Sheikh Mujib is coming back and is looking out of his aircraft’s window at his magical land when the song starts. He did everything for the love of the land. He believed that this was the most beautiful land in the world, and that he is just a tool to protect this land. Apart from this there is his wedding song and a wedding song of his daughter. There are two hard-core lok sangeet that many may not have heard. Then, there is an incredible song by Shreya Ghoshal, Marsiya. For this Shyam Benegal had a vision and he said, ‘Shantanu, I don’t want any instruments, just khali gola (singing without instruments). And I don’t think Shreya has sung any song like this earlier and she was impressed and said, ‘Oh my god what is this!’ After she’d sung two minutes of the song, she realised that it was something else. Then there is our version of their National Anthem Aamar Shonar Bangla and this keeps coming in the narrative through the score. When I do the songs, I also do the score.

You have been a part of reality shows for a long time now. Has that helped in your career as a composer, musician?

Doing music reality shows, I have met so many musicians. And that is the reason I know the right casting for my songs. Casting was a daunting cast when you have Shyam Benegal as a director and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a subject and this was Bangladesh. There were many unknown factors here, but my confidence was high because I had worked in Calcutta and heard so many talents who were from Bengal.

Bangladeshi star Arifin Shuvoo plays the lead. How was it working with Arifin and Shyam Benegal?

When I met Arifin for the first time he was a beefed-up guy, a romantic hero. How he systematically broke himself down for this film — in terms of persona, in terms of mindset and internal stuff was all because of Shyam Benegal. People would have been shocked, especially in Bangladesh thinking why someone like Arifin was being cast for such a role. But this old man, Shyam Benegal, saw something in him, which many of us didn’t see and he moulded Arfin into this amazing character. When I had gone to Bangladesh for the premiere, (Bangladesh Prime Minister) Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s daughter, was also there and she was extremely emotional (after seeing the film). What was amazing was that the normal public who were watching, who know Mujib better than anyone else, and they also know Arifin well and yet within 15 minutes of the film, they forgot it was Arifin. When the film ended they felt that Bangabandhu was standing in front of them. What an incredible achievement that is for a filmmaker.