Mithun on composing music for Ranbir Kapoor-starrer ‘Shamshera’: ‘It was something I had never done before’

shamshera, starring Ranbir Kapoor, is unlike any other film Mithun has done in his 17-year career as a composer. His music has been mostly minimalistic. but for shamshera, a larger-than-life action drama set in the 19th century, director Karan Malhotra wanted a flamboyant voice and Mithun had to give up restraint. Therefore, he explored various sounds, using drums, drums, reeds and other instruments that took him to an area he had not visited. It was kind of an experiment.

On the afternoon of the film’s release (July 22), Mithun is worried. He’s always been that way, he says, unaffected by initial reactions. shamshera, The big budget film including Sanjay Dutt and Vaani Kapoor has received a good response in the theaters so far. However, Gemini is satisfied with the respect given to his music – it is enough if he knows that he has given his best.

in this interview The Hindu WeekendThe artist speaks about the composition for the film and much more.

considering that shamshera Is a period film, did you have to do a lot of research for the music?

Research is a very heavy word in relation to shamshera, After all, we’re doing cinema, so we don’t need to repeat exactly what it used to be (in the 1800s). It was more about music, poetry and feeling the expression of that era. To do this, I used skin drums, live reeds and more acoustics. The idea was to keep the music rustic, yet give it some flair.

How did you choose the right equipment?

I was working in Yash Raj studio, which can accommodate more than 75 musicians at a time. Therefore, I called in several sections of the rhythm – bass concert drum, Puneri Dhol, Tasha Dhol, Gumrus, and others. Some of these tools are 700-800 years old. I called the musicians who play these instruments and jammed them to my tune. Then, I reacted to what they were playing and made some changes based on what I wanted. Whenever I felt they could add something of their own, I kept it. It was a spontaneous process.

You said in an interview that you usually work on a short description given to you by the director. what was the acronym for shamshera,

I am generally known for my restrained approach towards music. But Karan wanted something flamboyant. His cinema is larger than life. All the characters in this film are big. So, the idea was to do things on a bigger soundscape.

Usually, directors have a vision and musicians have their own ideas. Where do you find these?

The vision initially comes from the director, but I see it as a part of my creative process. I spend a lot of time understanding what my directors want. After that, I take time to find it within myself. i see what Raga A particular scene will fit. The meeting point is when my directors stand up from their chairs and say, “Wow!” i don’t want them settle (less) for something.

can you elaborate your process with an example shamshera,

‘Jee Huzoor’ is the intro song of Ranbir’s character Bally. He is a quirky, mischievous character who, despite being in prison, considers him the ruler of the world. The opening lines of the song, which I wrote, translate to: “You want to greet me.” This ego had to be brought out through music as well. So, I got drums and trumpets. The rhythm of the song was in front. I took Aditya Narayan to sing it because he has a certain silliness and flair.

You said that you were not restricted by Ranbir’s stardom while composing.

Ranbir is one of the finest actors of today. But, yes, his stardom didn’t matter as he is playing a character. For all of us, Ranbir himself has to play this character. His job was to play the characters of Balli and Shamshera. My job was to portray the expressions of these characters effectively. That’s where we meet as artists.

You You often have to act in many films. Is it difficult to switch between them?

When I started, I wanted to do one film at a time. But I soon realized that I can’t have everything as I wanted it to. I can manage to switch between movies now. I don’t have a bank of songs and I work with directors for every film. This takes me to different zones. The brief I will get from Karan Malhotra will be very different from Mohit Suri’s brief. Laxmikant-Pyarelal sometimes worked in 10 films at a time. But the music of all those films will be different.

Songs and dance sequences are rarely seen in today’s Hindi cinema. Has the composition of the film become more focused on the background score?

Personally, I am a fan of the song and dance sequences. That’s what we’re known for, and I’m not sorry for that. We can have movies without songs too, but I don’t think the sequence of songs will ever end.

What is your reaction to the criticism of Bollywood music being remixed?

I was never a fan of it. , This country has enough talent to make original music, but as a fraternity we must respect criticism. It comes from the same people who have given us love. Also, I think the criticism has done its job. I can see the trend of recreating music fading away.

After all, what has been your biggest lesson in 17 years of composing for films?

It is a privilege to be a musician. As a creator, you share the qualities of God. Therefore it is necessary to preserve this gift given to me. It is impossible to do without discipline as there are so many external elements that can spoil your mind.