How Shoojit Sircar made Anupam Roy sing Piku songs

Anupam Roy is the latest Bengali musician to join the Bollywood bandwagon. His songs, Bezubaan and Journey Song from Piku, are still ruling the charts. In an interview, he talks about life after Piku and his tryst with Bollywood.

Anupam Roy is the latest Bengali musician to join the Bollywood bandwagon. His songs, Bezubaan and Journey Song from Shoojit Sircar's Piku, are still ruling the charts and congratulatory messages haven't stopped pouring in. However, Anupam isn't among the ones who get carried away by the ripples of success. Instead, he looks relaxed. Anupam who is already busy with a number of Bengali projects, spoke to HT on music, Shoojit Sircar, Bollywood and more:

Anupam-Roy-is-a-music-composer-singer-and-lyricist-He-works-primarily-in-the-Bengali-film-industry-Piku-was-the-first-Bollywood-film-for-which-he-composed-music-Prateek-Choudhury-HT-Photo

What's the best compliment you have received so far for Piku?
(Smiles) Music direction is teamwork. When Shoojit da (director Shoojit Sircar) approved both the songs, Bezubaan and Journey Song, I guess that was the biggest moment of my life. He told me a year ago that he would be using both the songs in Piku. So I was excited from the day my songs were approved. Later, when Bishwadeep da (Chatterjee, sound designer) was doing the final song designing for the film, he said he really liked my compositions. Juhi Chaturvedi, who wrote the script, said that the music was going with the flow of the story. I really felt happy when the entire team showed its confidence in me.

After composing a song, how do you decide if to sing or not to sing that song?
In Bengali films, since I also write the lyrics, there are certain songs, which I get emotionally and personally attached to. There are a few songs, which I had written long ago, and I know the situation during that phase. I am the best person to understand and emote the feelings in the song. Shoojit da had told me to follow my signature style in Piku too. He said, do whatever you do in Bengali films. I try to play according to my strengths, which are melody and lyrics. I won't do anything that I am not comfortable with, just like I won't wear clothes that I don't like.

And what made you sing all the songs of Piku?
(Cuts in) I wasn't so confident. I thought one out of five songs would be used in the film. I am not an established name in Bollywood and hence I can't call the shots. In Kolkata, I have proved myself and am in a position in the industry where directors and producers easily listen to me. It was Shoojit da, who made me sing all the songs of Piku. I was looking for a number of male singers to do the playback songs. Shoojit da and I argued a lot and eventually he made me sing my compositions. This is one fight I loved to lose.

Now that you have made your big Bollywood debut, are you bonding with other music directors from the industry?
I bonded well with Amal Mallik (music director of Roy). Pritam da and Jeet da (Jeet Gannguli) also showed their support. Back home, Anindya da (Anindya Chattopadhyay, frontman of Bangla band Chandrabindoo), Upal da (vocalist of Chandrabindoo) and Debu da (Debojyoti Mishra) are happy with my success.

Are you considering Bollywood seriously now?
I haven't got any new offer from Bollywood yet. (Smiles) I will continue composing for the Bengali films. Family Album has just released and the songs are doing well. Bela Seshe is going strong at the theatres. I am busy with the music of Raj Chakraborty's Kath Mundu, Abir Sengupta's Jomer Raja Dilo Bor, Atanu Bose's Black Coffee and Pratim D Gupta's Saheb Bibi Golaam.