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Posts tagged Swanand Kirkire
AR Rahman introduced me as a playback singer-Mili Nair
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
The Meethi Boliyaan girl, Mili Nair, talks about how she moved from jazz concerts to films as she opens up on her life, influences and more…
Sunayana Suresh (BOMBAY TIMES; April 19, 2013)
Tipped as one of the new voices to watch out for, jazz musician Mili Nair entered films thanks to one of Indian cinema’s prodigal sons, AR Rahman. After singing for films across all four South Indian languages, Mili made her debut in Bollywood this year as a playback singer. Drawing inspiration from rock, jazz and even Indian film music, she has been a part of international music festivals, including the Java Jazz Festival, Indonesia. Here are excerpts from a chat with Mili…
How did Meethi Boliyaan (Kai Po Che) happen? I got an opportunity to work with Amit Trivedi while working for a jamming reality show on a music channel. It was around this time that he told me about this song. When he described what the song should be like, I could relate to it instantly because it was such a beautiful composition. I still recollect the fun we had while recording for the song. Right from the lyrics by Swanand Kirkire to the actual theme of the song in the context of the film, it just fell into place. I appreciate the fact that Amit Trivedi liked my originality and style. He also used the idea of my vocal improvisation, which I love doing for my singing, at the end of Meethi Boliyan, which was unique and something new for a Bollywood number. Personally, I’m very happy that Meethi Boliyan is my first More >
Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani unveil animated jingle of Fukrey
11 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; March 30, 2013)
Fukrey is not an easy title to pronounce or perhaps even to explain to the hoi polloi, except in North India. In their attempt to make the task of understanding their title easier for everyone involved, the evolved producers — Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar — have actually come up with an animated jingle composed by Ram Sampath and written by Swanand Kirkire.
Coming back to Fukrey, Ritesh and Farhan, who have led the way many a time in their decade-long career — be it making path-breaking cinema like Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) — have this time come up with the marketing innovation of giving the viewer a highenergy video that describes the recipe of being Fukrey (that is colloquial for good-for-nothing or someone who’s perpetually broke).
Says Ritesh, “This is the language of the film. It’s the first time a filmmaker is doing a jingle to promote the title. We were thinking of the best way to explain the meaning of Fukrey. And that’s when we came up with the idea of this jingle. In the digital world, animation works very well. We thought it would be a nice way to introduce our Fukras. Ram is a renowned talent in jingles.”
Farhan says, “Fukrey is a word that the people of Delhi and certain sections of North India are very familiar with. Of course, it is alien to a lot of us who are from elsewhere. Hence, the need to explain its meaning is important. Getting an animated jingle seemed like a fun way More >
Kai Po Che has unadulterated Indian soulful music
03 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
BOMBAY TIMES (February 13, 2013)
Director Abhishek Kapoor’s highly anticipated friendship film Kai Po Che’s music that has been composed by Amit Trivedi has caught on with the audience. Two songs, Manja and Meethi Boliyaan have become chart-toppers. The third song of the album, Shubhaarambh, that just been released, has got a good response as well. Penned by Swanand Kirkire, the music of Kai Po Che (a Gujarati term which is a victory call when someone cuts someone else’s kite during Makar Sankranti) is being loved by all age groups. The film is based on Chetan Bhagat’s novel, 3 Mistakes of My Life and is being premiered at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival.
Abhishek says, “It’s pure unadulterated Indian soulful music and it had to be appreciated. Amit has belted out a mesmerising album with the songs written beautifully by Swanand. Kai Po Che album is and will always remain one of the best albums I have worked on till date.”
Shikha Kapur, Executive Director, Marketing Studios, Disney UTV says, “It is a very different album — the lyrics and music is earthy, deep yet simple and brings out the essence of life, friendship and passion in its best way possible. Swanand and Amit have come together to make a pathbreaking album. It resonates the positioning of the movie so effectively. Manja and Meethi Boliyaan are topping the charts and we have just launched Shubhaarambh, another soul-stirring song.”
Kai Po Che, produced by UTV Motion Pictures, releases February 22.
I improvise on the spot-Swanand Kirkire, the actor
03 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Singer, lyricist and now an actor, Swanand Kirkire tells us how he’s going about his latest role
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 7, 2013)
Swanand Kirkire has donned several hats and now this writer-singer-lyricist-assistant director will be seen as an actor in Vivek Agnihotri’s upcoming film, Freedom. Although, his role is significant to the plot and is quite challenging, Kirkire is taking it in his stride. “Everyone knows I’m not an actor, so I’m just enjoying the process, “ he laughs.
Kirkire plays father to one of the three lead actors. Elaborating on Kirkire’s role, Vivek says: “He is a meek but ambitious middle-class government clerk. He is often in conflict with his son. The role is perfect for him. Much like the character, a strongly opinionated creator like him can easily get lost in a social setting.”
However, it is not always a cakewalk on the sets. “In Freedom I am a married man with a son, while in real life I am still a bachelor! I am pitted against a powerful actress like Deepti Naval and it is quite a learning experience. It was amazing just to watch her walk through the streets of Delhi’s RK Puram and get permission from a gurdwara to click a ‘family picture’ for the film,” he adds.
While he has given his inputs to the detailed script, he has so far stayed away from contributing with dialogues and lyrics. However, he might pen the theme song. “For now, I’m enjoying doing all that I don’t get to do in real life,” quips Kirkire.
He is yet to More >
Made English Vinglish to say Sorry to my mother-Gauri Shinde
07 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; October 7, 2012)
Gauri Shinde, 38, may be better known as R Balki’s wife, but she has been a director for far longer than he has. Following the release of her debut feature film English Vinglish, she talks to Bombay Times about her need to say sorry to her mother, why she prefers pets to children and why Boney Kapoor cried after seeing the film.
How did you get to directing films? I was born and brought up in Pune and came to Mumbai to intern with Sidharth Kak and then joined advertising and worked with IBW and Bates Clarion before joining Lowe Lintas, where I worked for a couple of years before I took a sabbatical to study in New York because I did not have the confidence to direct an ad film. After coming back, I directed over 100 ad films before I made my first feature film English Vinglish.
How did Balki and you fall in love? Balki was the National Creative Director at Lowe, where I also worked in the films department. He liked me from the very first time he saw me in the lift. I ignored him for a long while, but then we became friends and started dating a few months later. Of course, predictably on our first date we saw two back-to-back films — one was a Kajol film as we were both her fans, followed by Zubeidaa. I guess Balki knew that taking me out for a film was the best way to woo me. Several years later, just before the release of Cheeni Kum in 2007, we got married.
Do you plan to have kids? That’s for another life. This lifetime More >
Swanand Kirkire makes Bengali debut
08 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
MUMBAI MIRROR (February 17, 2012)
After penning hits like Behti hawaa sa tha woh and Bande mein tha dum for Hindi movies 3 Idiots and Lage Raho Munnabhai, respectively, lyricist Swanand Kirkire makes his debut in Bengali cinema with Paanch Adhyay. “Although Paanch Adhyay is a Bengali film, there was an opportunity to create a Hindi song,” said composer Shantanu Moitra.
Kirkire has written two songs – Rahoon tere peechhe and Uda jaaye for the film. He has also lent his voice to the latter. Moitra has composed the songs and this is their first Bengali film as a duo.
Pratim D. Gupta, writer-director of Paanch Adhyay said, “I showed Kirkire a part of the film and he came up with lines that summed up the core.Shantanu and I both instantly decided that he has to sing the track .”
The other four Bengali songs have been penned by the National Award-winning lyricist duo of Anindya Chatterjee and Chandril Bhattacharya and an English track has been written by Pratim himself.
The film is expected to release around Durga Puja in October.
—Agencies
My best music comes when I’m jamming-Swanand Kirkire
010 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Bollywood lyricist-singer Swanand Kirkire jams with Mirror reader and electronica musician Nelson OJ to create a lilting tune
Dhamini Ratnam (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 22, 2012)
“We don’t know what we’re thinking of playing… yet,” says Swanand Kirkire and Nelson OJ, in one voice. They’ve only just met, and already, the two musicians, although of different genres, are in sync.
Sitting on the floor, Kirkire, lyricist and singer of 2005 chartbuster Baawara Mann, looks to Nelson, an electronica and acoustics music programmer, to begin. The 33-year-old has travelled from Kalina to Kalanagar to meet one of his favourite singers, carrying a guitar and the Hapi — a steel hand drum that can produce a range of sounds from its cylindrical surface.
Nelson begins to strum his guitar. “This is just a riff I came up with,” he explains. The unstructured format of this meeting seems to suit 42-year-old Kirkire just fine. “Let’s jam,” he says, and begins to hum.
His beautiful voice, one that forces you to look at him, fills the room. With strong notes and indistinguishable words, Kirkire easily slips into an appearance of oblivion. Nelson, on the other hand, looks intently at Kirkire, waiting for the slightest signal to change a beat, or pitch.
Some minutes later, Kirkire fades off. “So what all do you like, in Hindi music?” asks Kirkire, lighting a cigarette. “Classical music has been a big influence,” replies Nelson. “And folk, too. I loved that track you sang, Pihu Bole,” says Nelson. “I More >
Swanand Kirkire turns to acting
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
3 Idiots lyricist will be playing the role of an informer in Sonu Sood starrer Maximum
Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 24, 2011)
Music director, lyricist and singer Swanand Kirkire, who shot to fame with 3 Idiots is all set to display his acting talent in Sonu Sood – Neha Dhupia starrer Maximum.
A source informed Mumbai Mirror, “Swanand has already started shooting for the film with Sonu Sood in a city college. Sonu is playing a super cop in the film and Swanand plays the role a small time gangster who also works as Sonu’s informer. In fact, in the film, Sonu is totally reliable on Bachi Singh, Swanand’s character in the film.”
Earlier, Swanand has tried his hands at acting with blink-and-I’m-gone roles in films directed by Sudhir Mishra and Vidhu Vinod Chopra. “He has worked as an associate director with Chopra and Mishra. However this time, Kabeer Kaushik, the director of Maximum has planned a meaty role for Swanand,” said the source.
When contacted, Swanand Kirkire said, “Yes, I know Kabeer for many years. When he offered me the role I was more than happy to do.”
Lyricists speak about raunchy songs
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Lyrics of Bollywood chartbusters are funky, contemporary and even raunchy these days. BT finds out why
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; April 21, 2011) Funky, with-it and contemporary words seem to have overtaken poetry in Bollywood chartbusters of late. Sample some lyrics of today’s floorburners — Aaj mere liye chair kheech raha hai, kal meri skirt kheechega, Potty pe baithe nanga (Dum maaro Dum), Aali re saali re mooh khole toh gali re (No one killed Jessica), Kar do charso bisi – Razia phas gayi gundo main (Thank You), Char baj gaye lekin party ab bhi baki hai (F.A.L.T.U.), Pigeon Kabootar (3 They Bhai), Karma is a bitch (Shor In The City) — and you’ll find sizzle and high octane, even sensual lyrics, but no high poetry.
Are lyricists comfortable with songs that are so blase and in your face? Popular lyricist Prasoon Joshi says, “Some songs are made just to create hype for a film before its theatrical release. A large number of songwriters are convinced that Generation Z likes to hear lyrics that have shock value. People need to understand that creativity and popular taste don’t match.” Musician Sonu Nigam says, “I was asked to sing for AR Rahman in Robot. The lyrics were atrocious and I had to refuse it. Today some production houses dictate terms to composers and feel creating ‘cool’ lyrics is more important than ‘meaningful’ lyrics. Music should be written for the sake of music.” Even singer Sunidhi Chauhan confesses that she “rejects” More >