‘Bring back the melody’
The Hindu : As the music of “Saawariya” makes waves,music director Monty Sharma says it is years of practice that is showing in his music. “The lyrics and tunes are easy to remember, and the music has a shelf life. Already seven-eight lakh CDs have been sold, which is rare these days.”
Having started his career as a keyboard player in Shekhar Kapur’s “Mr. India”, Monty joined Sanjay Leela Bhansali with “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”, where he arranged the music. “Then I did the background score of ‘Devdas’ and ‘Black’.” Monty comes from a musical family. “My grandfather Pandit Ram Prasad Sharma is responsible for training many leading music composers including Nadeem. Pyarelalji is my uncle and my father Anand Sharma introduced viola in Hindi film orchestra.” Monty says Sanjay gave him a one-line brief. “He said it is a young love story, but I was given the script, which I believe is a must for a music composer.”
Not one to believe in creating a bank of tunes, Monty feels such music doesn’t have a shelf life. “Even similar situations demand different treatment. When you have the script, the composer starts living with the characters and that reflects in the music.I need at least 10 days to compose one original song. Where is the time to have a bank?”
Going into the details, Monty says he has created a fusion of Indian classical and western symphonies.
“When you get a filmmaker who allows you to use a huge live orchestra comprising 40 violins, 12 cellos, double bass guitars, rare instruments like bulbul tara,dhols, trumpets and horns for one piece, you feel you have to give your best.”
Talking of fusion, Monty says “Masha Allah” is a spiritual song where Kunal Ganjawala brings in the western effect while Shreya Ghoshal with her “Allah” refrain adds the classical touch. “Here, the lyrics came first and the tune was…More
