TOI gets a ringside view of composers Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy setting Gulzar's lyrics to music for the India Poised anthem.

The heart-thumping score reverberates in the plush recording studio in Bandra. As the crescendo rises and falls, fingers drum out a rhythm and three heads nod in satisfaction. After 10 days of experimenting and one very crucial “sitting session’’ with lyricist Gulzar, composers Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy have the India Poised anthem ready for listeners. Rich with imagery and metaphors, the anthem embodies the upbeat mood of an India marching towards the horizon and beyond. Written by Gulzar, the lyrics (Phalak pakad ke utho Aur hawa pakad ke chalo) were already charged with the spirit of a movement. It was imperative that a great musical score be woven around them, a score that enhanced the tempo and built it up. And who better to do this than the leading composers of today, Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy?

When TOI approached the young musicians to compose the score for the anthem, they got down to the creative process immediately. “The words emotionally charged us up. After all they are written by the great Gulzar,’’ says Shankar who has also sung the anthem. At first, the trio brainstormed on the approach they should take to bring out the beauty of the lyrics. They spent hours in the studio laying down the music track, editing it, inserting the voices and re-opening and looking at it. “The word ‘poised’ itself suggests something ready to take off, like a rocket. We wanted to create something that pushes the emotions into a different realm altogether,’’ says Loy Mendonsa. Two compositions — one a flowing melody and the other with three distinct

parts — were readied first. “But they were one-dimensional and did not bring out the emotional resonance of the lyrics,’’ says Shankar. Then the composers had a day-long ‘sitting’ with Gulzar, with whom they had worked in their first film Rockford. The four of them put their heads together and jammed, Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy’s youthful energy synergising with the patience and encouragement of the veteran Gulzar.

The creative quartet decided to lay emphasis on the words ‘chale’ and ‘chalo’ to give the anthem the feel of a mass movement. Gulzar told TOI, “In earlier decades, music directors and lyricists would have a sitting and only then would the creative process begin. How else would we have got the classic music of those days?’’

After the session, the composers came up with the final score that effectively conveyed the emotionally stirring words.
Shankar Mahadevan got Sukhwinder Singh, one of the few singers in the country who can render emotions in a high pitch, to sing a part of the anthem with him. “One phone call and Sukhwinder came over to the dubbing studio in 20 minutes,’’ says Shankar. The two singers pumped up the anthem with their distinctive styles, the differing grain and texture of their voices contributing to the creation of an inspiring piece of work. “It is a very strong and well-rendered melody if I may say so myself,’’ says Shankar.

Mumbai, May 2: Very few know that singer Shankar Mahadevan, who is a part of the terrific trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, is also a part of the fabulous 30-year-old band called Shakti that boasts of tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and famed guitarist John McLaughlin.

On his birthday this year, Mahadevan received a most perfect present - his friend McLaughlin gifted him a song called "The voice" and flew to Mumbai to be with him on the special day.

For Mahadevan it's one of the biggest honours he's received.

"He flew down especially for my birthday. There are certain people, the minute you meet them, you know they are great and John is one of them," said Mahadevan.

The duo have been a part of the fusion group for a long time and have performed more than 150 shows all over the world.

"I knew his birthday was approaching and thought of the song," said McLaughlin. "I write for people I admire and love and Shankar is one of them. To me Shankar is THE voice. I was talking to Zakir Hussain about my desire to get a vocalist for Shakti. He suggested Shankar, who sent me a CD. Three minutes after listening to it, I called him."

It was a great birthday for a great singer!

While the tracks of Shaad Ali's ‘Jhoom Barabar Jhoom’ are raging the charts, there is a controversy raging within singer  Daler Mehendi and Shankar Mahadevan. Daler has accused that he has originally sang the title track of ‘Jhoom Barabar Jhoom’ and was surprised when he found that his voice has been replaced by Shankar Mahadevan in the audio. The title track of the film is already a chart topper and other songs are also garnering attention. Amitabh Bachchan’s energetic performance to the lively rendition of Shankar Mahadevan adds more zest to the track and the picturisation. 

Though Shankar can be heard rendering the song, in reality Daler Mehendi was the first choice for it and has crooned the lively Punjabi flavoured track. He was not even aware that his voice or name does not appear on the audio and that his voice has been replaced. He was neither informed about the same. He was very excited about the song until be finally discovered that it has been subsequently replaced by Shankar Mahadevan. The trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have composed for the film.

When asked about the sudden change, Ehsaan says, “Daler had sung the song earlier but the song was re-recorded by Shankar Mahadevan later. Actually Mr Bachchan asked for the change as he did not want to break the series of hit he has got with Shankar as the 

 in the form of chartbusters like Kajra Re (Bunty Aur Babli) and Rock and Roll (Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna).” Daler and Amitabh shared screen space with the hit track 'Na Na Na Re' from ‘Mrityudaata’ but seems over the years many things have changed and now the trusted lieutenant for Amitabh seems to be Shankar Mahadevan. But this is not enough to sedate Daler at the moment, who is fuming over the sudden ouster from the track.