RITWIK BHOWMICK, THE KID WHO WANTED TO BE SHAHRUKH
How many kids in India are inspired by King Khan? We know that he was the motivation behind Sushant Singh Rajput’s aspirations to create his career trajectory in Hindi Movies.
But did you know that it was Shahrukh’s role in cult movie Baazigar that upset a 4 year old baby Ritwik, when he dies on celluloid. Ritwik knew he had to be an actor then.
Ritwik is a hobbyist. He writes, plays the guitar and says he is not a great singer. But we don’t know that till we see him perform. Right?
Here is an excerpt of our conversation held over Zoom from our homes in Ohio and California to the homes of Ritwik and Shreya in Mumbai. Enjoy!
SHREYA CHOUDHRY’S JOURNEY FROM BEING CHARLIE CHAPLIN TO TAMANNA
Participating in fancy dress shows as a kid, being other characters, to being fascinated by the art of cinema at college, Shreya knew what she wanted.
She found herself watching movies and being captivated by the world of celluloid.
This motivated her to go for auditions to try her luck out for advertisements. And then the Bandish Bandits auditions happened.
When not acting. she loves baking. She is a writer. Enjoys watching shows and films.
She is all set for an August debut. Here is a fragment of our chat with Shreya last week when we caught her at home in Mumbai over Zoom.
CONVERSATION WITH RITWIK BHOWMIK AND SHREYA CHOUDHARY
CLASH OF THE PHILOSOPHIES OF MUSIC IS MORE THAN JUST A BATTLE OF THE GENRES
The clash of the old versus the new is not new for Indian culture. The different genre of music find their amalgamation in a culture that is reeked in old, yes transforms into new.
While Radhe is bound by the legacy of music passed on to him since generations in his family, Tamanna is bound by contracts.
Some traditions that surround the classical forms of music in India are so deep rooted in the cultural heritage of India that there is an inevitability of conflict with two people with different values fall in love.
CONVERSATION WITH RITWIK BHOWMIK AND SHREYA CHOUDHARY
SO WHAT IS THE PLOT OF THE BANDISH BANDITS
Shreya and Ritvik tell us more about the plot. The musical web series is a plethora of human emotions because of the clash of the two worlds that the protagonists belong to.
Classical Indian music is extraordinarily emotive, and the complexity of the story provides excellent foliage to the journey of the characters as they go through the challenges in their love story.
Shankar Ehsaan & Loy, the famous trio composers, are excited for the music they have composed for the series.
“‘Bandish Bandits’ is special for us in more ways than one. Not only does it mark our digital debut, but the soundtrack also allowed us to experiment with contrasting musical genres ranging from Rajasthani folk and Indian classical to pop and combine them to create something wholly unique,” they said.
“We’ve worked with artists from across the country for ‘Bandish Bandits,’ and we’re confident that the soundtrack has something for everyone. It’s fascinating, and we hope the audience enjoys it as much as we enjoyed making it,” they added.
The music of the web show was launched on Monday, July 27, 2020.
The Musical Series will Premiere on Prime Video on Aug 4!
THE INTRICACIES OF INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC & THE LEGACY
Shreya and Ritwik speak about the clash of the old and the new. Music can never have languages and barriers. India has a deep cultural roots in music – classical, folk and other. This clash of pop and classical music is an enmeshment of the diversity of India. Torn by legacy, the series is a representation of the assortment of music India is a stage for.
Hear them talk to us about the mosaic they have created.
The 10-part Amazon Prime Video series also features Naseeruddin Shah, Atul Kulkarni, Sheeba Chaddha, Kunal Roy Kapur and Rajesh Tailang. It is created and produced by Amritpal Singh Bindra and directed by Anand Tiwari. The show will go live on August 4.
WHEN IT RAINS FOR MALHAAR
According to folklore, Raag Malhar in Hindustani Classical Music is so potent that when sung, it can induce the rains.
Many authored accounts describe this characteristic of Raga Malhar. Tansen, Baiju Bawra, Baba Ramdas, Nayak Charju, Miyan Bakhshu, Tantarang, Tantras Khan, Bilas Khan (grandson of Tansen), Hammer Sen, Surat Sen, andMeera Bai are among the singers who are said to have been skillful in starting rains by singing different adaptations of this Raga.
In another lore, it is said that Mughal emperor Akbar once asked his court musician Tansen to sing Raga Deepak, the raga of light, which affected all the lamps in the palace courtyard to light up. It is said that Tansen’s body became so heated that he had to sit in the nearby river to cool himself.
It is said that the river began to simmer with heat, and it became evident that Tansen would soon boil to death. He is then said to have set out on a quest to find somebody who could sing Raga Malhar to remedy him.
In due course, he reached city called Vadnagar, in Gujarat, where he is said to have found two sisters, Tana and Riri, whom he requested for assistance. They consented to sing for him and when they sang the Raga, it started pouring down in torrents, which helped cool Tansen’s body instantaneously.
Ritwik tells us that something similar happened when they were shooting for a song based on this very Raga in Bikaner in the summer, in the dry heat. As they started to shoot, the rains started which flooded the entire set of the movie. So we guess, its not so much of a legend anymore but the force of human emotion that made the universe come together to make the miracle happen.
