Best Original Score
Indian Language
How?
How is it?
That despite half
the resources, half the audience and half the accessibility, does Indian
Language cinema as a whole trump Hindi Cinema?
Maybe it's because
popular cinema has become too big for its britches, as this year shows in the
case of every major studio shutting down production [apart from those
originated in India]; Hindi cinema is all about the glitz, the glamour and the
star power.
There might be some
love for content and technicians might flourish, but nothing compared to what
is brought here.
Language is flavour,
music is flavour and their sweet mixture is what these scores are all about. As
I write and think of these, I find it absolutely difficult to decide who wins.
More importantly I
find it difficult to think that Hindi cinema gets better than these, that is
why a seperate section. Cause in all fairness and kudos to some fine films this
year in Hindi, nothing compares to what Tamil, Marathi, Punjabi and etc. Cinema
are doing today.
Onto the nominees...
Santhosh Narayanan for Iraivi
The master of
melody, Santosh Narayanan might not craft a distinct tune like he did for
Jigarthanda but just like that film he is in tune with the very essence of
character that he had with 'Assault' Sethu in that and with the gender
distinction in Iraivi.
There is a profound
understanding of the use of silence when it comes to the simple rains, allowing
the drip to play of a hollow area and spread its wash of liberation. Equally
the score takes a softer approach when it comes to many of the scenes involving
its female character, each one distinct in volume to the trio of personalities.
The same is told in
the harsh and rampant score as the men come into fore and action, charging
scenes with electricity.
Yet it is the
silences, where the violence of men pervades and the innocence of women strikes
into independence that haunts you. Those moment would not be visible had the
music of the film not been up to point and consistent.
Miti Adhikari, Neel
Adhikari and Rhino for Brahman Naman
Apologies first to
the original score composers of Brahman Naman, while Iain Cooke was a
supervisor on the film's music, he wasn't solely responsible for it. More
importantly a shout out to Q's very own Gandu Circus and The Bright Eyed
Culprits as well for some of their music.
A score that
features equal parts regular music; Jethro Tull's Locomotive Breath and the
Door's Alabama Song [rendered here by the voice of Neel Adhikari], reminiscent
of period, place and more importantly character of our protagonists. At the
same time featuring a pop rock Indian fusion mix of a score.
The Adhikari
brothers and Rhino bring a distinct flavour to the score that is at time
seductive, popular and very much in tune with the harebrained coolness and
craziness with cult sensibilities of its idiotic heroes.
It's fun and
scintillating and very much a product of the harebrained mind of Q.
Ajay-Atul for Sairat
Ajay-Atul should
simply be here for their absolutely mind blowing soundtrack, not only is it
woven into the narrative and speaks to the romantics of the story but is ably
supported by a wonderful score.
Parts poignant and
painful with parts joyful and light, the ethereal quality of the score
transcends the very highs of the romance and the very lows of real tension when
the harsh world hits. It's effective in its silence especially in its final
reveal and it is magnificently enchanting in the beginnings of a beautiful
brewing love story.
Sairat is about and
for young lovers and the music and score is very much enchanting to all those
ears.
GV Prakash Kumar for Visaranai
Visaranai's power is
in its ability to build pathos from what I deem the anti-score.
There is barely any
music to enhance the emotion and also undercut it, instead the film is filled
with painful silences. Never for once does Prakash Kumar let the subtle score
affect moments of true viciousness that the film wishes to imprint into the mind.
As the protagonists
are whipped, brow beaten and relentlessly tortured the music never comes to
ours or their aid, instead each whip and hit is heard harsh and hard.
It is then that the
very silences that normally inject a bit of respite into a film, is where the
score comes in; it's final moments, as the action bursts forth, the score still
subtle and meticulous in play ramps up to its unforgettable conclusion leaving
a different stamp altogether but unifying the horrors of the film and the
reality of the situation.
Indraadip Das Gupta for Cinemawala
In Cinemawala, the
score is very sweet, supple, natural; it has that distinct Bengali feel to it
without having to be pronounced.
Yet it churns out a
lot of emotions through its runtime, rarely in this day and age is cinema able
to truly provide a score that captures the emotionality of each particular
scene and yet never feel forced. These days its to easy to deride the score as
trying too hard.
However so, this one
absolutely nails it in the head. Maybe that is why the film sparkles off an
older generation and the plot mires itself of lost cinema art, that is why the
score feels fresh in its capability to mould us to its will yet golden in its tune.
Where the
generations can never see eye to eye, the score meets both sides. After all it
is music that binds all kinds together.
And the Winner is...
Ajay-Atul for Sairat!!!
And the Magnum opus Marathi film opens the account with a huge win...
Up Next: Indian style Editing at its finest...
'Nuff Said,
Aneesh Raikundalia
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