Songs of a Wayfarer

However, what’s interesting about Papon is that he’s one of the few artistes who’s made it without really modifying his open approach to live performance. He shifts gears smoothly from being the electric lead vocalist of Papon and East India Company at gigs to delivering a composed baritone inside a studio and, on some days, just being a skilled musician writing the bars for other artistes.

His Coke Studio @MTV outing, where his compositions ranged from Rajasthani folk, ghazals, a wonderful Bhatiali song from Goalpara sung in the Sufi tradition, to a rousing song of the Assamese tea tribes — established his talents as a composer. Papon, who was born in Assam to folk music legend Khagen Mahanta and his wife, classical musician Archana Mahanta says, “I grew up on a diet of folk and classical. But there was also a constant influx of Jagjit Singh and Mehdi Hasan LPs in the house; the thumris my mother sang. Blues, gospel pieces and rock tunes were also an integral part of my growing up.”

Papon arrived in Delhi in the late ’80s to study literature but fell in love with the guitar, and later, a fashion student from Lucknow, Shweta Mishra, now his wife. Almost seven years later, he went back home to Guwahati and created Jonaki Raati, an Assamese album which was a blend of East Indian folk music and Western electronic musical arrangements. Assam hadn’t heard its own music like this before.

“The only options people had at the time were either Bollywood’s jhankaar beats, folk that was rich but not fun for the youth, and rock music. I wanted to bring folk to the mainstream in a non-imposing fashion without saying that folk is dying. This was soft rock in Assamese, had folk tunes at the helm with strings at its heart. After a while people started appreciating it,” says Papon, about the album that still remains popular with radio stations in Assam. The inspiration to do this came from his father’s concerts, who would have thousands sing along with him. “If this could happen in a corner of the country, why not everywhere? That’s when, in 2007, Papon and the East India Company happened,” says Papon.

However, Mahanta wasn’t impressed, finding it difficult to appreciate contemporary folk and his music’s pairing with electronic, “more synthetic” sounds. “We went through a lot of discussions on why I was doing this. He would ask me, “why are you putting the guitar in all of it.” But my parents did understand where I wanted to go with my music. I was keeping the essence of folk in place. I was only contemporising it through sound,” says Papon. “The sanctity of the genre is what needs to be intact,” he adds.

Northeast folk may be an important element of Papon’s sound, but his music, however, has never made political statements about the region’s conflicts. “I do that on social media. Even at my concerts,” clarifies Papon. “We are artistes and when we are pained, it’s important to talk. I just don’t sing about it. I am still in the simple, melodic music phase that can help people forget about their problems,” he says.

Papon’s upcoming projects include another EP and a ghazal album with a modern perspective, besides songs for composers Pritam, Meet Brothers and Rochak Kohli. Being a composer himself, is it hard to settle for a blueprint that other composers decide for him? “Sometimes. Not every composer is forthcoming in including additions and I understand that. Composer MM Kreem once got really excited about an addition in a song in Kaun mera in Special 26 and included it in the final version,” says Papon. Malik, however, was clear about the kind of rendition he wanted for Moh moh ke dhaage. “I expect the singer to adapt to and love the song the way I do — I’m very old school. At a time when people WhatsApp their tunes, Papon came like a student with his guitar. I’m very sure of what I want and he delivered exactly that.” says Malik. Lyricist Varun Grover, who penned the song, noticed that Papon’s voice wasn’t that of a conventional hero. “The hero in the film wasn’t conventional either. That depth in his voice is great and works really well,” says Grover.

At 41, Papon isn’t keen on settling down in Bollywood and singing what the industry offers sporadically. The singer believes that a wayfarer’s lifestyle suits him best and having his tunes inspired by the life of a nomad lends his music an edge — “that melodic river-song quality”.

“Discovering new places, jamming with new musicians is what makes me click. I can’t allow myself to be caught in the rut of the mainstream. Which is why I keep composing,” says Papon, whose recent EP also has a song discussing the concept of his journey. He adds that his transition into and out of Bollywood is very smooth because there is no plan.

“I also have a bad memory. That helps,” says Papon with a laugh.