String theorist
Tajdar Junaid has transformed himself into a sought-after composer. Find out more about him and some other great musicians.
Once just another 16-year-old Kolkata boy enamoured of Led Zeppelin, Tajdar Junaid has transformed himself from the guitar hero of local bands like Cognac and SPAN into a coveted composer. He's the artiste behind the haunting melody backing the advertisement for the Amazon Kindle, where Swanand Kirkire sings "Mein maati teri, kahani teri, muskaan, aansu, dua bhi teri, mein jo kahun zubani teri." Dastaan, another of his songs, features in Mohsen Makhmalbaf's The President, as well as Jeffrey D. Brown's 2014 film Sold-which is about sex trafficking in the subcontinent. That aside, his work for the soundtrack of Mukti Bhawan or Hotel Salvation-which received rave reviews at the recent Berlinale-is also adding to his list of admirers.
It's not the guitar-the instrument he studied under local legend Amyt Datta-that's the highlight of most of those songs. Rather, it's a relatively obscure South American instrument known as the charango, which Junaid taught himself to play after being particularly struck by South American folk music.
"I like putting different colours together, and am excited to see the results," says Junaid, who also taught himself the ukulele and mandolin. Another of his songs in Sold, Prelude to Poland, uses the sarangi and oud along with the guitar.
"I felt myself repeating my ideas on the guitar, and was desperately yearning for fresh sounds," he says of his encounter with The Motorcycle Diaries. "I started listening to folk music from across the world, and fell in love with South American folk music."
Inspired by good cinema, Junaid approached Makhmalbaf in the hope of a collaboration, fully expecting not to hear back. Since that worked out, he now has another fervent wish. "I'd like to work with Wong Kar Wai," he says.
SOUND AND VISION
Amyt Datta
Guitarist, composer, and producer from Kolkata. Was part of the band Shiva from mid-1980s to the early 1990. He's also played cameos in Anjun Dutt's films Ranjona Ami Ar Ashbo Na and Madly Bangalee
Susmit Sen
Co-founded fusion rock band Indian Ocean in 1990. Worked on the soundtracks for Black Friday and Peepli [Live]
Sanjoy Das
'Bapi-da' in his hometown Kolkata, he's Ram Samapth and Sonal Mohapatra's go-to guitarist. Has worked in Bengali films like Rituparno Ghosh's Raincoat.
Amit Heri
Jazz fusion guitarist Amit Heri has composed for films including Morning Raga and Mango Souffle, as well as worked with many internationally acclaimed musicians.
