Amit Trivedi: Not here to make everyone happy

Amit Trivedi

His ardent followers believe that Amit Trivedi gave a new sound to Bollywood - one that was raw and edgy, just stopping short of going off-kilter. Though his eclectic music rarely fails to impress music aficionados, his latest film album, Pad Man, is being viewed as too mainstream to have come from the maverick genius. "People listen to a song and make a snap judgment. But every song has its own history and journey," says Trivedi matter-of-factly, unperturbed by the mixed reviews. "I am proud of every bit of the work that I've done, but listeners may have a different take, which is okay. I'm not here to make everyone happy; it's not humanly possible. I'm just doing what I'm asked to do. I try to give my best."

Freedom of expression
Most music composers complain of having to kowtow to producers' demands while working on a Bollywood soundtracks. But Trivedi says he enjoyed complete creative freedom on Pad Man. "There was no interference from Akshay [Kumar; lead actor] or Twinkle Khanna's [co-producer] end. The soundtrack was R Balki [director] sir's vision. He narrated the script to me and was clear about the kind of songs he wanted. He left the rest to me. All the songs are situational and an integral part of storytelling," says the National Award winner, who is often compared to AR Rahman.

Akshay Kumar and Radhika Apte in the song Aaj Se Teri from Pad Man

Picking Aaj Se Teri and Sayaani as his favourite songs from the album, Trivedi says he consciously kept the songs rooted in Indian music. "Since the film is set in a small village of Madhya Pradesh, the numbers have an earthy vibe. But, I had to keep them slightly commercial so that people can relate to the soundtrack. If the songs are too raw and earthy, few people appreciate it."

Music & me
The musician admits that his restless nature cannot be confined inside a recording studio, with him churning out one cookie-cutter Bollywood album after another. From surrounding himself with varied music from around the globe to working on independent projects, Trivedi ensures he constantly feeds his creativity. The only artiste from the Bollywood music fraternity to perform at Sula Fest next month, Trivedi is excited about debuting at the vineyard festival. Looking forward to Parov Stellar and Bauchklang's performances, he is hoping that the Bollywood connect will fetch more footfalls for his segment. "While the line up is heavy on EDM, I will have a live set with Bollywood music. It will encourage more people to drop by."

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