Karsh Kale: I disturb the comfortable, and comfort the disturbed

Karsh Kale

So nuanced that it deftly complemented the storyline from the word go, the soundtrack of Anurag Kashyap-s Choked acquired as much attention as the film itself. The man behind the mesmerising score is Karsh Kale - long upheld as the king of alternate music in India - who avid listeners of mainstream music will remember for creating the Train song from Zoya Akhtar-s Gully Boy 2019. Over a call from New York at a time when the protest against police brutality that led to the death of George Floyd, is at its peak, Kale says, "It-s inspiring to see so many people hit the streets and stand up for something they believe in, even in the face of a pandemic."

In certain ways, Kale-s words mirror his trajectory - the indie artiste has, for several years, protested against filmmakers who-ve egged him on to give commercial fare a go, choosing instead, to work on lesser, but nuanced pieces. "It-s just not who I am," he says of an approach long exploited by makers of mainstream cinema. "I don-t want to join the Bollywood bandwagon. Some things can get you attention, but not the right kind. I want listeners to dig deep into what I create. Success is not about being famous. I am not an entertainer. I am the guy who will disturb the comfortable, and comfort the disturbed." You could attribute his fever to sway from the routine to his time spent with Zakir Hussain during the onset of his career. "If you ask him [Hussain] why his music isn-t played in stadiums, he will simply say, -It doesn-t belong there.-"

As an artiste who cares little for the regular, it isn-t surprising that Kale forged a bond with Kashyap, who has never been appeased by the trappings of commercial cinema. "Anurag and I have wanted to work together over the past few years, and have similar methods. I got to amalgamate my skills as a tabla player and drummer. I followed the emotion of the scene. He made his movie, and then asked me to lend the story a different dynamic, musically. He wouldn-t sit on [my] head, like other filmmakers do. He gave me the music-s [crux], and I built the score based on how I [perceived] the mood and script. We met only once throughout the making."

When they did meet, the duo spoke fondly of their common love for the mastery of Wes Anderson-s films. Resisting dictations from filmmakers who wish to exploit his prowess, albeit on their own terms, makes him a "pain in the a", but Kale would prefer limiting his collaborations with those who value his craft. "[Filmmakers like] Zoya and Anurag want those they work with to put their mastery on display. I can be told to make [a song] bouncy, but that-s far from exciting. [Anurag] allows you to be an artist. Sometimes there is so much noise around a creation where the director, his wife, the studio, local aunties - everyone has an opinion on what you are making. We need to understand there's a gulf of a difference between an artist and a craftsman. The latter can make 16 couches a week, an artist will take 2 months on one."

Kale has an interesting analogy to his music that he deems is an acquired taste. "Which one do you prefer - cola or single malt whiskey? Not everyone likes the latter but those who do, really appreciate it. Cola is mainstream and everyone likes it, but you make the choice on what you wish to cater to."

In a world that thrives on remakes and remixes, ask him what-s the most ridiculous offer he has ever got. They were plenty we are told but here-s a ludicrous gem - "I was asked to create the Indian Macarena. And that was it for me. How can you plan a hit song?" - he signs off with a laugh, as he heads back to his studio to finish his upcoming EP.

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