Sona Mohapatra pays ode to Meera Bai's 'original rebel'

Sona Mohapatra has donned the Lal Pari Mastani avatar in her new song. Pic/Shyam Piya

Singer Sona Mohapatra is dressed in red, when she meets us on a weekday afternoon at her Santacruz home. The colour is now part of Mohapatra's new identity - and what she describes as her alter ego - Lal Pari Mastani. "I wanted to express myself in ways beyond a singer. I wanted to connect the dots - at the heart is music, but then there is film, art, fashion, history, travel and social commentary. So, I decided to have a brand new avatar for myself, in terms of artistic expression. And that's where this thought of launching an alter ego came from."

Lal Pari Mastani, she says, is a moniker her fans have always known her by. "It's my fascination for the colour red and all it stands for - energy, power, menstrual flow, the idea of being the only one who gives birth. You know, womanhood!" she explains.

The story behind the moniker is one Mohapatra stumbled upon during her travels. "I heard a story of a woman, who lived in the northwest frontier of Afghanistan, which was getting Talibanised. All the women here dressed in black, and the area was devoid of film or music. But, there was this lone woman, who wore only red, and sang and danced on the streets and lived in the dargah. That visual of all black and that rebel in red stuck with me."

In recent years, Mohapatra has come out as a rebel in many ways, using her social media presence to call out injustices that she sees - right from women not getting the respect they deserve to the plight of women artistes in India. Lal Pari Mastani is now also her new project - the first song, Shyam Piya, released exclusively on Apple Music recently. Produced by husband and long-time work collaborator Ram Sampath, the song features artistes like Talvin Singh. The video - the country's first 360-degree video - shows Mohapatra walking around Vrindavan, the home of Krishna-lover Meera, who is also a personal inspiration for the singer.

"Meera has fascinated me for decades. We put her in a white robe and made her safe as a bhakt, a domesticated, calm soul. But, the Meera from Mewar that I know, decided to sing and dance on the streets and express herself, which is a problem for women even today. Her poetry is subversive, and she was a rebel, questioning issues like Sati. She was called a nautch girl. If I was not married, I would be branded a har''' as well. She also has this deep sensuality, which she expressed all the time."

When we bring up Kiran Nagarkar's Cuckold, which Mohapatra has devoured from front to back, and how Meera orgasms over Krishna, Mohapatra squeals, "If you hear Shyam Piya, you will know that I am orgasming through it too. It's such a primal feeling, those words by Meera and Ram's melody. It does something to me, and everyone who hears it. That side of Meera is never shown, and we wanted to show that. We shot it at a haveli in Vrindavan, where Meera stayed. It's all about painting myself in Krishna's colours. I am red, he is blue, and we smash into each other."

The project comprises nine songs, videos of which will release every month. Sampath, who has composed all the original music for it, says that the songs are about "how music connects the feminine in us all". Sampath sees Meera as relevant even today. "I wanted us to look at Meerabai's words with fresh perspective. She's an immortal songstress and poet, but her words aren't superficial, and they're more relevant than ever. I wanted to re-frame those words in the musical idiom of our times. And, so, we ended up calling it, 'Meera Blues', because she has the honesty of a Blues musician."

When asked about collaborating with his wife, he breaks it down simply. "It's simple. I'm the boss in the studio, she's the boss on stage. Of course, it's never that cut and dry, besides there's no room for inflated egos in a collaboration. Sona enjoys a specific kind of music, so it's always a pleasure composing songs for her. Also, we enjoy each other's company, so that helps."

Mohapatra on her part, is hell bent on going out and doing whatever she can, to express all her sides, all the while being honest to her core strengths and beliefs. "I can do songs like Jeeya Lage Na (Talaash), and Ambar Sariya (Fukrey), and still remain true to me. I never want to be just pretty or famous. I want to put out music independently, in different ways, and never make it small and niche, but larger than life. As an artiste, that's what you have to do - keep finding ways to reach out."

Also read: Kangana Ranaut's sister Rangoli slams Sona Mohapatra for her open letter

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