Best Original Score
Not only is it important for a musical score to excavate the deep emotional point of its characters, it is also to accompany and enhance the emotional crux of a situation for the audience, without being manipulative or overbearing on the scene itself.
Jumping slightly ahead, into the future, let's consider; Neerja. The 2016 film has already created furor thanks to its beautiful handling of a very emotionally stirring subject. It is so far, the best film of the year.
Without spoiling the ending for the unaware and uninformed audiences, let me just say this;
The last half an hour of the film is punctuated by a rousing but subtle score that sweeps the audience away in a torrent of gushing watery eyes. This moment of catharsis and heartbreak is well earned because the score never overwhelms you but rather sticks to being true to the emotions it projects.
That's the mark of a good ORIGINAL score and don't be surprised to see Neerja feature on this list [and many] next year.
For now, let's move onto the wonders of this year, the nominees for the HIndie Award for Best Original Score are...
Sanchit Balhara for Bajirao Mastani
The 'Bajirao War Cry' becomes the theme of the film, adding a high energy level to a film that is not naturally about that sort of a war, rather an internal battle to dignify the essence of idea and love. No one can deny it's a stirring call to arms, but it very much captures the film.
Of course with such a high level performance at its center, this allows much of the subtle musical themes to become more profound, particularly the haunting and pain driven wails as Bajirao travels through the stormy sea [of his minds and those around him] to get to his beloved Mastani.
Balhara is a relative unknown who steps into the sphere of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali vision and makes it his own, with a taste for refined tunes that equally aid and offset the melodrama with ease. This is how a melodramatic score is made, by going subtle and smooth; becoming a part of the film rather than killing it.
Various Artists
for Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!
Essentially DBB! doesn't necessarily rely on a score but rather some pieces of different genres of music from different players.
At the forefront is Sneha Khanwalkar whose taste and understanding of varied musical pieces creates an intriguing flavor for the film. Rock anthems are the meat of the music that create a spark with the contrast to the setting and much more somber mood of the film.
It's an eclectic choice that takes time to get used to but eventually gives DBB! an interesting feel that most noir/period films don't have.
Aditya Trivedi for
Main aur Charles
Taking a cue from its titular character, Main aur Charles has a viper like quality to its music. Striking and seductive, Aditya Trivedi adds touches of retro highs and lucid lows with the music that sinks between capturing an era but also an essence of the man the film portrays.
There's dark tones imbibed with trances that capture just like the silver tongued Charles. The theme of Charles is thus distinctively his own and a testament to the complex deconstruction the music does of such a fascinating character.
There's no demonic rises or furious paces in the music to craft the thrills and chills. Rather Trivedi's focus on the low key is a sign of what the film is actually about and an enhancer of it as well; it keeps tabs on Charles, just as Charles does on the hunt highlighting the character driven narrative of the film. The music is the magnifying glass that brings clarity to this odd character study with utmost effect.
Bruno Coulais and
Indian Ocean for Masaan
Indian Ocean while also composing the tracks for the film, are also responsible for the score along with Bruno Coulais.
It might sound weird to say so [especially considering their name], but the musical score of the film if to be visually felt, feels like the calm, spiritual yet murky holy river of Banaras where the film is aptly set. There's a serene quality to the romantic track that runs through one side of the films story and there's a romantic quality to the painfully tranquil music that runs through the other end.
In turn the music becomes a thematic reflection of the film in itself as the rivers meet, the two protagonists meet and the music meets in a poetic brilliance. Bruno and Ocean fly away beautifully with this one.
Amit Trivedi for
Bombay Velvet
A complete soundtrack victory for Bombay Velvet does not only rely on the songs but the exhilarating score as well.
The masterpiece of Bombay Velvet is no doubt it's action packed finale shootout as a machine gun wielding Johnny Balraj lays waste to the bad guys in his bid to save his girl.
The score that accompanies it?
On a whole other level!
The jazz tunes are a wonder, each of the three main pieces of the score hitting their own enriching crescendo's with glory. It's an altogether enticing musical piece that does end up stealing the show from the film but also floating it a notch higher than it probably deserves.
And the Winner is...
Amit Trivedi for Bombay Velvet!
There goes, so far we are done with the musical set of awards with a win a piece for Masaan and Bombay Velvet. Next onto the technical awards.
Up Next: The dazzling visuals are sometimes difficult to find and capture on canavas, sometimes they need to be truly painted in and this team of painters do it exceptionally well...The HIndie Award for Best VFX
'Nuff Said
Aneesh Raikundalia
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