Background Score in Our Films
iView Author: Chanakya (Pune,India)
Email: chanakya.vyas [at] gmail.com
Background Score in Our Films
Well, I thought of writing on this after reading a post on Editing by Vijay and by far one of the finest and detailed posts on PFC that I have read , as its not all Gyaan Gyaan… very good sharing of ideas and understanding of Editing in the world of cinema and how editors are still considered to be mere technicians. I believe every aspect of film making is what makes a good film stand big… The director chooses the best out of it and makes it into a complete film. I always felt that Background Score is again something thats neglected and at times people mix up Background Score and Music Composition ( songs). They do go hand in hand and thats why you hear the Harmonium tune of Haule Haule se of Rab Ne…throughout the film but think about it, the brilliant sound of “Guru Bhai” – AR.Rahman played at the right time and gives you a big image of Guru Bhai and Shakti Mills , Aaayo re- Swades when SRK enters the village in his Caravan gives you a feeling of home coming and i bet on it you would have felt that lets go to a village , or just the haunting sound of Gabbar in Sholay is what gives you a chill…. We rarely see Background Score being treated on par with Music Composition and we often see Howard Shore sweeping awards at Oscars for his BG score ( he lost to Rahman this year) and the kind of brilliant work he did with The Departed and scores of other films.
Filmfare Award has this Best Background Score Category but the best is neglected at times. Of late, I also found that the songs were used as the BG score for a few scenes and it actually works. Like ” hat ja re hat ja re” the verse from emosional attyachar ..bangs in again in the scene between Dev & Rasika in the bus, the way Chak De India track starts with SRK putting on his Ray Ban or the sound of Black by Monty Sharma, were acually compositions for the album and used brilliantly in the film. I felt this topic needs to be discussed to make the presence of music more meaningful in our films and not just beacuse its the ‘ in thing” . We certainly miss the sounds of Pancham da and black & white films of Kishore da ( which had a very different sound – sometimes of a tonga wheel merged with a harmonium or drum rolls of Kalyanji Anandji in DON, jhonny Mera naam & hare ram hare krishna). We are pinning high high hopes on A.R.Rahman, Indian Ocean(upcoming Bhoomi) , Amit Trivedi( dying to listen to his next sound track — this chap defines contemporary music in Bollywood..) , Taufiq Qureshi, Ranjit Barot , Raju Singh , Nitin Sawhney, Shankar Ehsaan Loy and so many others and we hope they give us some great background score apart from their brilliant compositions.
Tags: arr, Kalyan Ji Anand ji, Pancham, Rasool, Yuva
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Chanakya(Like your name)..A nice article to start a discussion on. If i remember right, in the olden/golden days of Hindi cinema, they used to have stock music..say for eg about 60 stock tunes/music and they would play the same music, over and over again for a particular scene in every movie…gawd!!!
Also, we used to have different composers for BG music and Naachgaa..Music director. If i remember right and someone can correct me if i am wrong..Telugu films didnt have two different composers for BG and Naachgaana…
I am still waiting to see the day we will have full-fledged OST releases. It’s been a long wait. The Namesake, Sarkar, Everybody Says I’m Fine,American Daylight are few I have. More here(we had a long discussion on the same topic long back, and it inspired us so much we went and started a Yahoo group called OST Lovers :-))
http://passionforcinema.com/the-ost-scene-in-india/
Absolutely right Tushar.. I saw that post of yours and yes we hardly have any full fledged OST releases like Sarkar for example. I saw this film Amal by Rickie Mehta starring Naseeruddin Shah, Koel Purie and many other actors shot over in Delhi, i loved the film for its simple narration and the BG score really uplifts the mood of a few scenes.
@ OM.. I guess 60’s/70’s Era was not that keen on having an OST or background music and even though i havent seen many telugu films, from the Tamil films that I have seen , I guess Kamal Hassan movies do have BG music which is a bit different from its songs and Rajni movies have that sound effects when he enters and for every move of his which also adds to the style of Rajnikanth.
I guess we need Anurag Kashyap to add some more light on this topic by sharing his ideas on Black Friday’s music and background score (Indian Ocean).
You there Anurag!!!!!
@chanakya,
Do you really like chanting of Guru Bhai Guru Bhai slogan all over the film in Guru?
Such things can be said as good things as far as creating an impresive background is concerned?
Is it good and effective use of sound in a film?
@Chanakya,
“I guess 60’s/70’s Era was not that keen on having an OST or background music”
thats not true, Even in 50s, those filmmakers who cared for sound department, used very well this department also. Music has always been used to enhance the impact of the visuals in many good films and they are made in every era.
A nice and well crafted film don’t need a BG music at all…
Watch Kaanoon for terrific background score by Salil Chowdhury.. Shankar Jaikishan too had some great background scores… Infact they had a tendency to create songs (in future projects) out of their BG score.. Pancham’s background score in Sholay was much much superior than the songs of the film.. The title credits music is mind blowing..
These days its more of background sound than background music btw..
In recent times, nothing to beat Satya for its impact…. even maqbool had fantastic BG..
‘Dil se’…
‘Meenaxi’…
‘Bombay’…
Actually, ALL Rahman BGM’s are fantastic and deserve a seperate cd.
Infact, it’s really a shame we don’t do this.
I even loved the BGM to ‘Pyar Tune Kya Kiya’.
‘Meenaxi’ has the most amazing Qawali pieces!
Even ‘Daud’ has a terrific BGM score!!
I still listen to it, even today!
Of late, I loved the BGM to ‘Delhi 6′.
Especially how ‘dil gira dafatan’ was incorporated in the BGM.
Wah!
Oh, but then that’s Rahman for u!!!
The discussions so far has been limited to Hindi film music. I am adding my views on Ilayaraja and his background score for movies in Tamil and other south Indian languages. Any discussion of background score would not be complete without Ilayaraja. I am planning to make a detailed post on this, but just want to mention that he is one of the masters of background scores and even though there are no official OST releases in India, Ilayaraja’s BGMs are widely discussed and downloaded by people who appreciate good music.
Hi Chanakya, I am a big fan of background scores. And I have a blog dedicated to background scores from indian movies.
http://backgroundscore.blogspot.com
Skanda, then i’m going to add ‘Kannathil Mutthamittal’ :-)
The bgm was used SUPERBLY there!
Calming music with shocking visuals!
Worked brilliantly…
I have to admit, my Illayaraja knowledge is very weak, but I did like his BGM in ‘Naan Kadavul’.
It is a sin to put Ilaiyaraja’s names along with all the names you see in the post and say ‘He too composed good BGMs’.
It is simply because unlike others who took some bits here and there for many of their scores, Ilaiyaraaja conducts live BGMs for each and every of his 800 + films. And every time he has composed a new score for sometimes similar situations. No loops and no music bank loans – pure situational music every second and every instant – leaving an indelible mark on the proceedings.
while the above mentioned BGMs enhance an already good scene, Raaja’s scores go one step further and correct many editing and directorial flaws – This is not some fanboy comment but a consistent admission by legendary directors like Bharathiraaja and Bala.
Rehman was good in JTYJN but Jodha Akbar’s BGM was a big let down ..
The climax fighting b/w hrithik and his saala had such ‘thanda’ BGM …
When compared to the legendary scene of Troy when Achilles fought Hectar and the moment when Achilles’ lance ripped the chest of Hector and in the background this beautiful and haunting voice starts playing … JA was totally insipid …
And I think KHNH had a very good BGM, though Mushy but it served the purpose …
remember the ‘Heartbeat’ that kept playing in the last scene …It was AWESOME !!!
But then, in ghajini, Rehman scores… the scene when Aamir boards down the bus after proposing to Asin … U hear that piece of ‘Behka’ instrumental at that scene … simply superb !!!
Jaiganesh: Movies I hated but ended up watching more than 2-3 times only for BGM:(offhand from memory)
Karagattakaran
Pudhupattu
Arangetra Velai
Kadhalukku Mariyadhai
Veera
Lajja
Jagadega Veerudu Adhilokha Sundari
Friends (Tamil)
Varusham 16
Kizhakku Vasal
Chinna Thambi
And since it would take about 2 years and 2000 pages to write about how Raja’s BGM has elevated some great films, I am stopping right here.
And you said right. It is a sin comparing Raja’s BGM with others.
Ilayarajas BGMS are the best. His re recording gives the scene a whole new meaning, there have been several gems with the combination of IR and Kamal hassan.. Abborva sagotharargal/ Appu raja the scene in the registar office…mahanadhi the scene wher his daughter abuses in her sleep..devar magan throughout… and even for a movie like Kadhulukku mariyaathai ( dolli saja ka rakhna)..you can see his BGM prowess..wehre the climax sequence of around 15 mins will be purely built on IRs Brilliance. He is uncoparable to me. ARR is not far behind. IMO opinion his best BGM was in Swades, nothin to beat that. So much variety..lookout for the tabla beats where gayatri joshi helps SRK with his dhothi..the haunting theme music..RDB was another brilliant BGM by him..
Ilayaraja’s BGM always gives a heard before feeling..but the BGm will be nice to hear..
‘Bhoot’ had an amazing score!
Probably the most effective BGM in a RGV film.
Not many people agree, but ‘Jodha Akhbar’s BGM was also fab!
Especially the scene in which Hrithik comes to the mandir to find Aish praying just after ‘man mohana’.
Excellent!
The following two b/g scores are to me quite easily the greatest that Indian cinema has ever seen. Hypnotic and mind bogglingly sensual.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-edfJ1RGBw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANi6pCWtc3Q
Ingmar Bergman once said “a film itself is music, then why do we need to add music to music?”- but he couldn’t avoid music in his films.
one cant imagine a wong kar wai, pedro almodovar,Theo Angelopoulos or Tarantino without music. In their films music becomes a script in itself. it conveys a lot that even dialogues or sound cant do…
on the other hand people like Abbas kiarostami, Tsai ming liang, Michael haneke(except ‘piano teacher’) dont use music at all. Michael haneke once remarked in an interview that ‘ people use music most often to just join the incoherent shots, to hide the mistakes they have done and to elevate the emotion that is otherwise deficient, to bring the rhythm in control to the otherwise fractured narrative’.
In Indian cinema we cant imagine without music, they say melodrama is part of our culture and hence music and songs are needed – but the purists don’t agree.
I feel music-in its most sensitive representation- is used to evoke in us the desired emotion in relation to the mood and rhythm of the film. When the music we listen is cohesive with the images, as if they have become inseparable,we do not notice the music but we are immersed in the film. may be in the second viewing the music haunts you more that you want to listen to it more and more but at the basic level -music acts as a catalyst to give us that emotional response to the images we see. it becomes like the inner vibration of the soul-Music then becomes a part of the sound scape. Depending upon the subjective inclination of the director, this varies… for some film maker music is what that creates the rhythm within the film., for some other film maker it is used to elevate a particular emotion in a scene. Music creates our own imaginary world; it connects with the subconscious memory in us, haunts and mesmerizes us to a fictious yet soulful or celebrative mood. But people like Tarkovsky achieved that musical resonance through their images itself. His images have the soul of music, the connection of subconscious spirit. The poetry of those images and sound constituted the effect very powerfully that came straight from his heart. So in films like these there is only the own reality of the artist, there is no direct reality, so in the poetic cinema music is invisible within the rhythmic construction of the images (color, compostion, mood, setting) itself. I also need to mention here that even Tarkovsky had problems in using music directly. In the film ‘Stalker’ he changed the music many times. He took it out; he put it in and then finally took the music out of the film. After a few years he felt that he should have put the music but it was too late.
There is a thing in cinema that ‘films shouldn’t be too real’ If it becomes too real it becomes documented or clinical or stale. So, in many a places this reality is bridged into another world through the music, it helps to give the relief to the audience when its needed, or heightening their emotions or to transport them to the world of their own.
Once Bergman said that a script of the film should be written like composing music. He felt music was closer to film, in creating the sense of ‘rhythm’, and all good films have that ‘rhythm’ in every respect but that doesn’t mean one need to use music directly.
If we study the history of cinema, we find that film was initially influenced by theatrical arts. when they played silent films, a live musical band played along with the images. By the popular notion music is needed, as people are used to the theater forms and if its left silent they will get alienated. Filmmakers like Robert Bresson wanted to retrieve cinema to its pure and raw form, that is image and sound..Even he was only able to do that sucessfully only in his last film L’ Argent. He believed that a cinema is at its most true and powerful form when its devoid of music. These are the purists. Film makers like Michael haneke, Lars von trier question the politics behind their content through music itself. For eg., In ‘Piano Teacher’ music is used in an intellectual way, never in the film it is used to please you but it is used to question and disturb. In ‘dancer in the dark’ the music is also used to question the musical genre in films, in the character selma’s world, music becomes an escape to the beauty and nature within but her reality is painful.
On the other side there are people who argue that ‘culture’ forms an important root for an Artist and hence if his culture is musically rich,it will be a natural instinct that he will evoke those emphasis in his films.Eg.,Ritwik Ghatak.
I personally feel that one need to find the music within the image, in the construction of the image, sound and the rhythm of coherence of the series of images. It should become like a heart beat, if one needs to hear the beat he has to go closer to the heart.This is difficult to achieve but worth a try as I believe the power of cinema is in its most raw and innocent form.
@all
The above write up is my thoughts on music in cinema rather than Indian popular cinema. Its also a response to seenu @ Esp. 6. Thanks.
Till A R Rahman came on scene, talk of BG music recalled only Sholay-because of the swing noise, the tonga sound receding then taking the forefront as the house nears, etc. AR Rahman is credited to be the best in translating the emotion into music. I personally find ARR far better than RD Burman, because I have never heard Burman compose a symphony and well, he copied as well. ARR has never done that.
Sandeep Chowta though excelled as background composer for Satya. Its really a wonder why RGV stopped working with Sandeep Chowta. Certainly Amar Mohile is not better than Chowta.
Background music is a necessity-whether to announce the arrival of an important character into the film, to bring out fear in horror movies, to evoke laughter in a comic scene, and to engage the audience in a long drawn sequence. Its a challenge, no doubt, but can raise the impact of a scene(s) in a movie.
sreehari – Thanks for those links. Have heard a lot about Jhonson. I am yet to explore his scores in malayalam movies.
Maams,
I think Bergman towards the latter part of his career had this tendency to try creating films that followed “musical laws” as opposed to pre-fixed “literary laws”..
I guess it started with “The Silence”… which after innumerable viewings, I have to say, has a brilliance that’s almost indescribable. And it’s because that film follows many musical paradigms of sorts. The way Ingrid Thulin drinks from her bottle, dances, masturbates, the glint in that little boy’s eyes.. It’s got that musical leaning written all over it. In fact, if u remember correctly in that film the only moment of positive contact between the 2 sisters is when they listen to one of Bach’s piece on radio..
It’s in its atomic form a glaring example of cinematic minimalism. But then, you can’t hold it up like it’s the alpha and omega of how u can go about making a film…
I admire “THE SILENCE”… But, I love “Wild Strawberries” (If at all that statement makes any sense in this context)
Suresh,
What I like about those scenes, is that it’s brimming with sensuality. And it’s the music that contributes to it. It’s also about the way people move and the rhythm that the montage creates , but the music seeps into all of that enhancing it’s effect. It elevates it to a level of operatic brilliance; gives it a sense of time and place.
I don’t know if there are many people who share my excitement for those two pieces, but to me they are notes that have an almost orgasmic texture to it.
@sree hari
It does make a lot of sense to me. I should admit that you have seen ’silence’ much much better than me.Bergmen is so great in conveying the emotional struggle of human beings. Yes, the music is ingrained within every nuances, every moment he captured. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
@ RK
Hi, I completely agree that 60’s / 70’s era had some great background music and tat is why my article also mentions kalyanji anandji and oancham da..even though my article has been cut short , the sound of sholay was phenomenal too.. whay we see these days which is really impressive is the way opening titles are treated like jhonny g and RDB..for eg. and Guru Bhai chanting was just as an example for that matter of fact no sound or tune can be that appealing if played repeatedly in a movie..thats the reason people never relished the song Haule Haule se.in rab ne..as it was over played .. I think we all agree on every point brought out here..its just the perspective of an individual…
@ skanda…
Hi skanda, first of all its my mistake to have not mentioned Ilayaraja, The Maestro. I have watched a few tamil films and i even understand tamil and people i admire are rajiv menon, mani ratnam, shankar and Balachander for their cinematic sense and the way they use music in their films either as songs or BG score…I guess you should mention a few names of tamil movies which all of us should watch ..
@ RK
I completely agree with you on the point that 60;s 70’s era strongly believed in having BG score a s an essential art of their films and that is why my article also mentions kalyanji anandji ( don, jhonny mera naam ,, many others) pancham da..immaculate and versatile..but what stands out today and is really unique is the way opening titles of the films are designed with some great music..like jhonny g opening scene..or RDB,,SDM for that matter of fact.. In that era it also depended on what the director wanted and that is why if you hear the drum roll sound of don, jhonny mera naam,, amar akbar … are very similar to hear purely as a sound ( not about their composition)and now you have electric sound pumping up the opening scene of RDB…but still BGM is a bit on the neglected side…I guess we all agree on each and evry point discussed here its just that we have an individual perspective and thats where PFC comes in the picture..the more we discuss..the more we learn…
@Chanakya (26,28),
Its a general comment on general scenario and not specifically against you and your views. so please take it in general terms only.
Hindi films have been having specific music directors to compose the songs only and only sometimes same music director has composed the back ground music also for the same film. So in that scenario replaying one or two songs repeatedly in the background is not work of composer who has prepared music for the background. Its simply the insistence and vision of the director.
Reservation is on this point that background music has taken an attention recently. This is the point that its not true. All good filmmakers have always paid proper attention to all the departments of their films. If people writing on films did not pay attention then its not fault of filmmakers. we cant say today in 2009 that BGM was neglected in 50s, 60s or 70s.
Oscar to Rasool may have created awareness about this field among some but it has been there in all the good films.We may leave alone S Ray, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, M Kaul, M Sen, R Ghatak, Bimal Roy, Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt, S Benegal, Gulzaar etc as their films always paid attention to every department of filmmaking, films of other good filmmakers also cared for a suitable BGM. How they could ignore it, if they wanted to make powerful and good films?
Even importance of natural sound can be found in the old films of above mentioned film makers. Importance of silence has been an important part of the over all scheme of the BGM of their films.
Vanraj Bhatia’s music contribution to the films has to be studied properly as he has contributed in both the fields, songs and BGM.
Those who have been watching the films with proper attention, Bhanu Athaiya was a name, doing wonderful job even before she was awarded Oscar for Gandhi. She was right there in the minds since her works was becoming exemplary in Black and white era also.
Problem is few people make hypotheses based on the trashy films of late 80s and 90s where majority of films followed low quality in every department leave alone BGM.
And to this generation it may appear that world has suddenly awakened towards BGM. If we believe in such things then we neglect good works done by good filmmakers in the past. Then we insult Adoor like filmmakers who have been writing separate sound scripts for their films.
@ suresh
great sharing suresh…lovely ..i was dying to hear aayo re..and you made it..thank u so much..do keep us posted..
@ skanda..
hi skanda, its my mistake not to have mentioned Ilayaraja, the Music Maestro and his versatility with music. Evn though i have seen a fe tamil films and i do understand tamil too.. my fav have always been mani rathnam, rajiv menon , balachander & shankar…
it would be great if you could list out names of tamil films which are a must watch….
All through the 80’s Ilayaraaja produced some great music that lifted a film from its worst pitfalls, from its total lack of coherence, from whatever bad you can imagine.. If we see many of the great songs he did today, I mean the visuals of it- you feel a terrible injustice done(am not mentioning a few exceptions here). He was solely responsible for many films to be a hit. Now, when a music composer becomes responsible for so many box office hits, he becomes god. A director becomes a devotee. When tamil cinema and its directors became very dependent on this maestro, the maestro got restricted. When he became god, he got trapped. Yes, Ilayaraaja was worshiped, like how a god was worshiped- put inside a temple that he cannot move out and slowly god himself started liking it. God started demanding daily poojas on him or he thought he wasn’t respected. Whatever god does was right and no questions should be asked.
The genius of ilayaraaja would have gone to greater heights and newer levels if he had worked with great directors, if he had the time and interest to realize that he was with people who were mediocre.
When Adoor gopalakrishnan worked with the maestro for his film ‘Nizhal kuthu’(2003),he would have realized that he should have come to him in the 1970’s.The Time when ilayaraaja was innocent, when he was called ‘raasaiyya’, when he was away from the fame and money..
A few months ago when one my friend met this genius, he was putting background score to some worse movie that you won’t even see when you are bored. My friend said to me he wanted to ask ‘Sir, it’s been more than 30 years since you are here, I was born and brought up listening to your music, your music is in my blood.. Sir.. Please understand I want to know why you are sitting in this same place and filling up music for these terrible films, Sir with due respect to you, do you really enjoy doing this?..You have proved already that you are good with everything, I mean you are always raving about the caranatic music and the western classical and you have proved that you are genius in them too, to whoever you wanted to prove.. now sir, I don’t know what to say to you sir… I really do not like seeing you sitting and composing for some ridiculous film. Sorry to say sir..I am not able to listen to it’
My friend did not ask any of these questions.. because Ilayaraaja is GOD.
Movies I would suggest include
Raaja Paarvai – Kamal Hassan’s first production, and first script if I am not wrong. Has great BG score.
Sathriyan – Director K.Subash’s first movie (The director assisted Mani Ratnam before that). Raja rocks!
Thevar Magan, Mahanadhi, Hey Ram!, Virumandi -Kamal Hassan productions
Nayagan, Thalapathi, Anjali, Mouna Raagam – Mani Ratnam movies
Azhagi – The title score
Devathai, Avathaaram – movies made by actor Nasser
All Balu Mahendra movies (he has stayed with Ilayaraja for all his movies)
All Mahendran movies
Maams,
I agree with you to a great degree. If one wants to defend Ilayaraja, one can give so many reasons, but the fact of the matter is his genius was under utilized in Tamil Cinema. If given a free reign, Ilayaraja and Kamal Hassan would have reached heights that is difficult to imagine.
Maams,
You have mentioned about exceptions (song visuals that did justice to Ilayaraja’s score). From the postings I have read of yours, I believe I can trust your instinct. Why don’t you recommend some songs and movies of Ilayaraja?
@skanda
I will do that. Give me some time.:)
Hi Chanakya,
Nice Article but where is mention of Salim-Sulaiman (when we talk of Background music here in Indian Film Industry.
They have probably given great BG music in last couple of years.
Teen Deewarein (2003)
Bhoot (2003)
Iqbal (2006)
Dor (2006) (The Best I must say,the Zee TV guys use the Flute part whenever some contestant is eliminated………that speaks volume)
Being Cyrus (2006)
36 China Town (2006)
Krrish (2006)
Chak De India (2007)
Roadside Romeo (2008)
Fashion (2008)
Dostana (2008)
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)
Up Coming: 8 X 10 Tasveer (2009)
Aashayein (2009)
Jihaad (2009)
Watch out for them
Veedu by Balu mahendra had awesome BGM (taken from or contributed to Raaja’s How to Name it)
moodupani(1981) – Awesomest BGMs
moondram pirai (Sadma – 1983) Need i say more?
Mudhal Mariyadhai (1984) Bharathiraaja classic with Nadigar thilagam Shivaji Ganesan – This is a quintessential raaja movie
Udhiri pookkal (1979) – J .Mahendran Masterpiece which had music that pierced the last corner of your heart. You dont even need to know the language.
Nenjaththai Killaadhe (1982) another J.Mahendran classic with Raaja doing an entire climax without no dialogues.
All his movies with Mani Ratnam – remember the Nayagan brother night scene where Velu meets his prospective wife – that love theme – awesome.
Raaja could identify a theme for a character and would play it differently for different moods. that is a work of genius!!
“Satya – The Sound” was the first CD to be officially released in the Indian market with just the background score of the entire film. It was splendid music for a terrific film. But if you watch Satya today, 11 years later, the background score seems very over-the-top and exaggerated.
A gangster film made today with that intensity and rawness will perhaps have a far subtler score (if made by a sensible director).
Rahman is a great composer and has composed some masterful scores, but more often than not, he has the tendency to compose music that overpowers the images. Background score is not just about the beauty of the music itself, but how effectively it emphasizes the visuals. If the music overpowers the visuals, then it is a failed score no matter how good the composition or orchestration may be.
In that aspect, I find Ilayaraja (when teamed with a good director) to be far superior in terms of composing background score. Take Nayakan, Apoorva Saghodargal (Appu Raja), or the latest Naan Kadavul. He is fantastic!
One of the most underrated composers is Ustad Zakhir Hussain. Watch films like Vanaprastham, In Custody, Mr. and Mrs. Iyer.
L. Subramaniam is another genius. His work in Salaam Bombay is spectacular. Pity he does not do films much. He was initially supposed to do the score for Hey Ram, but reports were that he had some issues about an anti-Hindu sentiment in the film due to which he backed out, although I always wondered why Kamal wanted to go to him in the first place when he already had Raja sir.
I really like Nitin Sawhney’s work too.
While we discuss Sandeep Chowta’s score for Satya, I always felt that Chowta’s work was far better in Asoka.
Rak Kapoor used to be very particular about background scores in his movie. Watch Mera Naam Joker, Sangam, Satyam Shivam..
The first BGM I remember is of JP Dutta’s underrated classic Hathyar. Sanjay’s Dutt’s theme was amazing. Later, I found that he used the same theme for Yateem too. And Tinu Anand used it in Main Azaad hoon to great effect.
But such examples are few and far between. Satya, Company, Swadesh et al.
Overwhelmingly, the scores are mediocre. Especially those from Ramu’s later films. Recently both Firaq and 13 B had horrible BGMs.
Nice Post,
But where are Salim and Sulaiman
Right now they are doing good in terms of BG music and of course their Music in whole is not too bad either.
some of their works woth mentioning
Hum Tum
Hyderabad Blues 2
Dhoom
Aitraaz
Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women
Krrish
Fashion
Dostana
Chak De India
Teen Deewarein
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
Bhoot (Best of the lot)
Dor (amazing best work till date)
@RK
I agree that film makers havent neglected this point of view but still the artists behind it aren;t given due respect for their work.. resul got awarded at oscars for SDM but his work in black, amu and may others was great. And at most of the times BG score is given by a different person and music composition by someone else..and end of the day its the director who takes a call..
This post is getting really exciting and whats amazing is that we are talking not only with repsect to hindi films..skanda is giving us insight into tamil films too..and tamil films for that matter of fact are technically and aesthetically far more advanced than hindi films..
@AJ
yes. salim sulaiman have been instrumental to a great extent in giving BG score and that is how they actally moved into compositions..i loved their work in chak de..iqbal..dor. but i still miss that old charm of that era where drum rolls..defined the films like DON , sholay.. ..even raju singh has been int BG score for quite a long time..
According to me the best Back Ground music i ever heard is of Sholay (introduction of Gabbar).
And the best scene in Indian cinema where the BG does the trick is from Dalapati where Shrividya (Rajnikath’s mother) and Rajni meet in the temple.
Not a single word spoken but the back ground music says it all(though geat acting to go with).
Ilayaraja Master at work.
I was watching SriDevi’s ‘NAGINA’ last night, and there was a particular sequence where it is revealed that Sri is a nagin.
The BGM along with Sri’s expressions was FANTASTIC!
Over 20yrs old yet just as effective :-)
AJ, I agree that ‘Bhoot’s BGM was Salim-Sulieman’s best work too.
I always make a point of mentioning that…
Who cannot forget the BGM of “Sholay” … makes u remember of “ennio morricone” of india “R D Burman”.
Even Naushad saab recorded a piece of music in 1949 for his film, which was released on Vinyls and became hugely popular. It was also played on one of the functions of BBC ( the first Indian to get that honour ).
The work of b/g muscians have always been neglected and its a very sad part.
I watched YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and trust me it has some riveting background music…Few fight sequences are so well shot and the typical sound of a battle field in the BG.. waiting for dasavatharam in hindi..its been long since we watched Kamal Hassan in Hindi ..
Cassandra – I agree w/ you.
For Mera Naam Joker, the music was released as 2-LP album. The first LP contained the usual songs and dialogs – but the second LP was historical in my opinion. It had the movie BGM! Yes, you read it right, it had haunting melodies from the movie. It captured the innocence of young Rishi Kapoor, his baby-love for Simi….and so on. It brings back so many good memories about the movie.
I am looking for the 2nd LP for quite a while – but no luck so far. If anyone has any idea about where I can find it – PLEASE drop me a line!
-S-
Just wanted to mention – Howard Shore was not nominated for the Best Original Score Oscar this year. The person you must be mentioning is James Newton Howard (who composed amazing scores like Dinosaur, Waterworld, Signs and The Village), who was nominated alongside Rahman for his score to Defiance.