Page 40 - Seniors Today - June 2021 Issue

Once Upon a Time | Music

Parallel Notes

Besides outstanding cinematic values, Indian art films gave us some of the
best music too, writes Narendra Kusnur

FOLLOWING music director Vanraj Bhatia’s
death on May 7, the Indian Performing Right
Society (IPRS) organised a Zoom tribute
on its Facebook page. Filmmaker Shyam
Benegal, who worked extensively with him,
talked of the role Bhatia played in the Hindi
parallel cinema movement of the 1970s and
1980s.
Parallel cinema, also called new wave or Vanraj Bhatia
art cinema, used music differently from Bhatia was the best known and most
commercial films. Songs weren’t just inserted prolific composer in parallel films. He
between scenes, and there definitely was worked with Benegal on Ankur, Nishant,
no dancing around trees or at wedding Manthan, Bhumika, Junoon, Kalyug, Mandi,
extravaganzas. While some films barely had Antarnaad, Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda, Mammo
songs, others had them in the background or and Sardari Begum, among other films. He
if they were part of the script. Even the style also composed music for Aparna Sen’s 36
was different, as classical and folk elements Chowringhee Lane, Kundan Shah’s Jaane Bhi
were used in strong doses. Do Yaaron, Prakash Jha’s Hip Hip Hurray,

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