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Shantanu Moitra

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Shantanu Moitra
Background information
Born (1968-01-22) 22 January 1968 (age 56)[1]
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
Occupation(s)Pianist, Composer
Instruments
  • Piano
  • guitar
  • bass
  • leads
  • keyboard
  • vocals
Years activeSince 1995-present
Websitewww.shantanumoitra.in

Shantanu Moitra (born 22 January 1968) is an Indian pianist, score composer and musician who has composed songs for the Hindi film industry, and is most known for his scores in the films Parineeta (2005), Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2005), Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006) and 3 Idiots (2009), and private albums, Mann ke Manjeere and Ab ke Saawan sung by Shubha Mudgal. In 2014, he received the National Film Award for Best Music Direction (Background Score) for Na Bangaaru Talli.[2]

Early life and education

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Shantanu was born in Lucknow, where his father came from a Bengali Brahmin musical family. He was very young when he moved to Delhi with his family, where initially he lived in Patel Nagar in West Delhi, and studied at Springdales School, Pusa Road. There, he was the leader and singer of a band, and in 1982, the band hosted the school's first rock show. "What was even better was receiving an award in school for my contribution to music at a time when my school, Springdales in Delhi, didn't usually give awards for music. When I look back now, I think the award instilled huge confidence in me," he said.[3]

They also received musical training from urban-folk singer, Sushmit Bose, a Springdales alumnus, who would occasionally drop in and teach them. Later he moved to Chittaranjan Park in South Delhi.[4][5]

He studied at Deshbandhu College, Kalkaji, Delhi University and has a degree in Economics.[1][6]

Career

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Moitra started his career as a client servicing executive at an ad agency, while music remained a hobby. He started composing music for advertising jingles accidentally, when he was asked to compose a jingle at the last minute by Pradeep Sarkar, then the Creative Head of the agency. The jingle was "Bole mere lips. I love Uncle Chipps" for the chips brand Uncle Chipps, which became an instant hit. He later composed several jingles for Pradeep Sarkar, and several advertising brands.[6][7]

This led to composing music for Indipop albums that were hits including Ab ke Saawan, Mann ke Manjeere: an album of women's dreams for Breakthrough, and Sapna Dekha Hai Maine (2003) for Shubha Mudgal.

Moitra moved to Mumbai in 2002, when he started working for Sudhir Mishra's Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, his first signed film.[8] He soon formed a team with lyricist Swanand Kirkire, starting with the song "Bawara Mann..". Even before Parineeta was made, he had created a song called Raath Hamari To, sung by Chitra, which Vidhu Vinod Chopra the producer of Parineeta heard, and subsequently on his recommendation, he went on do his first Bollywood project- Parineeta (2005), directed by Pradeep Sarkar.[9][10][11]

Moitra gained recognition with his music in Parineeta (2005). His music was critically acclaimed and he received a nomination for the Filmfare Best Music Director Award. That same year he won the Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent. In 2009, he composed the score for his first Bengali film, Antaheen.[12]

He was also a judge for two seasons of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Bangla, a regional spinoff of the show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.[citation needed]

He also wrote the book Ferari Mon - Memories by Santanu Moitra in Bengali, published by Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey, Dey's Publishing.[citation needed]

Shantanu also undertook a 100-day journey across the Himalayas in 2016 along with Dhritiman Mukherjee which was documented and published on YouTube called “100 days in Himalayas” produced by Roundglass.[13]

Discography

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As a music director

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Year Film Notes
2002 Pyaar Ki Dhun
Leela
2005 Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
Parineeta Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent
Yahaan
7½ Phere
Kal: Yesterday and Tomorrow
2006 Lage Raho Munna Bhai
2007 Khoya Khoya Chand
Eklavya: The Royal Guard
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag
2008 Welcome to Sajjanpur
2009 Antaheen Bengali film
Phir Kabhi
3 Idiots
2010 Well Done Abba
Raajneeti One song, "Ishq Barse"
2012 Coke Studio 2 Season 2 Episode 7
Chakravyuh
Krishna Aur Kans
Shoebite
Paanch Adhyay Bengali film
Aparajita Tumi Bengali film
2013 Inkaar
Madras Cafe
Naa Bangaaru Talli Bilingual film (Telugu and Malayalam)
2014 Buno Haansh Bengali film
Bobby Jasoos
PK
2016 Wazir
Pink
Gulzar in conversation with Tagore Hindi music album
2018 October
2019 Aadhar
2020 Gulabo Sitabo One song, "Kanjoos"
2021 Kaadan Trilingual film (Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu)
Sardar Udham
2022 Sherdil All Songs
2023 Lost
12th Fail
Kadak Singh
Pradhan Bengali film

As a playback singer

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Year Film Song Composer Notes
2009 3 Idiots "Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh" Shantanu Moitra
2013 Inkaar "Maula Tu Malik Hai" Shantanu Moitra

As a background score composer

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Year Film Notes
2009 3 Idiots With Sanjay Wanderkar & Atul Raninga
Won IIFA Award for Best Background Score
2013 Ente Malayalam Film
Na Bangaaru Talli Won National Film Award for Best Music Direction (Best Background Score)
2018 October
2020 Gulabo Sitabo
2021 Sardar Udham
2023 Lost
12th Fail

Awards

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National Film Awards
Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards Bangla
Mirchi Music Awards

References

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  1. ^ a b Hindustan Times, Brunch, 5 August 2012, p. 22.
  2. ^ "Naa Bangaru Talli" wins three national awards – Telugu Movie News
  3. ^ "A musical high". Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  4. ^ Sharing Notes: Musician Shantanu Moitra can claim credit for having popularised rock in his school[dead link‍] Indian Express, 10 July 2004.
  5. ^ Shantanu Moitra, before Parineeta Rediff.com, 3 September 2007.
  6. ^ a b Thank an ad crisis for Parineeta's music Rediff.com, 9 June 2005.
  7. ^ Shantanu Moitra on remixes Archived 19 October 2007 at archive.today IndiaFM, 10 August 2006.
  8. ^ Melody: Tracing the history of Hindi film music from 1931[dead link‍] Screen, 2005.
  9. ^ Bohemian Rhapsody: Parineeta’s success hasn’t changed music composer Shantanu Moitra’s pace or lifestyle Indian Express, 7 August 2005.
  10. ^ The man and his music: Shantanu Moitra talks about composing music for the upcoming film, “Laga Chunari Mein Daag” The Hindu, 5 October 2007.
  11. ^ ...But for everything I had to impress Vidhu Vinod Chopra first... Archived 27 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine musicindiaonline.com.
  12. ^ It's a dream debut: Shantanu Moitra: The Parineeta composer talks about his first Bengali film Archived 26 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine Buzz18, 12 January 2009.
  13. ^ "In Photos: The Second Dispatch From Project #100DaysInHimalayas". Your Site NAME Goes HERE. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  14. ^ "61st National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. 16 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  15. ^ "Naa Bangaru Talli" wins three national awards – Telugu Movie News
  16. ^ Parande, Shweta (28 February 2014). "Mirchi Music Awards 2014 winners: Shahrukh Khan, Farhan Akhtar honoured; Aashiqui 2 wins 7 trophies". India.com. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
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