The soulful Zara sa dil mein from “Jannat” (2008) still enlivens a true-blue music-lover's mood. Now Pritam, the talented music director of that film, is back with another set of melodies for the sequel “Jannat 2”. However, this time the compositions are completely different to those in the first one.
On experience for composing for “Jannat 2” Pritam says, “In a way, it was a blessing in disguise that I did not know I was composing for the sequel! When Mukesh Bhatt called me to compose the music, I was just given an untitled script and the liberty to compose as I deemed it. Since the story is of a boy who comes from a small town and makes it big, I felt it apt to give a rustic Indian flavour to the numbers. The scores have been made primarily with Indian instruments like dholak and tabla . Albeit so far my forte has been Western music – especially rock — it has been sheer joy to revel in Indian music, which also makes ‘Jannat 2' so special.”
Speaking of special, Pritam admits that working with the Bhatts has always been a cherished opportunity for him. “Mukesh Bhatt always says that one of the prime reasons he enjoys making good movies is because he can hear and proliferate good music. Working with such a music-lover and connoisseur, one is encouraged to give one's best every time. There's a unique joy in composing for such projects; so when one is called to compose for a sequel, it's all the more enjoyable.”
Signature tunes
For “Jannat 2”, which has been released by Sony Music, Pritam has composed six songs so far, with another in the offing. Musicians like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan and KK have lent their voice to these numbers. “Since this is a sequel, there had to be one song that carried forward the signature tune. That is what I am composing now.”
The score of “Jannat 2” has turned out so well that lead actor Emraan Hashmi could not help but kiss Pritam's hand in reverence!
Ask Pritam about this and he chuckles, “Yes, it's true. Emraan did do that. It's nice to have Emraan enact your numbers because he actually ‘lives' the song! He enjoys music and also has a good ear. So he can enliven the song by mouthing the words perfectly and giving the correct expressions. So, as much as he admires my music — which I'm thankful to him for — I admire his talent and the way he gives justice to a composition.”
Speaking of sequels, Pritam seems to have a penchant for dealing with them. Apart from “Jannat 2”, 2012 will see him composing for “Dhoom 3”, “Golmaal 4”, and “Race 2”.
Same feel
When you mention it, Pritam remarks “Well, I love working on sequels but I consciously take up only those sequels for which I have been working from the first version. That ensures that the music of the successive versions has the same feel and texture as the original one; irrespective of whether the genre remains the same or not.”
2011 saw Pritam belt out hits one after the other: “Dil Toh Baccha Hain Ji”, “Bodyguard”, “Dum Maaro Dum”, “Ready” ... the list seems endless! It seems the trend will continue in 2012 what with Pritam presenting a range of melodies to choose from; be it the 1970s kind of music in “Barfee” or the melodious strains in “Ferrari Ki Sawaari”. Music lovers have a lot to look forward to!
