Shaan was in town on Puja eve to shoot a music video, which has since been released on his YouTube channel. A candid chat.
How frequently do you come to Calcutta in Puja season?
I was here last year for a Bickram Ghosh project, but Covid was still around and all of us were in masks. This time I am really feeling the excitement in the air. In Mumbai, Ganesh puja is celebrated in a big way in pockets. But it is only in Calcutta during Puja that the whole city dresses up. Kolkata-r pujor byapartai alada.
You were at the inauguration of the Sreebhumi puja.
Yes. This is the first time I saw the Sreebhumi thakur. There was so much josh even before Puja, I was wondering what madness would there be in those lanes when the Pujas would actually start. I had sung their theme song and had gone to attend the launch. But I got delayed and ended up reaching just as the chief minister was supposed to visit for the inauguration. She gave me so much love. I also met Nachiketa-da on stage.
What brought you to Calcutta this time?
I had come for the music release of Mission Everest, which took place at City Centre. Mission Everest is the biopic of Sunita Hazra who climbed Mt. Everest. It’s her story, it was shot in real locations. I have sung for it. I have even sung for another release, Kacher Manush. Bumbada (Prosenjit) and I also did a Facebook live for it. He and I share our birthdays, September 30. Bumba da is such a classy gentleman! But such was my schedule that I missed meeting my family.
You also have a Puja song to release this year.
Yes. Since I was going to Calcutta, I thought why not make a song that would go with the festive mood. This song was ready. So we shot a music video with Trina Saha at Burdwan rajbari, where films like Parineeta and Piku were shot. I play the role of a wedding decorator who was playing hard to get. So when he finally turns up at the venue he finds the organisers had replaced him with a girl who was pulling off the job. Being a chyangra chhele, he spots the pretty girl and decides to have some fun in courting her. It is an out and out dance video. Trina and I have both danced a lot. The words go like this: Chand uthechhe, phul phutechhe, Kadamtolay ke.
Like in the nursery rhyme?
We took only the first line. After that, I sing: Shah Rukh Shah Rukh montarey tui pagol kore de. The girl retorts: Chu kit kit khelte giye Keshto phesechhe. June Banerjee has sung with me. It’s a fun song written long back. Rajib Chakraborty has written the lyrics. I composed the song. It is releasing on my YouTube channel. It will be the 30th original song on my channel.
Is the YouTube channel the only avenue left for independent music now that music companies don’t release albums any more?
Music companies do release songs but they do so as singles online. Earlier we had to depend on them as they had the infrastructure to cut discs. Now we can release a song by ourselves. The only advantage of a music company release is that the company bears the cost. I had to foot the bill for shooting the music video. But I have no bad habits. So I can bear to spend this on my music. I have no commercial expectations from it as in my concerts the demand is still for my film hits and old album hits.
So what is the YouTube channel for?
I am exploring my composing side. My father was a composer so that is in my genes. I have a wide range of songs on my channel. Devotional, romantic, Sufi… I keep gifting my YouTube followers all kinds of songs. No other singer has shot more music videos than me. I don’t care about camera angles etc. I leave it to the director. I have even released a dance song, Aati hai toh welcome, jaati hai toh phir come. Such songs do well on (Instagram) reels. I am targeting the youth and having fun. The day my wife says I am blowing too much money on my channel, I will stop. Till then, I will keep making my own music and entertaining my fan base.