Shiladitya-Som’s composition, Brishti, sung by Anwesshaa, exudes an old-world charm. The accompanying music video features the singer herself, singing the soul-stirring number written by lyricist Soham Majumdar. It was released by Asha Audio on September 17.

“We have been composing music for almost two decades now. We wanted to collaborate with a new-age singer and recreate the frenzy around “pujor gaan”. This composition is based on a waltz rhythm. It gives an impression of a Bollywood romantic number, yet the melody takes you back to the 1970s,” said Shiladitya-Som.

“This is our second work with Shiladitya and Som. Previously, we had worked with a galaxy of legendary artistes spanning multiple genres. For the past two years, we have been working with more contemporary singers of this generation," said Apeksha Lahiri, the director of Asha Audio.

A t2 chat with the singer...

Can you tell us more about Brishti.

There’s a very special sentiment and emotion attached to “pujor gaan”. From time immemorial veteran artistes have always been enthusiastic about creating songs right before Durga Puja. Some songs have remained evergreen and we still listen to them. Even though I work at the pan-India level now, I’m a Bengali by my roots, so I am always excited when my numbers release before Puja. It’s been many years since I worked specifically on a Puja number. The song exudes an old-world charm, it’s melodious and soul-stirring. I loved the composition. We’ll get the verdict from the audience once they listen to it.

What was the most enjoyable part of doing this project?

I loved it entirely. It’s difficult to choose parts that have been special. I loved the song in its entirety. It’s an easy-breezy number. There’s a freshness about the composition — something in keeping with the celebratory mood of the festive season.

What are your expectations from the audience?

Actually, in the last few years, I have not initiated a Puja special number as I’m always busy recording multilingual numbers for films throughout the year. There’s been a huge gap in working over something related to Puja and I’ve always felt it. Almost all Bengali artistes are inevitably asked what they’re releasing during Puja. So, working on Brishti is a welcome relief and I thank Asha Audio from the bottom of my heart and the composers of the song.

What are your Puja plans?

I have a lot of shows, so I guess I’ll travel around. I’m hoping to make some Puja plans around the festive season with my friends and family.

Apart from Brishti, what other projects do you have in the pipeline?

I’ve been working on a lot of independent projects, which I’ve written and composed. I recently collaborated with Tony Kakkar. There’s an upcoming film called Nastik with Arjun Rampal as the lead actor. I’ve sung a song for that film. Apart from this, there are some good Telugu releases and Bangla playback in the pipeline.

Do you still get a chance to visit your music class or take training where you’ve learnt it from?

Of course. Whenever I come to my hometown, I always visit Lalit Kala – the music school where I’ve taken training. I visit my Guruji even if I have a packed schedule. I make it a point to go there. Even recording music and listening to music is a learning process. So every day is an opportunity to evolve.

Any words of inspiration for budding musicians?

The independent music scene is growing in India, and musicians are coming up with good singles. So, it’s in a growing stage and people are engaging a lot. Fans ask me when I’m dropping my originals. So, it doesn’t matter whether it’s coming in a film. Non-film music being appreciated is a ray of hope for the musicians. It’s very empowering that emerging artistes are receiving recognition by doing independent work.