Shantanu Moitra
Encyclopedia
Shantanu Moitra is an India
n music director who has composed music for the Hindi film industry, and is most known for his score in 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
.
, where his father came from a Bengali
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, where he was the leader and singer of the band, and in 1982, the band created history of sorts by hosting the school’s first rock show. Meanwhile, they also received musical training, from urban-folk singer, Sushmit Bose, a Springdales alumnus, who would occasionally drop in and teach them. Later he shifted to Chittaranjan Park
in South Delhi
.
He studied at Delhi University and has a degree in Economics.
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 named Uncle Chipps, which became an instant hit, and he later composed several jingles for Pradeep Sarkar, and several advertising brands.
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 shifted to Mumbai
in 2002, when he started working for Sudhir Mishra
’s Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
, his first signed film, and soon formed 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 received Parineeta
(2005) directed by Pradeep Sarkar
and later Eklavya: The Royal Guard
directed by Chopra himself.
Moitra composed the music in a few films, but 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 score for his first Bengali film, Antaheen
.
He continues to compose ad jingles, and recently won a Bronze Lion in Cannes in the category of best music for a Happydent advertisement.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n music director who has composed music for the Hindi film industry, and is most known for his score in films Parineeta
Parineeta (2005 film)
Parineeta is a Bollywood musical film adaptation of the 1914 Bengali novella, Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Directed by debutant Pradeep Sarkar, the film was based upon a screenplay by the film's producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film featured Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt...
(2005), Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, is an Indian movie made by director Sudhir Mishra in 2003, but released in 2005. Set against the backdrop of the Indian Emergency, the movie tells the story of three youngsters in the 70s, when India was undergoing massive social and political changes...
(2005), "Lage Raho Munnabhai" (2006) and 3 Idiots (2009), and private albums, Mann ke Manjeere and Ab ke Saawan sung by Shubha Mudgal
Shubha Mudgal
Shubha Mudgal is a well-known Indian singer of Hindustani classical music, Khayal, Thumri, Dadra, and popular Indian Pop music.She has been awarded the 1996 National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction for 'Amrit Beej', the 1998 Gold Plaque Award for Special Achievement in Music,...
.
Early life and education
He was born in LucknowLucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, where his father came from a Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
musical family. He was very young when he moved to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
with his family, where initially he lived in Patel Nagar
Patel Nagar
Patel Nagar is a place in West Delhi and it is the subdivision of West Delhi District as like other subdivisions Rajouri Garden and Punjabi Bagh.-Area:Patel Nagar is a large area and divided in some colonies like:*West Patel Nagar...
in West Delhi
West Delhi
West Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India.West Delhi is bound by the districts of North West Delhi to the north, North Delhi and Central Delhi to the east, South West Delhi to the south, and Jhajjar District of Haryana state to the west.West Delhi...
, and studied at Springdales School
Springdales School
Springdales School is a group of English-language co-educational schools run by the Springdales School Society in New Delhi.There are four branches of the school - at Pusa Road, Dhaula Kuan, Jaipur and Kirti Nagar . The schools are affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education . The...
, Pusa Road, where he was the leader and singer of the band, and in 1982, the band created history of sorts by hosting the school’s first rock show. Meanwhile, they also received musical training, from urban-folk singer, Sushmit Bose, a Springdales alumnus, who would occasionally drop in and teach them. Later he shifted to Chittaranjan Park
Chittaranjan Park
Chittaranjan Park , aka C.R. Park is a neighbourhood in South Delhi, and home to a large Bengali community in Delhi. It was established in the early 1960s under the name EPDP Colony or East Pakistan Displaced Persons colony, and was renamed after Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, in 1980s...
in South Delhi
South Delhi
South Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India.It is bounded by the Yamuna River to the east, the districts of New Delhi to the north, Faridabad District of Haryana state to the southeast, Gurgaon District of Haryana to the southwest, and South West...
.
He studied at Delhi University and has a degree in Economics.
Career
Moitra started his career as a client servicing executiveAdvertising account executive
An advertising account executive is an employee of a advertising agency who acts as the main link between one or more clients and the rest of the agency. The executive is primarily responsible for the day to day running of one or more client's advertising campaigns...
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
Pradeep Sarkar
Pradeep Sakar is a writer and director who works in the Bollywood industry.He began his career with Vinod Chopra Productions, the production company of acclaimed director Vidhu Vinod Chopra....
, then the Creative Head of the agency, the jingle was "Bole mere lips. I love Uncle Chipps" for the chips brand named Uncle Chipps, which became an instant hit, and he later composed several jingles for Pradeep Sarkar, and several advertising brands.
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
Shubha Mudgal
Shubha Mudgal is a well-known Indian singer of Hindustani classical music, Khayal, Thumri, Dadra, and popular Indian Pop music.She has been awarded the 1996 National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction for 'Amrit Beej', the 1998 Gold Plaque Award for Special Achievement in Music,...
.
Moitra shifted to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
in 2002, when he started working for Sudhir Mishra
Sudhir Mishra
Sudhir Mishra is an Indian film director and screenwriter most renowned for directing critically acclaimed films like Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Dharavi and Chameli.-Early life and education:...
’s Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, is an Indian movie made by director Sudhir Mishra in 2003, but released in 2005. Set against the backdrop of the Indian Emergency, the movie tells the story of three youngsters in the 70s, when India was undergoing massive social and political changes...
, his first signed film, and soon formed team with lyricist Swanand Kirkire
Swanand Kirkire
Swanand Kirkire is an Indian lyricist, playback singer, writer, also a television serial writer, assistant director, dialogue writer, both in television and Hindi films.Kirkire won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice...
, starting with the song, "Bawara Mann..". Even before Parineeta was made, he had created a song called Raath Hamari To, sung by Chitra
K. S. Chithra
K. S. Chithra often credited as Chithra , is an Indian playback singer who has made her mark in the Indian music playback industry. Popularly known as Chinna Kuyil of South India, she has lent her voice to Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Oriya, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Badaga and Punjabi films...
, which Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra is an Indian director and producer. Chopra is the head of his own company, Vinod Chopra Productions, and is particularly known for producing the Munna Bhai films and 3 Idiots.-Early life:Born in a Punjabi family of Kashmir,...
the producer of Parineeta heard, and subsequently on his recommendation, he received Parineeta
Parineeta (2005 film)
Parineeta is a Bollywood musical film adaptation of the 1914 Bengali novella, Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Directed by debutant Pradeep Sarkar, the film was based upon a screenplay by the film's producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film featured Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt...
(2005) directed by Pradeep Sarkar
Pradeep Sarkar
Pradeep Sakar is a writer and director who works in the Bollywood industry.He began his career with Vinod Chopra Productions, the production company of acclaimed director Vidhu Vinod Chopra....
and later Eklavya: The Royal Guard
Eklavya: The Royal Guard
Eklavya: The Royal Guard is a Bollywood film directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra which was released in India, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom on 16 February 2007....
directed by Chopra himself.
Moitra composed the music in a few films, but gained recognition with his music in Parineeta
Parineeta (2005 film)
Parineeta is a Bollywood musical film adaptation of the 1914 Bengali novella, Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Directed by debutant Pradeep Sarkar, the film was based upon a screenplay by the film's producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film featured Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt...
(2005). His music was critically acclaimed and he received a nomination for the Filmfare Best Music Director Award
Filmfare Best Music Director Award
The Filmfare Best Music Director Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to the best composer/arranger of a soundtrack. This category was first presented in 1954. Naushad was the first recipient of this award for his song "Tu Ganga Ki Mauj"...
. That same year he won the Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent
Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent
The Filmfare R.D. Burman Award for New Music Talent is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.The award is named after late R.D. Burman...
. In 2009, he composed score for his first Bengali film, Antaheen
Antaheen
Antaheen is a 2009 Bengali film directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury. The film stars Radhika Apte, Rahul Bose, Mita Vashisth, Aparna Sen, Kalyan Ray and Sharmila Tagore.-Plot:...
.
He continues to compose ad jingles, and recently won a Bronze Lion in Cannes in the category of best music for a Happydent advertisement.
Personal life
He is married to Sarada Moitra and the couple have a fourteen year-old son Shubham.Filmography
- Shoebite/Johnny Mastana (2011)
- Rajneeti (2010)- Track 'Ishq Barse'
- Well Done AbbaWell Done AbbaWell Done Abba is a 2010 political satire Hindi film directed by Shyam Benegal, starring Boman Irani, Minissha Lamba and Sammir Dattani in pivotal roles. It is the remake of the 2007 Marathi film, Jau Tithe Khau It was based on three short stories: Narsaiyyan Ki Bavdi by Jeelani Bano, Phulwa Ka...
(2010) (Completed) - 3 Idiots (2009)
- Phir KabhiPhir KabhiPhir Kabhi is a Hindi matured love story, which got released in 2009 through DTH. The film stars Mithun Chakraborty and Dimple Kapadia in lead roles.- Synopsis :Phir Kabhi targets the heart of its audience. It is all about emotions...
(2009) - AntaheenAntaheenAntaheen is a 2009 Bengali film directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury. The film stars Radhika Apte, Rahul Bose, Mita Vashisth, Aparna Sen, Kalyan Ray and Sharmila Tagore.-Plot:...
(2009) (Bengali film) - Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008)
- Laaga Chunari Mein DaagLaaga Chunari Mein DaagLaaga Chunari Mein Daag - Journey Of A Woman is a 2007 Bollywood film directed by Pradeep Sarkar and starring Jaya Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kunal Kapoor and Anupam Kher with special appearances by Abhishek Bachchan and Hema Malini...
(2007) - Eklavya: The Royal GuardEklavya: The Royal GuardEklavya: The Royal Guard is a Bollywood film directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra which was released in India, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom on 16 February 2007....
(2007) - Khoya Khoya ChandKhoya Khoya ChandKhoya Khoya Chand, is a Bollywood film directed by Sudhir Mishra which released on 7 December 2007. The film stars Shiney Ahuja and Soha Ali Khan in the lead roles with Rajat Kapoor, Sushmita Mukherjee, Sonya Jehan and Vinay Pathak in important roles...
(2007) - Kal - Yesterday And Tomorrow (2005)
- 7½ Phere (2005)
- Lage Raho Munna BhaiLage Raho Munna BhaiLage Raho Munna Bhai is a 2006 Indian musical comedy film directed by Rajkumar Hirani and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It is the second film in the popular Munna Bhai series of Bollywood. Sanjay Dutt stars in this film as Munna Bhai, a Mumbai underworld don, who begins to see the spirit of...
(2006) - YahaanYahaanYahaan is a Hindi movie released in India on July 29, 2005. The cast consists of Jimmy Shergill, Minissha Lamba and Yashpal Sharma .-Plot:...
(2005) - ParineetaParineeta (2005 film)Parineeta is a Bollywood musical film adaptation of the 1914 Bengali novella, Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Directed by debutant Pradeep Sarkar, the film was based upon a screenplay by the film's producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film featured Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt...
(2005) - Hazaaron Khwaishein AisiHazaaron Khwaishein AisiHazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, is an Indian movie made by director Sudhir Mishra in 2003, but released in 2005. Set against the backdrop of the Indian Emergency, the movie tells the story of three youngsters in the 70s, when India was undergoing massive social and political changes...
(2005) - LeelaLeelaLeela may refer to:Fictional characters:* Leela , a fictional character in the science fiction television series* Leela , a fictional character in the animated television series Futurama...
(2002) - Pyaar Ki Dhun (2002)