BENGALURU: When Ankur Tewari took up the duty of a music supervisor for the 2019 musical drama Gully Boy, one could observe a significant difference in his work when compared to his acoustic melodies. But it wasn’t necessarily a step out of the comfort zone for the singer-songwriter and composer. “There was never a comfort zone to begin with,” said the 42-year-old who recently performed in the city. Tewari took to the stage at Fandom, Koramangala, where he played his popular tracks Dil Beparwah, Mohabbat Zindabad and Ainda, which released towards the end of 2019.
Tewari’s music resonates with flavours of originality and is layered with a distinct sound that accompanies his unique song writing. Inspiration, he says, comes from writers, politicians, poets and other musicians. “Sometimes an interesting conversation with a stranger at a bar also does the trick. As long as you’re curious as a child, you’ll stay inspired,” he told CE.
As someone who has been actively involved in the independent music scene, Tewari describes the current times to be among the best, thanks to the internet and a growth in avenues. “People are willing to experiment and put in money. The cost of song making and releasing music has gone down drastically, which makes it more democratic for people to showcase their music,” says the musician who has worked with other independent artistes during his stint on MTV Indies, in 2014.
When asked if the industry is rife with favouritism, he plainly disagreed, describing the current time as the most powerful for musicians. This was not the same when he started his journey in 1998. “At that time, the only way to release your music was through a label. There were no venues or music festivals in the country, bands would play at college festivals but the funding wasn’t sufficient. If there is favouritism today, then one is more empowered to break it.”
Mumbai-based Tewari has also been recently spotted at anti-CAA rallies in the city. Admitting that there is an element of fear in these times, he said, “That’s why one should protest because there shouldn’t be an atmosphere of uncertainty. You feel angered by it but at the same time dialogue is important. One aspect is the damage done to the mental state of people. Take Kashmir for instance, where you cut the internet for five months. Even if reforms have been made, it is at what cost?”
The current political scenario also inspired him to write a song, titled Woh Hum Nahi, which speaks about love and the right to protest. The song came about after Tewari watched in rage as students were being beaten up, and hopes that others will feel empowered enough to speak up. Other projects include an upcoming video for his December 2019 release Dhuan Dhuan, which focuses on climate change.