BENGALURU: Pan-India music composer and singer Sujeet Shetty, known for his works in movies such as Jothegara, Kariyavoram, Leela, Besharam among others, has recently forayed into the OTT space, composing for Sony Liv’s Jehanabad - Of Love & War. A crime-thriller based on real-life events and helmed by veteran Sudhir Mishra, the show explores a love story in the backdrop of the Naxal insurgency in Bihar, with music playing a vital role in the narrative.
Having been associated with the show’s director Rajeev Barnwal since working with him on the hit song Love Ki Ghanti for the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Besharam, Shetty says the experience was constructive. “Rajeev had a clear idea about what he wanted, so it was straightforward. For each situation that the showrunners asked us to create a song for, we did nearly six songs. Rajeev was happy to be spoilt for choice,” he shares.
The album contains six songs, four narratively interwoven songs and two wedding tracks. Among the former, Shetty says Lal Salam is an anthem of revolution and denotes the voice of the oppressed rising up against tyranny. But his favourite is O Piya, a song about love. “As soon as I finished the composition, I knew it was going to be a good song. It fits in beautifully with the script,” he shares.
Having predominantly worked on feature-length and short films, did Shetty have to modify his work flow for the show? “I don’t see any difference in composing for a feature film, a web series or a short film. At the end of the day, music is the same regardless of the medium,” he says, adding, “What matters is whether I am able to still create music that can connect with the audience.”
Despite being born and raised in Mumbai, Shetty started his musical journey in Bengaluru. Having taken keen interest in the performing arts while pursuing engineering, Shetty made a few crucial industry connections while in the city. “I used to participate in many events, taking home so many trophies while in college that people started getting sick of it,” he laughs. “I also met Lahari Velu, one of my good friends in the city during that time. I did a few albums for Lahiri. Later, I moved back to Mumbai and started working on films.”
Shetty has worked across many languages, including Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. Has language ever been a hindrance? “As long as you know where to break sentences, it’s not. If you don’t know where to break sentences, then it becomes a problem, because sometimes it can alter the meaning entirely,” he explains, adding, “I usually compose with the lyrics, so it’s not really a problem for me. The success that artistes like Shreya Ghoshal and Ricky Kej have enjoyed is a prime example.”