World Music Day: Celebs talk about power of music in the industry

Hindi cinema is known worldwide for its flamboyant song and dance sequences and its unapologetic musicality. On World Music Day, Varun Badola who is a popular TV actor and also comes from a musically inclined family and says, "We grew up around a lot of good music and literature and my father happened to be a pretty good vocalist. He had a brilliant voice and in some way, I have inherited his passion for music and singing though I cannot claim to be as good as him. Also, I have a very diverse taste when it comes to music and I listen to various genres from all over the world. My love for music also impacts my work as an actor because I am always in search of the right 'sur' or rhythm in a role and once I find it, the whole performance flows like a cohesive melody. As far as my all-time favourite song goes, it is ‘Main Shayar Badnaam’ from the film 'Namak Haraam'.''

Meanwhile, veteran Bollywood producer Anand Pandit says it would be simplistic to say that Hindi film music is merely entertaining. He added, "Hindi film music is a repository of folk melodies, classical ragas, Rabindra Sangeet, pop, funk, and every imaginable genre. These songs have become a part of our life. Be it a celebration, a budding romance, a life-long friendship, a loss, or lingering melancholy, music communicates every emotion and compliments every occasion."  

He also has a deep appreciation for the legends who have shaped the history of Hindi film music. "Legends like Sachin Dev Burman, Naushad, OP Nayyar, Rahul Dev Burman, Madan Mohan, Khaiyyam, and Jaidev are institutions in themselves. Their music has touched so many lives and there is hardly any Indian who does not love or revisit classics sung by Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, and Talat Mehmood. Whether you are happy or sad, there is always a perfect Hindi film song to give you company," he exclaimed.   

 Anand Pandit reminds us that music has been a part of our cinema right from the talkie era. He says, "In 1932, a film called 'Indra Sabha' had over 69 songs and who can imagine the history of Hindi films without the musical scores of the cinema of Raj Kapoor, Gurudutt, Dev Anand, Bimal Roy, K Asif, and Mehboob Khan? It is our music that has transcended geographical boundaries and helped people from all over the world to connect with each other. During my travels abroad, I have met so many people who do not speak Hindi but sing Hindi film songs."

The producer also paid a tribute to KK, Lata Mangeshkar, and Bappi Lahiri who passed away recently, and said, "These unforgettable voices will live on in our hearts through the magic they created. That is the power of music. It is eternal and stays with us forever."