Neel Dutt turns a year older!

Composer Neel Dutt turned a year older today. The music director was honoured with the National Award for Best Music Direction in 2012 for the album of Ranjana Ami Ar Ashbona and happens to be the third Bengali to win the coveted award from Bengal. He is arguably the first music director in the country to rearrange a Tagore composition with modern electronic music. Neel, son of actor-musician-filmmaker Anjan Dutt and Chanda Dutt, started accompanying his father on guitar from the time he was still in school. Together, they did many concerts and became popular as a father-son duo in the music scene. When he was in college, Neel forayed into Tollywood with his father’s film, Bow Barracks Forever and since then has composed regularly for films. Only last year, he scored for several films, including

Shonar Pahar

, Ahare Mon,

Uma

and Aami Ashbo Phirey. Neel, who was out for lunch with a friend on his birthday, said he didn’t keep any work for the day. About how he ushered in the special day, the busy composer said, “I watched Champion’s League all night with my besties.” Neel, who is extremely close to his parents, said the evening would be spent at home. “My family and bandmates will be there at home this evening. I am a simpleton,” he said.