‘Dekha Hok Abar’ is all about hope and positivity: Prajna on their poetry meets music collaboration

‘Dekha Hok Abar’ is a unique poetry meets music collaboration of like-minded artists in these moments of crisis hoping for a better tomorrow and a world that shall rise like the Phoenix after the turbulent pandemic fire subsides.
Produced by Pritam Sen and directed by Prajna Dutta, the music video, released by Times Music, has been onceptualized by Swarnali Mita Sarkar, the original Bengali poetry is also penned by her.Featuring mellifluous singers Anweshaa, Antara, Ankita, Sayani and the mystical flautist Dr. Subir Ray, the inspiring background score has been arranged and soundscaped meticulously by Mrinmoy.
Speaking about the unique concept of ‘Dekha Hok Abar’, Prajna Dutta says: It’s a very special project for me since we are all undertaking a difficult voyage in an ocean of pandemic sorrow and hope is our greatest weapon. The music for this project was inspired by the original poem and concept that Swarnali had shared with me, one evening we decided to just jam on the poem, after that I came up with a melodic motif to which Antara added with her fine Hindi lyrics

and an additional melody. Anweshaa and Sayani came up with beautiful alaaps over the subtle harmonic changes that were worked out in collaboration with Mrinmoy da, I came up with some additional Bengali and English lyrics then and Subir da on flute added soul to our prayer and the amazing voice of Sudip da captured the very essence of the poem in a spoken word duet with the poetess herself and finally the fluid movements of Jubin and Debanjana gave us a physical representation to our abstract emotions.”
Actor Sudip Mukherjee has enriched the video by his presence and inimitable rendition of the poetry whilst dynamic dancers Debanjana and Jubin have imbued the visual narrative with their fluid movements. The music video has been shot by Swapnil and edited by Prabir. The song is a multilingual incorporating original Hindi lyrics by Antara Nandy and English and Bengali lyrics by Prajna.
Swarnali recites her own poetry along with Sudip Mukherjee in the video. The Hindi lyrics penned by Antara is sung by Antara and Ankita, the Nandy sisters. Prajna sings the English lines and a fragment of the Bengali lyrics written by himself. Mrinmoy sings the hook line while alaaps by Anweshaa and Sayani garnish the entire presentation on the wings of musical poesy.