Three’s company and chaos too

doweshowbellyad=0; Ehsaan Noorani. (TOI Photo)More picsThey are probably the real Amar-Akbar-Anthony of Bollywood and when you quiz them about it, they say it’s a happy coincidence. The interesting trio of Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa, was recently in the city for a performance.
The show proved to be quite an electrifying one. The three musicians who have created magic with their work time and again, have been associated with Pune for a long time.In fact, the title track of Kal Ho Na Ho was composed in the serene locales of the city itself. Says Shankar Mahadevan, “Pune has always been a very inspiring city and whenever we face a creative block, we just come down here and unwind.” Their music is trendy, youthful and contemporary, infused with a unique flavour, even for compositions in typical Bollywood movies. Says Ehsaan, “A large chunk of our audiences is children, youngsters and those young at heart. Our music is simple and you can either love it or hate it.”
They are the first three-member team of music directors in the country. And, each one of them is as different from the other as can be — whether it’s the faith they profess or their musical backgrounds. But still, their work comes across as a perfect synchronisation of ideas. How do they manage it? “Our different backgrounds add a certain uniqueness to our work. Initially, Ehsaan brought in the rock element, Shankar added a classical flavour, and I was responsible for adding a Western classical touch to the compositions. But now, it’s a complete mixture, all of us do all the work,” says the humble Loy.
They have given numerous chart busters, but when it comes to zeroing down to their favourite composition, the three find it very tough. Says Ehsaan, “I think Kal Ho Na Ho (KHNH) and Dil Chahta Hai (DCH) are closest to me. With DCH, we were introduced to the world and KHNH got us many accolades and awards.” But, Shankar and Loy differ on this and think that all depends on the mood. Says Loy, “All compositions we have done so far are our favourites. It’s tough to choose one from the list. Even the compositions we made for the movies that did not fare so well are special to us. It’s really tough to differentiate between your own babies.”
It’s said that two’s company, three is a crowd. Do they disapprove of each other at times? Says Shankar, “Oh yes, we definitely do. There have been times when we have stormed out of the studio or fought and disagreed on a tune. But then, it’s pretty natural because we are good friends and such things happen with everyone.” So, how do they define their roles? “We don’t have set roles for anyone but it’s a spontaneous process and one thing leads to another. It’s a complete riot when we work on a tune. Chaos is the word for the whole thing. We fight, disagree but at the end of the day, we always have a blast,” explains Shankar.
While choosing a film, it is the script which is the determining factor, the latest directorial venture of Aamir Khan being an example. “It is a very special film. Thank God, we are a part of this project. It’s something that everyone would want to be associated with,” says Shankar. Handling one movie at a time is the mantra they live by. “We keep a 15-day slot for one movie and then proceed further with other projects. This way, we can do justice to all the projects,” says Loy who is very fond of jazz, hip-hop, Bollywood scores, Latin American and Indian classical music.
It is not just work that keeps the trio busy. When they are not composing music, they do their own thing. “The three of us lead completely different lives after work. I’m associated with many other things including Shakti (a music band). Ehsaan and Loy, too, have other things that keep them busy,” clarifies Shankar.
Their energy is infectious and when they perform live on stage, you can’t stop yourself from grooving to their tunes. Live performances give them a real high. “We love playing before the audiences. It gives a different high and is very satisfying. But, since we started off with the recording studio which eventually brought us much acclaim, that, too, is an integral part of our lives. It feels nice to know that our music has reached all corners of India,” smiles Loy.
This musical trio surely knows how to win hearts — in style.