What’s your flava?

Goutam Das Baul, Amit Trivedi and Rana Mazumder

If the influence of folk music in his celebrated cinematic creations isn't testimony enough, Amit Trivedi has made his adulation for regional music evident in his interviews, over and over again. BTS footage of his journey across five states to search for "sounds of the soil" appears to show him in new light - unusually mischievous, delighted, and at ease. It's evident that albeit tiring, this road journey - which led to the making of six tracks that reflect the cultures of five states - has been one that he has cherished.

For Trivedi, accepting this offer from a vehicle brand was only fitting since it aligned with his vision for his year-old label, AT Azaad. "I have been doing a series of [folk] songs for the label, and the requirements of this project were similar [to that]. I wanted to shed light on the folk artistes of our country," says the musician. Collaborating with him are veteran musicians of the respective states, including Gujarat's "dandiya king" Kirtidan Gadhvi, Rajasthani folk singer Mame Khan and Ruchika Chauhan, Kolkata's Rana Mazumder and Goutam Das Bau, Tamil Nadu's Anthony Daasan, Rajasthan's Kavita Seth and Bhanwari Devi, and Maharashtra's Nagesh Morweka.

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Trivedi with Mame Khan

Despite having traversed the length and breadth of the country to work on his Bollywood films, Trivedi admits that he discovered new facets of various cultures, and the artistes, only recently. Having coincidentally created the track Mooch while exploring Jodhpur, Trivedi was fascinated to learn of a day-long festival that sees people flaunt their facial fuzz. "People grow their moustaches and beards in preparation for a full-day competition to flaunt their [hair]. Another thing that I learnt during this journey is that in Tamil Nadu's Kumbakonam, which is an eight-hour drive from Chennai, people are served a seven-course meal comprising traditional foods that have been consumed since 3,000 years. I have never experienced anything like it."

For Trivedi, collaborating with Mandwa's Bhanwari Devi, and learning about her life, was also memorable. "She is a folk singer who gave birth to nine children. Despite losing her husband, and living in a village that is rather patriarchal, she pursued her passion for singing. She still sings and performs while wearing her ghoonghat. No one has seen her face. Her story is inspiring. In a [village] that expects women to stay at home, she continues to perform."

While he confesses that a project of this order can be pulled off even in the face of challenges posed by the pandemic, Trivedi admits that when working without a team, and "in-person interaction", the process wasn't all that appealing. "We couldn't work on the videos [as we had desired], and several artistes had to work in isolation. Technology made the process possible, but without meeting people and jamming together, the energy and vibe wasn't the same. I missed that."

Also Read: Amit Trivedi: Nothing regular about folk music