Head to this first mandolin-only orchestra in Mumbai this Saturday

Participants rehearse before the concert

Remember Shah Rukh Khan serenading Kajol in the mustard fields of DDLJ or Zeenat Aman listening to Italian verses on a Venetian canal alongside Amitabh Bachchan? Both moments were underscored by the plinks of the mandolin. Rare in India, it is one of the key figures in several iconic songs in Indian cinema. For Pradipto Sengupta, the instrument has been a lifelong love and mission. His upcoming concert with the Mandolin Wonders Group at Bhavan's College in Andheri will introduce the audience to the magic of the instrument.

"I have been playing the mandolin for almost 50 years," says Sengupta, who started learning the instrument as a 10-year-old in Kolkata. "I was introduced to it by a maternal uncle. It was so hard to find a teacher for mandolin back then," he shares, adding that his teacher was Saroj Barua. He later decided to pursue his career as a musician and moved to erstwhile Bombay.

Pradipto Sengupta

"The mandolin traces its origins to Italy. So, it does not fit into the traditional Indian style of compositions," the 60-year-old explains. This has not prevented it from being used in Indian cinema. From songs such as Suhani raat dhal chuki in Dulari (1949) to Mere rashke qamar in Baadshaho (2017) for which Sengupta played the mandolin, it has been a constant presence.

Perhaps it is this distance that has still kept the mandolin slightly niche in its popularity. While there have been exponents like the late U Shrinivas, it is still not the instrument of choice for an aspiring musician, says Sengupta. The mandolin-only concert might be a first on Indian soil, but Sengupta says it is quite common in Europe. "There are groups of 50 or 60 mandolin orchestras in Europe, US, China and Japan. But they also include other instruments from the mandolin family, such as the mandobass, mandocello and the mandola. We will perform only with the mandolin," he remarks.

The concert will showcase the potential of the eight-stringed instrument and feature 13 musicians across age groups. These include an IT professional from Australia, a doctor from Delhi, musicians from Gujarat and Bengal. He calls it a ‘mandolin-only orchestra'. But doesn't an orchestra imply the presence of rhythm, bass and string sections, we ask. "By creating three lines of mandolins," he answers. The group is split into two sets of four players and a third group of five mandolins. "This allowed us to create the first, second and third note of each composition," he shares.

The compositions, ranging from classical to popular Bollywood numbers, have been shaped to suit this mandolin-only orchestra. "I have only re-arranged the preludes and interludes. The key rhythms remain untouched to retain familiarity," he suggests. With regular classes online and offline, Sengupta is already looking to expand the orchestra. "The next time we perform, I hope to have 20 or 25 members playing the mandolin," he says.

On: September 9; 6.30 pm
At: SPJ auditorium, Bhavan's College, Andheri West
Call: 9821462127 (to register)