Madhubanti Bagchi: ‘Several item songs have great musicality’

Addressing the debate on the place of songs that cater to the male gaze, Madhubanti Bagchi, who rendered the seductive Stree 2 track starring Tamannaah says such songs shine for their sonic quality

In an industry that’s growing increasingly aware of how its female actors are represented on the big screen, questions relating to the need for tracks—traditionally labelled item songs—continue to be raised. And while Madhubanti Bagchi says she’s “not a fan of the tendency to unnecessarily create an item song”, Tamannaah Bhatia-starrer Aaj ki raat was different.

“They informed me that this was not a promotional track, but rather a crucial piece that propels the story forward. The song was neither an afterthought nor one that was made to add elements that catered to the male gaze,” says Bagchi of the song that features in the upcoming instalment of Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor’s Stree.

Bhatia in Aaj ki raat

In a world in which viewers are spoilt for choice, good content will always take precedence, and that is precisely why Bagchi says “nonsensical songs that are created only for visual pleasure will be rejected” by the masses. However, she admits that there would be a “flip side” to the issue. “We’ve got a lot of great songs that belong to [the cluster that we refer to as] item numbers. We cannot be blatantly judgemental and call them bad. Long after a film releases, a listener doesn’t think of the visuals while hearing a song. Music lovers simply listen to the music. I still hear Beedi jalaile and Sheila ki jawaani because, musically, they are pretty iconic songs.” 

Composer duo Sachin-Jigar’s brief to Bagchi for the track was simple. “They wanted a classy delivery, but not in a manner that would appear too classical. It had to be light, and easily understandable.” And while the singer wasn’t informed about the actor on whom the number was set to be picturised, she doesn’t disregard the fact that on occasions, the selection of the artiste influences her renditions. “A while ago, I sang a song [Aami jaani re] in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway [2023], and came across several comments on social media from people who assumed it was Rani Mukerji who had rendered it. At the time, I was aware that Rani would play the part, and perhaps [moulded] my tonality [to suit] her voice. So, the casting influences my process to some extent.”

Bagchi’s voice inarguably cannot be bracketed along with those of the other female singers who are currently part of the film industry, and may instead be reminiscent of the vocal quality of artistes like Usha Uthup. Ask her if this distinction works in her favour and she says, “There are two aspects to consider here. The first is the [vocal quality] that I was born with. That, I cannot change. The other thing is the manner in which the song is rendered; that can be altered. I would say I am blessed with the tone that I have. The composers [who choose me] prefer to hear their songs in my voice because it fits the context. In this song, [it contributed to the] dominating element that was required in the delivery.”

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