Jha goes folksy in Jai Gangaajal

LYRICIST MANOJ MUNTASHIR RELIES HEAVILY ON FOLK SONGS

Uttar Pradesh lad and lyricist Manoj Muntashir has penned an array of folk songs in Prakash Jha’s next that hits screens today. He has written songs that are heavily inspired by saawan, sohar, kaharwan, alah, Maithli, Bundeli, Awadhi, Purbi and Bhojpuri for the Priyanka Chopra starrer.

“My own roots lie in the dusty heartland (Amethi). I have grown up in muddy fields. My father is still a farmer and that makes my connection with countryside much more realistic. These are not necessarily originating from Uttar Pradesh. But I have taken it all from the state, so it’s my salute to our rich culture which I am giving back through my songs,” the lyricist tells HT City.

Talking about his inspiration behind the folk songs he says, “I have seen women singing ‘sohar’ when a baby is born, farmers singing ‘birha’ while planting crops, young girls singing ‘sawan’ on swings and elderly people singing alha during marriages. From birth to death, there is no point in life where UP doesn’t have a folklore and a folk song. So this was my inspiration behind the songs I have written for Jai

From birth to death, there is no point in life where UP doesn’t have a folklore and a folk song. So this was my inspiration behind the songs I have written for Jai Gangaajal

Manoj Muntashir, lyricist

Gangajaal.”

Manoj tells that he along with music directors SalimSuileman and director Prakash Jha evolved this rustic folk music concept that has became a reality today. “Ghangor Ghana Ghana is inspired by Alha, Maiye Re is saawan, Maya Thagni is nirgun, San ke hai san san is Sohar while Bin Badar is a mix of birha and kaharwan. They are not in pure folkform. We have Bollywoodised them as per commercial requirement.”

The director was initially sceptical with Manoj as he has mostly written romantic numbers. “Prakashji did compliment me for Teri Galliyan, but I could read the shadow of doubt in his eyes. He was not sure if I will be able to deliver the rustic fragrance and realism he was looking for. Then, soon I presented him Maya Thagini and that was it,” he says.

Having a string of hit numbers under his belt and winning Filmfare this year for Teri Galliyan, he is writing all songs for forthcoming films like Akshay Kumar’s Rustam, Abhubhav Singh directorial film Tum Bin2, Ajay Devgun’s Badshaho, Sonakshi Sinha’s Akira and most talked about biopic Dhoni.