Dev.D (soundtrack) explained

Dev.D
Type:soundtrack
Artist:Amit Trivedi
Border:yes
Released:31 December 2008
Recorded:2008
Genre:Film soundtrack
Length:01:01:31
Label:T-Series
Producer:Amit Trivedi
Prev Title:Aamir
Prev Year:2008
Next Title:Udaan
Next Year:2010

Dev.D is the soundtrack to the 2009 film of the same name directed by Anurag Kashyap. A modern-day adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's Bengali novel Devdas, the film stars Abhay Deol, Mahie Gill and Kalki Koechlin as the principal characters, Dev, Paro and Chandramukhi, based on the novel. The album featured 18 tracks composed by Amit Trivedi with lyrics for the songs written by Amitabh Bhattacharya, Shellee, Anusha Mani, and Shruti Pathak, and consisted of a variety of genres.

The soundtrack was released by T-Series on 31 December 2008, coinciding New Year's Eve in digital platforms, followed by a CD release on 7 January 2009. It received positive response for the compositions, blending of various genres, lyrics, instrumentations and several aspects, and has been called as one of the best Hindi film albums ever due to its experimental approach. With the success of the album, Trivedi established prominence in the Hindi film music scene becoming one of the leading composers, and won National Film Award for Best Music Direction in 2010.

Development

Dev.D was Trivedi's first project he signed.[1] However, as the film experienced production delays and shelving, Kashyap recommended Trivedi's name to Aamir (2008), another film produced by UTV Spotboy, which marked his debut film, and Dev.D being the second to be released.[2] [3] The music blends several genres ranging from folk, rock, street band, metal and world music, to different cultures which consisted of Rajasthani, Punjabi, Awadhi and Europop. Dev's character consisted of psychedelic rock and hard rock music, whereas Paro's character featured several Punjabi and Awadhi songs, and Chanda's character mostly consisted of Western classical music.[4] Dev.D does not feature lip sync songs and would be played in background as montages.[5] [6]

The popular track "Emosanal Attyachar" was composed in a specific way pertaining to his vision of a brass wedding band style. While composing the song, Trivedi thought that he and Bhattacharya would sing the song themselves and present the version to Kashyap. Then, they planned to bring on qawwali singers to record the track. But Kashyap liked their scratch recording of the track. Bhattacharya felt upset as he was not singing in the normal voice, but in a caricatured way with the song being tweaked a little bit. He was also concerned about his ambitions of becoming a singer and with this debut, they would not get work in the music industry. Hence they credited the song under the pseudonym bandmaster Rangeela and Rasila from Himachal Pradesh. This was revealed by Trivedi nearly a decade.[7] [8] He was also being critical of the song as he felt that it won't work and would be remembered for 6–7 days, but contrarily, it emerged as the biggest chartbuster and breakthrough hit for Trivedi.[9]

Reception

The soundtrack was met with positive response. Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama gave four stars and wrote "Amit Trivedi gives an excellent start to the year by presenting to audience the music of Dev D, which brings in so much variety to proceedings that one just feels truly content. These are the kind of songs that should play for bits and piece in the narrative of Dev D and add great value to it [...] Just pick this one quickly from the shelves; they don't make such albums in dozens!"[10] In a five-star review, Rahul Bhatia of Hindustan Times described it as "the most radical mainstream Bollywood album ever".[11] Sumit Bhattacharya of Rediff.com rated three stars saying "pick up this CD — which zigzags through genres and boasts of some deliciously cynical lyrics and treatment — if you're in the mood to experiment. But be warned, there's no saccharine sweetness."[12] Karthik Srinivasan of Bangalore Mirror reviewed the album saying "Such abundance of songs in a soundtrack may end up in a Saawariya’esque tedium; or they can combine to make a brilliantly thematic compilation, like in Dev.D".[13] [14] He later re-reviewed the album in Milliblog praising Trivedi as "the new A. R. Rahman".[15]

Revisiting the music album post-decade, Devarsi Ghosh of Scroll.in wrote "At a time when Hindi film music is stuck in a bottomless pit, it is safe to say that Dev.D had one of the last great soundtracks. Almost nothing that has come after can measure up to its controlled madness. The Dev.D album is the successor of AR Rahman’s clutter-breaking work in Roja (1992) and Thiruda Thiruda (1993)."[16] Utkarsh Shrivatsava of Firstpost wrote "Throwing in Rajasthani-rock with a sorrowful ballad along with some smooth lounge fusion, Trivedi worked his magic to produce a revolutionary album, one which would (and does) stand alone as a piece of art."[17]

Standup comedian, lyricist, writer and director Varun Grover, wrote a column for India Today listing ten evergreen albums from Hindi film music, included Dev.D. Grover described it as a "soundtrack that careens playfully from Dixieland to edgier tones".[18] The soundtrack topped the "Top 20 Bollywood Soundtracks since 2020" listed by Tatsam Mukherjee in his column for HuffPost, calling it as "the finest album in Bollywood since 20 years".[19] Vipin Nair ranked the album at number 21 on "100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks" in his column for Film Companion.[20]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s) and Nominee(s)Result
Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards8 January 2010Best LyricistAmitabh Bhattacharya and Shellee (for the song "Emosanal Attyachar")[21]
Filmfare Awards22 February 2010Amit Trivedi[22]
[23]
Best Background Score
R. D. Burman Award for New Music Talent
International Indian Film Academy Awards5 June 2010Best Music Director[24]
Best Lyricist
Mirchi Music Awards10 February 2010Upcoming Lyricist of The YearAmitabh Bhattacharya (for the song "Emosanal Attyachar")[25]
Upcoming Female Vocalist of The YearAditi Singh Sharma (for the song "Yahi Meri Zindagi")
National Film Awards22 October 2010Best Music Direction – SongsAmit Trivedi[26]
Screen Awards9 January 2010Best Lyricist[27]
[28]
Best Background MusicAmit Trivedi
Stardust Awards17 January 2010Standout Performance By A Music Director[29]
[30]
Standout Performance by a LyricistAmitabh Bhattacharya (for the song "Emosanal Attyachar")
Shellee (for the song "Dol Yaara Dol")
New Musical Sensation – MaleAmit Trivedi (for the song "Emosanal Attyachar")
Tochi Raina (for the song "Pardesi")

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020-09-15 . Tuesday Trivia: Dev D was suggested to Anurag Kashyap by Abhay Deol at a party . https://web.archive.org/web/20201021000725/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/tuesday-trivia-dev-d-was-suggested-to-anurag-kashyap-by-abhay-deol-at-a-party-1722066-2020-09-15 . 2020-10-21 . 2023-12-12 . India Today . en.
  2. Web site: Amit Trivedi to compose for UTV Spot Boy's next two films . https://web.archive.org/web/20110716145452/https://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/amit-trivedi-compose-utv-spot-boys-next-two-films . 2011-07-16 . 2023-12-12 . Radio and Music . en.
  3. Web site: 2013-12-24 . Amit Trivedi: Where Music Meets Magic . https://web.archive.org/web/20140210123745/https://www.forbesindia.com/article/2013-celebrity-100/amit-trivedi-where-music-meets-magic/36749/1 . 2014-02-10 . 2023-12-12 . Forbes India . en.
  4. Web site: N . Patcy . 2008-07-21 . Making music, from Aamir to Dev D . https://web.archive.org/web/20090925074854/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jul/21amit.htm . 2009-09-25 . 2023-12-12 . Rediff.
  5. Web site: Ghosh . Devarsi . 2017-10-15 . Amit Trivedi interview: ' A soundtrack's success cannot predict a film's fate' . https://web.archive.org/web/20230208100456/https://scroll.in/reel/853516/amit-trivedi-interview-a-soundtracks-success-cannot-predict-a-films-fate . 2023-02-08 . 2023-12-12 . Scroll.in . en-US.
  6. Web site: 2010-09-19 . 'People still have no idea that Dev D had 17 songs' . https://web.archive.org/web/20160619034610/https://www.hindustantimes.com/music/people-still-have-no-idea-that-dev-d-had-17-songs/story-6AbYMvBCkDHdBO6U3btwQM.html . 2016-06-19 . 2023-12-12 . Hindustan Times . en.
  7. Web site: 2018-03-03 . Nine Years After Dev D, Amit Trivedi Reveals The Voices Behind Emotional Atyachaar . https://web.archive.org/web/20180303203544/https://www.news18.com/news/movies/nine-years-after-dev-d-amit-trivedi-reveals-the-voices-behind-emotional-atyachaar-1677523.html . 2018-03-03 . 2023-12-12 . News18 . en.
  8. Web site: 3 March 2018 . Real voices behind Emosanal Attyachar revealed 9 years after the release of Dev D . https://web.archive.org/web/20180411095819/https://www.hindustantimes.com/music/real-voices-behind-emosanal-attyachar-revealed-9-years-after-the-release-of-dev-d/story-q6ohFxnIxVInrqKM5sOSeI_amp.html . 11 April 2018 . 15 October 2022 . Hindustan Times.
  9. Web site: 2015-08-04 . Bombay Velvet's success would have changed the course of Jazz music in the country: Amit Trivedi . https://web.archive.org/web/20160423210734/https://www.news18.com/news/movies/bombay-velvets-success-would-have-changed-the-course-of-jazz-music-in-the-country-amit-trivedi-1030125.html . 2016-04-23 . 2023-12-12 . News18 . en.
  10. Web site: Tuteja . Joginder . 2009-02-06 . Dev D Music Review . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212165816/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/dev-d/songs/music-critic-review/ . 2023-12-12 . 2023-12-12 . Bollywood Hungama . en.
  11. Web site: Bhatia . Rahul . 2009-01-07 . Music Review: Dev D . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212165951/https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment . 2023-12-12 . 2023-12-12 . Hindustan Times.
  12. Web site: Bhattacharya . Sumit . 2009-01-13 . Dev D: The music is different for sure . https://web.archive.org/web/20090216022607/https://www.rediff.com/movies/2009/jan/13devd-music-review.htm . 2009-02-16 . 2023-12-12 . Rediff.com.
  13. Web site: Srinivasan . Karthik . 2009-01-09 . Dev.D: Thematic and brilliant . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212170152/https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/luck-by-chance-trio-by-expectation/articleshowajax/22249208.cms . 2023-12-12 . 2023-12-12 . Bangalore Mirror . en.
  14. Web site: Srinivasan . Karthik . 2009-01-01 . Music review: Dev.D (Hindi – Amit Trivedi) . https://web.archive.org/web/20181002061816/https://milliblog.com/2009/01/01/music-review-devd-hindi-amit-trivedi/ . 2018-10-02 . 2023-12-12 . Milliblog . en-US.
  15. Web site: Srinivasan . Karthik . 2009-01-21 . Reviewing the music review of Dev.D! . https://web.archive.org/web/20231212170328/https://milliblog.com/2009/01/21/reviewing-the-music-review-of-devd/ . 2023-12-12 . 2023-12-12 . Milliblog . en-US.
  16. Web site: Ghosh . Devarsi . 2018-09-12 . Audio master: In 'Dev.D', Amit Trivedi gave Hindi cinema one of its greatest soundtracks . https://web.archive.org/web/20190214194350/https://scroll.in/reel/892144/audio-master-in-dev-d-amit-trivedi-gave-hindi-cinemas-one-of-its-finest-soundtracks . 2019-02-14 . 2023-12-12 . Scroll.in . en-US.
  17. Web site: 2018-04-08 . Dev.D's music revisited: Amit Trivedi's greatest work showed us how much a soundtrack can elevate a movie . https://web.archive.org/web/20190517212223/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/devd-music-revisited-amit-trivedi-greatest-work-soundtrack-elevate-movie-anurag-kashyap-4422509.html . 2019-05-17 . 2023-12-12 . Firstpost . en.
  18. Web site: Master suites: Best of Hindi film albums . https://web.archive.org/web/20230117234209/https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-insight/story/master-suites-best-of-hindi-film-albums-2321886-2023-01-15 . 2023-01-17 . 2023-12-12 . India Today . en.
  19. Web site: 2020-09-12 . The 20 Best Hindi Film Albums Since 2000, Ranked . https://web.archive.org/web/20210317022428/https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/the-top-20-hindi-film-albums-since-2000-ranked_in_5f5ced54c5b6b485080127c7 . 2021-03-17 . 2023-12-12 . HuffPost . en.
  20. Web site: Nair . Vipin . 2017-11-08 . Top 100 Bollywood Albums . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926214206/https://www.filmcompanion.in/music/top-100-bollywood-albums . 2022-09-26 . 2023-12-12 . Film Companion . en.
  21. Web site: 5th Apsara Awards Nominees . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140305024842/http://apsaraawards.org/5th_apsara_awards_nominees.html . 5 March 2014 . 19 April 2015 . Apsara Awards.
  22. News: 11 February 2010 . Nominations for 55th Idea Filmfare Awards 2009 . . dead . 25 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141020180943/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/725/ . 20 October 2014.
  23. News: 27 February 2010 . Winners of 55th Idea Filmfare Awards 2009 . . dead . 19 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140203075020/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/776/ . 3 February 2014.
  24. Web site: 8 May 2010 . Nominations for IIFA Awards 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150207205207/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/980/ . 7 February 2015 . 19 April 2015 . Bollywood Hungama.
  25. Web site: Mirchi Music Award 2009 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180814185833/http://www.radiomirchi.com/mma2009/hindi/winners.html . 14 August 2018 . 15 February 2019 . Radio Mirchi.
  26. Web site: 57th National Film Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235404/http://dff.nic.in/2011/57thNFA.pdf . 3 March 2016 . 19 April 2015 . Directorate of Film Festivals.
  27. Web site: 31 December 2009 . Nominations for Nokia 16th Annual Star Screen Awards 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140116065844/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/599/ . 16 January 2014 . 19 April 2015 . Bollywood Hungama.
  28. Web site: Nominations of 16th Star Screen Awards (Popular) . https://web.archive.org/web/20121005191329/http://starplus.startv.in/starscreenawards2010/nominees/actress_popular.asp . 5 October 2012 . 19 April 2015 . Star Plus.
  29. Web site: 16 January 2010 . Nominations for Max Stardust Awards 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141207205823/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/644/ . 7 December 2014 . 19 April 2015 . Bollywood Hungama.
  30. Web site: 18 January 2010 . Pix: Bollywood rocks Stardust Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053224/http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/jan/18/slide-show-1-stardust-awards-night.htm . 4 March 2016 . 27 May 2015 . Rediff.com.

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