Just when Indian Music Industrywas about to hit an all time low with its wide collection of poorly composed, absurd numbers, there came a fresh breath of air in the stagnant pond of creativity; the ripples of which are still going around. Sneha Khanwalkar is probably the only mainstream Bollywood music director that goes around the country in search of the most rustic, raw and unabated music and vocals.
From turning a twelve year old girl child (Durga), singing in Local Trains for a living, on to deliver a chart-buster to going around Bihar auditioning housewives with a knack for singing, Sneha has definitely treaded on the road not taken in search of soulful music.
Born in Indore, Madhya Pradesh in a family where music runs in the blood, Sneha is always on a lookout to gain new experiences that can help her evolve as a person. Coming from a family of trained Classical Singers, Sneha was a natural with music but what sets her apart from her contemporaries is her thoughtful approach to her subject. For the movie that opened a whole new dimension for her, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye (2008), she travelled throughout Punjab to get a taste of local music, sounds, culture and more importantly to experience and explore the aspect which is now her forte- Sound Trippin!
The only Fourth female music director of the industry, Sneha is an inspiration for all those who can relate to her Bohemian spirit and believe in doing what they love irrespective of what the world says or thinks about them. With MTV’s Sound Trippin she ventured into the undiscovered India, going around creating the most authentic music and groovy tracks composed of all the possible sounds one comes across in their daily life, like the mooing of cows, water droplets falling, ringing of bells and the likes of it!
Though brought up in a pretty conservative family in Indore, Sneha has that air of confidence around her. Her immense love of going out and meeting new people is something that reflects in her work as well. And I must admit, it was she who introduced our generation to a whole new genre of evoking yet soothing music. Some of the most popular tracks composed by her include: ‘Tu Raja Ki Raj Dulari’ from the movie Oye Lucky Lucky Oye (2008), Love, Sex aur Dhokha (2010),Womaniya for Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), “Tain Tain To To’ for Gangs of Wasseypur.
Zahra Gulrez For mptravelogue.com
