You got a break after 21 years.Tell us how does it feel?
Getting a break after 21 years- is a dream come true and definitely mixed feelings. The feeling is like when both tears and laughter come together. And along with this feeling, a realization dawned that, it took 21 years to debut in my first film project- now the road is uphill, miles to go, and loads of songs to make.
What made you not give up for so many years?
Passion, Patience, and Perseverance are the 3 ps that kept me going. They evoked in me the feeling of not giving up and an attitude of not letting the dreams die. My friends, family, audiences, and well-wishers kept me going. Tides came and tides went but after long 21 years, I reached somewhere called a shore.
What has been the best performance of your career so far?
As much as I can recall, my best performance was in Hojai, Assam, somewhere in the mid-90s. Hojai stadium was filled with thousands of people. My performance was after a huge Bombay Night, where singers like Abhijeet Bhattacharya were there to perform. Needless to say, I got a bit jittered- performing after so many big stars!!! But as destiny proposed, I had performed the best performance of my life, to date, in Hojai.
Are there any musicians who inspire you? What qualities do you admire about them?
Yes, there are so many and countless, but, if I have to take a pick, Salil Chowdhury had inspired me the most. Salil Chowdhury had a huge influence throughout the early days of my life. We grew up hearing his songs, gaanyer bodhu, palki, raanaar etc. His compositions reflect the perfect balance of melody, symphony, and storytelling. I really don’t know when my own work started getting inspired by his. But isn’t that the beauty of music….
What’s your process for dealing with performance anxiety?
Honestly, I didn’t have much performance anxiety. Stage and performance came naturally to me from childhood. But yes, now when I look back- I used to talk and talk to various people, mostly unknown in and around the stage- I think that’s what was my mechanism to cope up with performance anxiety…
Please tell us about your future projects?
I am working on some very interesting music videos and albums.
What about the Music of the Film?
The beauty of music in 7 Kadam is that it lends emotional weight to the story. I am glad that I had the opportunity of working with renowned singers like Shreya Ghoshal Javed Ali and Shafaqat Ali. I am happy that finally my music is reaching out to people and they like it. As a music director, your audience is the jury and their appreciation makes me believe that all my efforts are in the right direction.
I tried to bring back the soulful music with my compositions. These days we are too used to techno and mechanical sound. The melancholy of a flute or the passion of saxophone is missing. I have grown up hearing the sound of nature. The world is full of melodies, and we have only managed to use very little.
I am glad that national awarded singer like Shreya Ghoshal worked with me. She is such a lovely human being, with wide vocal range and understanding of rhythm. While Javed Ali is gritty and earthy. His voice touches your soul and Shafaqat is equally talented with his genre. As a composer I am grateful to my artists for making it perfect with their magical touch.
About Raajiv Mitra
Raajiv Mitra started his career with a local music band in Coochbehar. When he stepped into the competitive world in Mumbai, he realized that the war was intense. It took many years, sleepless nights, and ceaseless passion for him to break the barrier and establish himself. He came from his hometown with a dream and nothing else. When he reached Mumbai he realized the journey was not going to be easy. While survival to fight for his dream was a priority, therefore, he took up all possible odd jobs in the music industry. From making jingles to singing at public functions. But Raajiv didn’t let his dream die.He produced short film Bouma in Hindi with Bidita Bag, which was officially selected at 50th IFFI. He also gave music for a short film Derma. Both his films were released by Viacom18 Studios on Voot Select.
Raajiv has now debuted as a music director with Eros Now’s film 7 Kadam. 7 Kadam, is a poignant father-son story. Ronit Roy and Amit Sadh are in the lead roles, set in the backdrop of football, and shot in West Bengal.
7 Kadam was released on Eros Now on 24th March 2021. It has Amit Sadh and Ronit Roy in the lead roles.
