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Growing up in a household beaming with art, creativity, cinema and poetry, a career in music was always on the cards, but Alokananda Dasgupta going on to become one of the most sought-after contemporary music composers of India was not something she had planned. A graduate in English literature, Aloka, as her friends and colleagues fondly call her, wanted to fulfill her father's dream of becoming a classical pianist, but life had other plans. While pursuing her Master's in English Literature at Calcutta University, she decided to follow her lifelong passion for music in Toronto, where she completed a Bachelors of Music with Honours in Theory and Composition at York University. Her illustrious work portfolio includes a collaboration with Amit Trivedi on films such as Udaan (2010), Aisha (2010), No One Killed Jessica (2011), and Chillar Party (2011). She has also composed the background scores for Amazon Prime's Breathe and Netflix's Sacred Games.
We caught up with the talented Aloka to learn about her passion for music, finding the balance between storytelling and background score, making it big in the Indian audio industry, her bond with her National Award-winning father, and more. She is also one of the 12 advocates of Spotify’s AmplifiHer initiative that aims to shine the spotlight on women in audio, inspiring more female talent to pursue a career in music and podcasts.
You grew up in a house charged up with a lot of creativity. Did that influence your creative inclinations from childhood?
Of course. It was all them (her family). My mother, Kuntala Dasgupta was the granddaughter of a great poet Rajnikant Dushenon. She would sing, write poetry, while my father's influence was more direct. We watched a lot of world cinema and listened to that music. This started from a young age, and at that time I was just a kid absorbing everything, but my routine had become organically inclined towards music.
My father would sometimes point out that what we see are images, and it’s the scores that complete these images. So from a young age, I had a clear understanding of the role of score or music in cinema.
Tell us about your connection with music and how it turned into a profession you love.
My entire life, even more than school, was spent alone in a room, practicing music. Even when I went to New York to study, I would go in the evening at five and leave the practice room past midnight. My process is very private and I haven't been able to break that. I think it's a part of my personality. Now when I compose for films, a majority of my work is done solo, but that is not always ideal because sometimes, when you work with people, it might speed up the process. In a way, I'm happy that as a composer, I spend all my time behind the screen, and happy that I'm not centre stage.
What kind of movies and music have inspired you to become a music composer?
There are so many. Looking back, I recall Satyajit Ray's movies. I must have been maybe four years old when we began to watch his films and listen to his music. There was already a keen attraction because his movies had such amazing scores and he indeed raised films that inspired and influenced. However, at that time in India, the discussion of music and films in cinema was never the score, and it was mainly associated with songs. Today, things have changed, and a few directors I have worked with, especially Vikramaditya Motwane, is someone who understands the importance of an impactful score. People like him are interested in creating images with scores and experimenting with them, and they have been a great influence in my life.
Talking of changing times... now we have streaming platforms such as Spotify, which are driving change in the way we consume music. As a female in the audio industry, what are your views?
Until not long ago, it was hard to move against the current, and it wasn’t easy to work in such resistance, but it's not like that anymore. Platforms such as Spotify allow you to plug in your music for people to listen to, and you don't have to be a “somebody”. It's simplified in a way that it's just a place where artists can showcase their work and fans can listen to the music they enjoy. In that sense, audio streaming is a game-changer. Personally, I have felt appreciated and recognized the most for Sacred Games. It gives me confidence to do more experimental work.
Through initiatives such as AmplifiHer, I want emerging talent in the music industry to know that now is a great time to start your career in music, because artists are getting recognised for their talent - in front, and behind the camera.
Do you have suggestions for young artists and how to amplify visibility on such platforms?
I believe that there is no formula because that is life. Life happens, and based on that and your personality, it is very important to figure out the creative process that works for you. Maybe you are outgoing and will create playlists with your favourite songs, share that with your fans on Spotify, engage with them on social media; or, maybe you just prefer to work behind the scenes, and put your work for listeners to stream and focus on getting work done.
What do you consider the most challenging part of music composition?
If I can't identify with the narrative in the story, I find it difficult to fake it or understand it. It is a bit like falling in love - either it happens, or it doesn't. There are many projects where you start working and your perception becomes convoluted. It is a very disciplined job. My biggest struggles are finding the balance of life, me, my brain, my heart, my music, my hands, my piano and the film… if these things happen, then the rest of the impediments, such as getting it right and on time, gets done!
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