On Rituparno's 59th birthday, city to remember him through music at ICCR

kolkata: It's been nine years since music composer Debojyoti Mishra no longer receives the 5 am calls. The calls from his dear friend, confidant Rituparno Ghosh. But for the music director, who has worked in almost every film of the late director, "Ritu is still very much there."

He remembers how Ghosh didn't mince words and told him how he wasn't happy with the way 'Titli' (2002) starring Mithun Chakraborty, Aparna Sen and Konkona Sen Sharma was shot.

"So, I told him why we don't make a ballad to spice it up. The next day, early in the morning, I received a call from Ritu to come to his house. We lived nearby and when I reached, I saw him scribbling on a paper. The notes were ready, and I always had one of my guitars at Ritu's place. Thus, 'Megh Peon' was born. Many of our songs were composed at strange places and situations," recalled Mishra.

On Rituparno Ghosh's 59th birth anniversary on Wednesday, Mishra will remember his friend and director through a musical presentation titled "Friendship of Raincoats and Memories" at ICCR.

With sound and visuals, Mishra, who has worked with Ghosh on 'Utsab', 'Raincoat', 'Chokher Bali', 'Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish', 'Shubho Mahurat', 'Titli' and 'Satyanweshi' to name a few, he will create a magical evening of music and storytelling. From 'Mathura Nagarpati', 'Piya Tora Kaisa Abhiman' to 'Megh Peon', Mishra said he will infuse songs, and storytelling to create a world unique of Rituparno Ghosh and bring out many unknown sides of the late National Award-winning filmmaker. One cannot deny Ghosh and his love for Rabindranath Tagore. So, Mishra has weaved in Rabindra Sangeet, too, in his musical presentation.

"I have known many sides of Ritu. He was a multi-talented personality. He was insightful, very hard to lose in an argument with a great sense of humour and music. It's been nine years but I know he is still with me each day. Ritu loved songs in my voice. Had he been alive, Ritu would have turned 60 today. Through stories, discussion and songs, I will create a musical presentation, which Ritu will appreciate," said Mishra.

In fact, not many would know that the 'Unishe April' director wanted to do a musical theatre on 'Meghdoot.' "We had even started working on it. You would find a composition of Meghdoot in his last work Satyanweshi. I will share such unknown facets of Ritu," said Mishra.

The two-hour musical presentation will have nearly 18 songs and Mishra will play the violin.

Eminent singers like Srabani Sen, Subhamita, Samaktak, Madhubanti Bagchi will perform at the event. This is the first time that Mishra's son Nishad will perform on the guitar.

Born on August 31, 1963, Ghosh changed the narrative of Bengali cinema by creating films, which were meaningful and were also a reflection of the society we lived in.

On May 30, 2013 at the age of 49, Ghosh passed away after a massive cardiac arrest at his South

Kolkata residence.