MUMBAI: They’ve been together for fifteen years. Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani amd Loy Mendosa, creating beautifully carved music scores for a series of memorable and not-so-memorable movies over the years. But, they have not been heard in the movies lately.
What gives?
Lately the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy [SEL] output has dwindled drastically, to almost zero. Shockingly there has been no music score from this ever-hearable threesome so far this year, leading to many raised eyebrows and wagging tongues. To make it worse, SEL after giving spectacular soundtracks to Karan Johar’s several productions beginning with ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ in 2003 and culiminating in ‘We Are Family’ 2011, have been ousted from the new Karan Johar film ‘Student Of The Year’.
Is there a rift among the super-talented trio?
When questioned the ever-affable Shankar Mahadevan refused to be ruffled. Said the versatile singer-composer, “Not at all!!! There can never be a rift. The reason for the scaled-down output is that we were doing concert tours after completing the score of ‘Don 2’. We are now working on Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra’s ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ and Nikhil Advani’s ‘D Day’.”
Significantly SEL replaces the constant A R Rahman in Mehra’s ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ and continues their steady association with Nikhil Advani which began with ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’. “It’s inevitable. Filmmakers need to work with other musicians,as we need to work with other filmmakers. As for Karan Johar I think he wanted a different feel for his new film. Everyone needs to work with different people. Isn’t Rakesh Mehra now working with us?” reasons Mahadevan.
Shankar says the SEL trio is unbreakable. “After fifteen years we still look forward to the Monday morning jamming sessions at the studio. Touchwood! I’ve just landed in Mumbai after doing SEL shows in London and Las Vegas. My partners are partying in London. I can’t wait for them to return so we can resume our studio sessions.”
About the meager output in recent months Shankar protests, “We’ve never believed in churning out music like products in a factory. We do only 2 films at the most per year.”
SEL are now reunited with their favourite lyricist Javed Akhtar for Kamal Haasan’s ‘Vishwaroop’. “You’ve to hear the Kathak dance number we’ve composed for Kamal Haasan. I’ve sung it,” says Shankar excitedly. But of course.
– Subhash K Jha
