Shantanu Moitra on directorial debut with undertaking that includes Kaushiki Chakraborty: I loved it, open to directing extra

Jun 27, 2025 12:20 PM IST

As composer Shantanu Moitra marks his debut as a filmmaker, he shares how the expertise empowered him and the distinction between making music and movies.

Having been a musician all his life, composer Shantanu Moitra has added one other feather to his hat by turning filmmaker. He has directed and produced an upcoming docu collection on YouTube, which incorporates a six-part, sit-down dialog with singer Kaushiki Chakraborty. Sharing why he determined to show director, Shantanu says, “I wished to develop into an entrepreneur and a storyteller. I wished to interrupt this entire sample of somebody calling to supply me a piece alternative. That made my mind begin ticking and I believed I wish to attempt one thing else.”

Shantanu Moitra

Titled Pankh, his first outing is music pushed, because it’s a live-autobiography and album on Kaushiki’s life. “Over the years, there have been plenty of tales that I wished to share with the world. And what higher vocalist to voice that feeling of mine – that I must share these tales – than Kaushiki Chakraborty. I imagine in case you’re actually obsessed with one thing, then you’re the greatest particular person to execute it. That is the rationale why I took this leap of religion and turned a director,” says Shantanu.

As somebody navigating music and filmmaking now, Shantanu accepts that there’s a whole lot of commonality and variations between the 2 crafts. “Before I compose a music, I’ve a gifted energy to listen to the music in my head, which incorporates the songs I’ve composed for Parineeta (2005) or 3 Idiots (2009). That’s one thing that I skilled as a director too. I may see it and had a transparent imaginative and prescient earlier than I began directing it. That’s the commonality. The best distinction was the turnaround time within the two crafts. As a composer, the turnaround time from the second I hear my music in my head to execution is much less, as I document it instantly after calling the proper folks for match. However, in case of a movie, there are lots of departments and folks that I’m depending on. And the gestation interval from when I’ve considered an concept to after I lastly see it manifest is large,” Shantanu ends.

Kaushiki Chakraborty and Shantanu Moitra in Pankh Talking about working with Kaushiki, he provides, “Coincidentally, she can also be in that way of thinking the place she additionally desires to inform tales and never simply sing a music. So, each these items converged and actually, it’s a loopy concept to current a music like we did (in Pankh, with the side of storytelling). There are six tales making six episodes and from them come six songs. So it is a fairly loopy concept, particularly from a music perspective.”