Parikrama: We don’t look down upon Bollywood music

 In its over two decades of existence, Indian rock and roll band Parikrama has kept its distance from Bollywood music, but its lead vocalist Nitin Malik says they don’t look down upon the genre.

The band composed for the recently released film “Manjunath” and it was the film’s realistic approach that drew them to the project.

“We don’t look down upon Bollywood music…we have many idols from Bollywood. The only thing we look down upon is probably the term, the way people use Bollywood in a negative sense,” Malik told IANS.

“It is the Indian film industry and it is also (one of) the biggest money-making industry in the world and it employees a number of people. It is one of the greatest organisations,” he added.

The band members believed that the fact that they have composed for “Manjunath” will give a fillip to the film, which is the story of Manjunath Shanmugan, an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) graduate who was killed in 2005 for speaking out against corruption.

“Without trying to sound like we are blowing our own trumpets, we are one of the most popular bands and for the first time we are giving music to a Bollywood film which will definitely give hype to the film,” he said.

“Manjunath”, directed by Sandeep Varma, released Friday.

Asked about what prompted them to compose for the film, the band’s organist Subir Malik said: “It is a story which is relevant, especially in today’s times. Nobody wants to really address the core issues of adulteration and poverty.”

“This was a great opportunity for us to be part of something not just musically but also socially as we are citizens (of the country) as well. The movie has a social message and I am very happy that the film came along.”

Inputs  by IANS