Chutney!

Cultures have always transcended continents: sometimes willingly, sometimes unwillingly.

Two indispensable elements of any culture are language and art. And as one draws a global linguistic map, the average first-timer would be shocked to know that many in the Caribbeans speak Bhojpuri. Why? Thank the English.

In very simple words, Bhojpuri reached the Caribbeans through indentured labour (sent by the British) from India). I don't prefer calling these people Indians, I think Indic is a better word; for their notion of India might be very different from its present social, cultural and geopolitical structure. 

Coming to the second aspect: art. And with art, I am referring to music. Chutney music. 

As interesting as its name sounds, Chutney music is even more riveting to the Indian ear. A mish-mash of instruments like the Bulbul Tarang, Dhantal, Dholak, Harmonium, Khartal, Manjira, Mandolin, Tabla and Tassa beats (yes, I copied that from Wiki), Chutney music sure is a delightful nosh of spicy and tangy lyric too. Well, that was not intended initially, though.

Debuting in Trinidad and Tobago as devotional music, Chutney music gradually became gender and genre neutral. Presently, it is a mixture, or call it chutney if you may, of lyrics and music of the stature of popular, massy and peppy dance numbers.

Quick facts: Chutney music was started by a woman called Dropti and Sunder Popo, considered the Papa of Chutney music. 

This article is going to focus on two such numbers. While judging an entire genre by referencing only two songs is blasphemy, I would say this would suffice for the Bollywood connection this genre has.

Case 1: Kanchan, Babla and Kalyanji-Anandji

Most people don't know or won't remember who Kanchan was, possibly because of her short stint in Bollywood. But what a stint it was. I wouldn't say she ruled the seventies and early eighties, but songs like "Kya Khoob Lagti Ho" and "Laila O Laila" surely belong to her. Her thin, sweet voice sounded refreshing in a bipartisan selection of female singers: the Bhosle sisters. Nothing against them, though.

Times changed, the decade changed, but two things remained constant. The musical duo of brothers Kalyanji-Anandji and their little brother Babla. Don't go by the kiddish pet name, this man rocked the late '80s and '90s with his Disco Dandia series and was behind the title music of various Kalyanji-Anandji-scored soundtracks, the most iconic in my opinion being that of Don.

This close nexus of Babla, Kalyanji-Anandji and Kanchan later became a family bonding. Babla married Kanchan and together they performed globally as members of Babla's Orchestra. 

Babla and his orchestra (Image source: Scroll.in)

Babla brought many a different instruments from his globe-trotting. Synths, drums, percussions and what not. But he also brought forth a new genre for wifey Kanchan: Chutney music. Need an example? Leave it on bhai.

Remember Dabangg 2, the not-so-great sequel to the 2010 cult Sallu Bhai film? Remember that item song which breaks in every time Salman Khan does anything remotely swaggy? Hint: it's sung by Mamta Sharma. Still no clue?

"Kaise bani! Kaise bani! Kaise bani! Kaise bani!

Fulori bina chutney kaise bani?"

Remember? Yes, that song was originally sung by Kanchan. And it made her an overnight superstar among the Chutney music followers and Bhojpuri diaspora. 

This is one example of Bollywood using Chutney music. The greatest one is yet to come.

Case 2: Sneha Khanwalkar and the Gangs of Wasseypur soundtrack.

Gangs of Wasseypur (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) album cover (Image source: Gaana)

Who doesn't know the Bihari Godfather Sardar Khan? Who doesn't know his story of revenge, those badlands of Wasseypur, that murky canvas of the first few reels of the movie? But what most people appreciate but underappreciate is the stellar soundtrack this movie has. 

In my honest opinion, Bollywood has given a lot less credit to its female music directors. No, they are just relegated to sweet singing. No scope of badassery or flamboyancy in their art. That is the case with the general scene of the industry. But not so with Sneha Khanwalkar. The helmsperson behind the soundtrack of this gritty gang war movie is a lady and I believe none could do more justice to the soundtrack than her.

I may face two rebuttals here. Why be so surprised if a woman has given music to a film? And second, what about Usha Khanna?

Answering the first question: the answer lies in the representation women composers get in Bollywood. And secondly, Usha Khanna is a brilliant composer too, but what intrigues me more about Khanwalkar, is her ability to create masterful samples of sounds, raw sounds. The chords of cacophony. Viewers of MTV Sound Trippin' won't disagree.

Lest we further digress, let's get back to the Chutney. I have two very profound and basic instances of Chutney music in the GoW soundtrack. In both parts.

Part 1 has a song called "Tain Tain To To". A lyrical masterpiece, it commences with two alarming sirens. Mind you, this is from before the "airhorn" meme culture was famous. No, it has a much more interesting genesis. No points for guessing, Chutney music.

From the language to the dholak to the trumpets, everything is sampled from our Carrabean neighbours. I mean, linguistic neighbours. 

Not convincing enough? Check out "Thar Gori Jamuna" by Boodram Holass. This is a challenge. Guess the GoW song inspired from this 2006 Chutney hit.

With Rasika D. Rani from Trinidad and Tobago, Khanwalkar could not go wrong in beautifully capturing those Bhojpuri beats in the harmonium and triangle fueled "Electric Piya". Now that you know its progenitors, go about foot taping, head bopping and manically dancing to this—dance song.

And check out the entire soundtrack. You may find more chutney, perhaps?

That's all for the Bollywood connection. It's flashback and reflection time for me now.

As a child of ten, I was always fascinated with anything foreign-looking even very remotely Indian. For example, when India played against West Indies, the opponent line-up had names like Chanderpaul, Rampaul, et al. Even the author V. S. Naipaul was of Indian descent (very remotely). I thought, wow. We sure have a parallel India somewhere. 

I don't even understand Bhojpuri, let alone judge the content of the latest Chutney hits but I would say that two things heavily attract me to this genre: it's to-be-reached greater fame, and it's Indianised names. And I must say, that Chutney music does full justice to its name, full-on paisa vasool and masaledar. Just like '70s Bollywood cowboy films.  

PS: These are just my personal views. I have linked the GoW soundtrack to Chutney music simply on the reliance of my ear. So there's not much factual data used as reference except the links to the YouTube videos of the similar-sounding songs.