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Shantanu Moitra
Shantunu moitra.jpg
Background information
Born (1968-01-22) 22 January 1968 (age 56)
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
Occupation(s) Pianist, Composer
Instruments
  • Piano
  • guitar
  • bass
  • leads
  • keyboard
  • vocals
Years active Since 1995-2023

Shantanu Moitra (born 22 January 1968) is an Indian pianist, score composer and musician who has composed songs for the Hindi film industry, and is most known for his scores in the films Parineeta (2005), Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2005), Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006) and 3 Idiots (2009), and private albums, Mann ke Manjeere and Ab ke Saawan sung by Shubha Mudgal. In 2014, he received the National Film Award for Best Music Direction (Background Score) for Na Bangaaru Talli.

Early life and education

Shantanu was born in Lucknow, where his father came from a Bengali Brahmin musical family. He was very young when he moved to Delhi with his family, where initially he lived in Patel Nagar in West Delhi, and studied at Springdales School, Pusa Road. There, he was the leader and singer of a band, and in 1982, the band hosted the school's first rock show. "What was even better was receiving an award in school for my contribution to music at a time when my school, Springdales in Delhi, didn't usually give awards for music. When I look back now, I think the award instilled huge confidence in me," he said.

They also received musical training from urban-folk singer, Sushmit Bose, a Springdales alumnus, who would occasionally drop in and teach them. Later he moved to Chittaranjan Park in South Delhi.

He studied at Deshbandhu College, Kalkaji, Delhi University and has a degree in Economics.

Career

Moitra started his career as a client servicing executive at an ad agency, while music remained a hobby. He started composing music for advertising jingles accidentally, when he was asked to compose a jingle at the last minute by Pradeep Sarkar, then the Creative Head of the agency. The jingle was "Bole mere lips. I love Uncle Chipps" for the chips brand Uncle Chipps, which became an instant hit. He later composed several jingles for Pradeep Sarkar, and several advertising brands.

This led to composing music for Indipop albums that were hits including Ab ke Saawan, Mann ke Manjeere: an album of women's dreams for Breakthrough, and Sapna Dekha Hai Maine (2003) for Shubha Mudgal.

Moitra moved to Mumbai in 2002, when he started working for Sudhir Mishra's Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, his first signed film. He soon formed a team with lyricist Swanand Kirkire, starting with the song "Bawara Mann..". Even before Parineeta was made, he had created a song called Raath Hamari To, sung by Chitra, which Vidhu Vinod Chopra the producer of Parineeta heard, and subsequently on his recommendation, he went on do his first Bollywood project- Parineeta (2005), directed by Pradeep Sarkar.

Moitra gained recognition with his music in Parineeta (2005). His music was critically acclaimed and he received a nomination for the Filmfare Best Music Director Award. That same year he won the Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent. In 2009, he composed the score for his first Bengali film, Antaheen.

He was also a judge for two seasons of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Bangla, a regional spinoff of the show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.

He also wrote the book Ferari Mon - Memories by Santanu Moitra in Bengali, published by Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey, Dey's Publishing.

Shantanu also undertook a 100-day journey across the Himalayas in 2016 along with Dhritiman Mukherjee which was documented and published on YouTube called “100 days in Himalayas” produced by Roundglass.

Discography

As a music director

Year Film Notes
2002 Pyaar Ki Dhun
Leela
2005 Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
Parineeta Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent
Yahaan
7½ Phere
Kal: Yesterday and Tomorrow
2006 Lage Raho Munna Bhai
2007 Khoya Khoya Chand
Eklavya: The Royal Guard
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag
2008 Welcome to Sajjanpur
2009 Antaheen Bengali film
Phir Kabhi
3 Idiots
2010 Well Done Abba
Raajneeti One song, "Ishq Barse"
2012 Coke Studio 2 Season 2 Episode 7
Chakravyuh
Krishna Aur Kans
Shoebite
Paanch Adhyay Bengali film
Aparajita Tumi Bengali film
2013 Inkaar
Madras Cafe
Naa Bangaaru Talli Bilingual film (Telugu and Malayalam)
2014 Buno Haansh Bengali film
Bobby Jasoos
PK
2016 Wazir
Pink
Gulzar in conversation with Tagore Hindi music album
2018 October
2019 Aadhar
2020 Gulabo Sitabo One song, "Kanjoos"
2021 Kaadan Trilingual film (Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu)
Sardar Udham
2022 Sherdil All Songs
2023 Lost
12th Fail
Kadak Singh
Pradhan Bengali film

As a playback singer

Year Film Song Composer Notes
2009 3 Idiots "Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh" Shantanu Moitra
2013 Inkaar "Maula Tu Malik Hai" Shantanu Moitra

As a background score composer

Year Film Notes
2009 3 Idiots With Sanjay Wanderkar & Atul Raninga
Won IIFA Award for Best Background Score
2013 Ente Malayalam Film
Na Bangaaru Talli Won National Film Award for Best Music Direction (Best Background Score)
2018 October
2020 Gulabo Sitabo
2021 Sardar Udham
2023 Lost
12th Fail

Awards

National Film Awards
  • National Film Award for Best Music Direction (Background Score) -Na Bangaaru Talli (2013)
Filmfare Awards
  • Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent – Parineeta(2006)
  • Filmfare Award for Best Background Score - Sardar Udham (2022)
Filmfare Awards Bangla
  • Best Music Director- Projapoti Biskut (2018)
  • Best Music Director- Prem Tame (2022)
Mirchi Music Awards
  • Background Score of the Year - Madras Cafe (2013)
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