Papon strums life along at his pace

If we mention him as Angaraag Mahanta, then obviously no bell will ring in your mind but as soon as you hear him sing in his heartwarming voice, you instantly know that it’s Papon. Yes, the portrait of an ever-smiling slit-eyed singer with long unruly locks conjures up before you. Though the hair is neatly trimmed in place at present the voice still rocks to rule a zillion hearts. The good news is that the 39-year-old musician from Guwahati (Assam) alongwith his famous band Papon and The East India Company will shortly belt out their brand of music at the sixth edition of the happiest music festival — Bacardi NH7 Weekender, come this October end in Kolkata where it is scheduled to be held from October 31 till November 1.

Basically an electric folk-fusion band, Papon and The East India Company was formed in 2007. Sounding excited to be featured in the line-up of NH7 Bacardi Weekender, the frontman concedes, “We look forward to make up for our absence from the music fest last season. We hadn’t played then. And this time, we are adding another gig in Shillong alongside Kolkata on our itinerary. So it’s gonna be two for joy this year!”

“We will play some new stuff and be launching a couple of new tracks as well. And it would be a big package of surprise for our die-hard listeners as our music-group wears a new avatar with a bigger brass section this time,” he announces.

Conversing about the bright prospects of such music festivals in India, the popular Barfi singer reasons that “they have a huge potential, no Well, you may picture it yourself. Only five autumns ago, we had NH7 Weekender in Pune and today it’s being hosted across five bustling cities of the country. So the difference lies clearly in front of you. It is getting bigger every year by strength, expanse, enthusiasm and reach.” Adding further, he ponders: “See, music lovers would always grope for an elusive chance to check out novel voices and new destinations waiting in the wings. In fact, gala music festivals of such magnitude precisely fetch in that beautiful opportunity and rare experiences to live through.”

Born to the popular music duo and legends of Assamese music — Archana Mahanta and Khagen Mahanta, Papon was introduced to music at an early age. His initial training began in the discipline of Indian classical and folk music back home in Assam since childhood. Now his music covers a plethora of genres like ambient electronica, acoustic folk and new age Indian classical. As a multitasking hand, he chips in as a singer, composer, producer as well as a multi-instrumentalist.

Probe what had actually prompted him to forge a folk-fusion band and he readily replies, “I have been deeply influenced by my father all throughout my journey in music. So my association with the traditions of folk culture, its ethnic lore and earthy music started with watching my father. You know, contrary to general perception, folk music can really rock a stage soiree and I earnestly always wanted to do something serious and soul-stirring with folk melodies.”

Explaining further, he says, “The genre spawns a gamut of stories and indigenous tales that are centuries old and they still talk to us and appeal our senses even in this hi-tech world. These time-honoured sagas are drenched with profound emotions and relationships which never lose relevance under the sands of time. They still connect with today’s youth and find takers amongst them. I just wanted to examine how we could slowly transform this tapestry of tuneful folk tales into something which fits the current era to the tee. Frankly speaking, it was a giant leap when we had floated the unit almost eight years ago but over a period of time, we have garnered a tremendous response, I must confess. So what more could have we asked for except for the fact that we couldn’t be happier and feel more blessed!”

Content to straddle a mainstream playback career and a parallel part-time band-music pursuit, Papon admits it’s a tough game of striking a fine balance between the two. “Yes, it’s difficult and heady at times as you have to be a perfect time-manager. But I think I have been fortunate enough to flow with the tide hitherto with apparent smoothness. Thankfully, I have got some real good tracks from the Bollywood industry and its great music-makers, touchwood. So it was never a bothersome affair to fret over or regret my decision to enter the dicey den of film music,” he asserts.

“The plain logic is that I stay in Mumbai, hence whenever I get time to venture out of my own comfort creative zone, Bollywood is right there. And it’s no harm to work on interesting film projects and that was the sole trigger behind my migration to the Maximum City from my hometown,” he says.

Needless to says, his conscious move has paid him off in the long run as his name is counted amidst the A-list Bollywood vocalists today. “It has indeed worked for me because now a larger audience knows me,” he confesses.

Papon’s ongoing US tour with his band sees him travelling far and wide for a series of Durga Puja shows for the NRBs (non-resident Bengalis). “Soon after our return, we’ll do our Bacardi NH7 Weekender duty and will be travelling to Dhaka and Singapore for more show engagements in November,” he says.

Incidentally, Papon had scored the anthem for his home-team NorthEast United FC in the inaugural season of the Indian Super League in 2014 and that was a big-time hit in the soccer circuit. When quizzed if music does play a crucial role in lifting up the players’ morale in sports, he agrees. “Music and sports are stress-busters with a common link of passion. There’s rhythm in sports, as there is in music. My dad used to say that if you were good at a sport then you have a gift of natural rhythm, timing and tempo inside you. It all goes together to develop the human mind and de-stress it from undue tension and mundane pressures.”

Riding on his expectations from the second season, he says: “See, the North East has a great football culture and the ISL tourney will only help boost the Indian football as well as the north east squad to grow and further improve its skills, tactics, aggression, defence and performance on-field. The game should be fair-spirited in all respects.”