Double Bass Player Debjit Mahalanobis’ ‘Katha’ Video Tells an Unsettling Tale
Dancer Mukulita Ganguly and filmmaker Ayan Biswas join to make a powerful, cinematic work that crosses Western and Indian classical music
Double bass player Debjit Mahalanobis in a still from the 'Katha' video.
Kolkata artist Debjit Mahalanobis’s new song “Katha” comes with a black and white film, dance and a stirring fusion of Western classical double bass and Indian classical influence.
Mahalanobis, who has previously played double bass for the title track from web series Taranath Tantrik by acclaimed filmmaker Q aka Quashik Mukherjee in 2019, pushes in new directions with “Katha.” Bringing together Dancer Mukulita Ganguly and filmmaker Ayan Biswas, the audiovisual offering makes for a striking, discomforting and emotionally heightened experience with noir aesthetics. Mahalanobis says, “‘Katha’ or the ‘story’ emerges from darkness of the mind; of chaos and confusion, a feeling of helplessness, where nothing is in one’s control. invoking the power from within and eventually breaking free.”
Coincidentally, “Katha” was written in 2019 as well and it took four years to complete the production, including filming the music video. He says about his goal on the composing front with the track, “I have been working on my ‘voice’ for some time now, studying new music and felt this was the right moment to have a double bass oriented contemporary Indian sound, taking the instrument out of its usual accompaniment role, whether in western classical or jazz.”
Although it may sound like there’s a guitar somewhere in the second half of “Katha,” Mahalanobis says he’s only used double bass, along with rhythm from kathak footsteps and hand drums. “I played on the highest register on the double bass and was playing in the violin tonal register. Yes, the double bass can go that high as well,” he says. With his previous work as well as on “Katha,” the artist brings different styles and technique to the double bass, using the bow to ricochet and striking at the strings with different intensity, even making it sound like a rabab at one point.
Up next, there’s more works from the double bass artist and composer, with the goal to “putting the contrabass on the Indian music map.” Just like “Katha” had been in the works for four years, Mahalanobis’ album featuring the sitar has been in the works for about five years now and is nearing completion. Slated for release in 2024, the artist says there are also a couple of solo compositions in the pipeline.
Watch the video for “Katha” below.
