Lyricist Puneet Sharma on Film Music, Hindi Indie and Wishing to Write for Hip-Hop Artists

When Puneet Sharma connected with composer and singer Amit Trivedi last year, leading to the lyricist’s work on the latter’s album Jadu Salona, the writer had already been in the film industry for close to a decade. “His question to me was why I hadn’t met him before,” Sharma says.

By Sharma’s own admission, there’s a reticence when it comes to “approaching new people” which has made his journey slow. The poet, dialogue and screenwriter has nevertheless worked on songs from films such as Revolver Rani, Tamanchey, Sanju and others. His current approach to keep moving through projects in the film industry is “writing the kind of films that I had always aspired to write music for.”

Outside of the film space, Sharma has been a go-to lyricist for Bengaluru band Swarathma, right from their second album Topiwalleh. In late 2019 and early 2020 when protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act were taking place around the country, Sharma’s poem and performance of “Tum Kaun Ho Be” gathered popularity. Social inequities and injustices remain a part of Sharma’s focus in everything he does. Political awareness and a political voice is something he wishes to see more in Hindi indie music, a scene that he believes in sorely lacking when it comes to producing a lyrical hero who can mirror Woody Guthrie or Bob Dylan.

In an interview with Rolling Stone India, Sharma talks about his process, his way with language, how he’d like to work with desi hip-hop artists and more. Excerpts:

As someone who writes in Hindi and occasionally in English, what is it like in terms of converting and translating thoughts effectively between languages?

The difference between English and Hindi to me is like playing an instrument and then playing it in a manner that it becomes an extension of you. To me, English would be like an instrument that I can play passably, such that the listener can recognize the tune that I am playing. However, it isn’t a talent that could earn me regard.

When it comes to poetry and lyrics, Hindi is my first and only language. Hindi is not an instrument for me instead it is an extension of my body.   

To come to the question of translation from one language to another, it is understandable that a lot will be lost in the process. I believe that despite sharing the same language as a first language, very often there is a great distance between what one is expressing and what the listener understands. I have a different image of a house when I say “Ghar” and the listener a different picture. I have addressed this in a poem of mine:

Main Jis Bhasha Mei Likhta Hoon

Wo Bhasha Kewal Meri Hai,

Tum Jis Bhasha Mei Padhte Ho,

Wo Bhasha Sirf Tumhari Hai

Hum Van Gough Ke Vanshaj Hai,

Hum Sabko Ye Beemari Hai

That loosely translates to:

The language that I speak is unique to me and the language that you read is unique to you. We are descendants of Van Gogh, we all suffer from his ailment. 

Studies argue that some of Van Gogh’s paintings from his period of psychotic agitation very capture closely the turbulent fluid structures present in nature. In a period of deep physiological suffering, he saw the world like no one else did and his paintings are reflective of that. We all see the world differently because of the imperfections or ailments in us. Similarly, we spend entire lifetimes trying to communicate simple things to each other.

What’s the one skill or part of writing (if any) that you felt you saw yourself improving in over the years compared to when you started?

Rationality and scientific knowledge; it may sound like a very dry subject but to be honest the more I immersed myself in it, I found it aiding my understanding of writing and expression. Often, artists view rationalism as a foe to creativity and romanticism the only source from which art can spring. Here, in the art scene, we are told to think from the heart instead of the mind. They say if a flower is blue, praise the color; if you were to get into its botanical details then you might lose the poetry. I don’t agree with this. I feel, through these details I will be able to appreciate the flower in a much more layered or nuanced manner.

I have found that all subjects are interconnected. For example, I see architecture’s role in shaping a society and its psychological behavior to be as much as we credit literature, music and any other form of art with. Therefore I tried to understand architecture. Human neurology and psychiatry show that people are complex and individualism is the ultimate reality.

Lastly, but as important is political awareness. It is like a GPS device. If I know what my latitude, longitude and height is on the political map, I can navigate better. This awareness has given me better perspective and has helped me understand myself and then the larger reality.

As someone who’s often outspoken about injustices in the country as well as the socio-economic situation of India, does that ever affect the amount of work you get? Or in fact, does it draw in people who know they can count on you to write something more socially conscious?

Yes, of course. It affects everything. Many people have clearly admitted to me that they cannot work with me for the same reasons. Yet, a lot of my birth identities such as – my religion, my gender, my sexual identity and caste — provide me protection in this country. The work opportunities that I may have lost out on due to my moral stands (would you rather say “position on certain matters” instead of moral stands?) may be fewer as compared to those that people without the privilege of these identities may have lost.

The answer to your second question is also yes. When people come across people who think similarly they go on to form a bond. They would want more their kind to gain more ground. It is human instinct or at a deeper level possibly animal instinct. 

That apart, I believe that everything I write or say is for selfish reasons. I’m not doing anyone a favor. I am a rational person, and would want to live in exactly such a world. So just like everyone else, I propagate the idea of the world I want to live in. 

The people who feel comfortable with the idea of such a world join me, those who feel uncomfortable in this world turn against me. But often, both sets of people keep changing, because when you honestly call out the hypocrisy and stupidity of society, you get to know you are a part of one of the biggest global minorities.

Can you tell me a bit about your association with Swarathma? How did that start off and what drew you towards working with them? If you had to pick, what’s your favorite collaboration with them?

My collaboration with Swarathma was a very unplanned but a very important step for me. Back when I was a part of the Indore theater circuit, while also working as a copywriter in radio, one day I saw that the famous band Indian Ocean had launched its new album, 16/330 Khajoor Road. When I went to their website, I saw that they were promoting a band called Swarathma. If Indian Ocean was promoting a band it was bound to have some gravity. I clicked the link which took me to Swarathma’a page. I listened to their songs, especially “Pyaasi”. I liked their music. So I did something that I consider one of my weakest skills even today: I reached out to them. I typed a mail and expressed my desire to write for them. I sent the mail and forgot about it. One day, I received a response from Jishnu Dasgupta. He asked me to send him some of my poems, and I sent them immediately. Then I received a track, a tune that Vasu had been using for soundchecks for a long time. I heard the tune, and started writing. I had received the tune in the morning and by that evening I sent them lyrics for it. The next day I received a response to the mail and then we spoke over a phone call. The song had been approved at once. The song was called “Rishton ka Raasta.” They then called me over to Bangalore, where I stayed with them for a while, had several jam sessions and wrote lyrics for quite a few of their tunes. This was my first album with Swarathma – Topiwalleh. Our friendship has endured since then.

Are there other indie bands or artists you have worked with? How do you decide when you get approached for those sort of indie music projects?

I have also worked on some Indie music projects for Amit Trivedi. I have written three songs for his indie album, Jadu Salona. Amit is also very optimistic about the indie scene. What we are unable to express in films, we can express here without any filters. So, collaborations like these give a chance to explore different subjects and express many new things.

I do want to work with new people in this scene. I believe that there are still many subjects where there is scope for work to be done.

I feel that the novelty in the music in the indie scene, has surpassed the novelty in lyrics. The lyrics have not been able to keep up with the novelty in songs. Especially in Hindi indie songs. A big reason for this is that the artists of Hindi indie music are far away from Hindi literature.

In the name of ‘Hindi Poets,’ they have only heard open mics. When I look at the Western music scene, I see a huge difference between their lyrics and our lyrics. There’s a dearth of political awareness and political voice. Where are our own Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie?

Why is Indian indie music turning into an upper-class scene? Is Indie music turning into a product for only those who can buy a ticket worth a thousand bucks? Where is the justified anger of the youth of the youngest country in the world? Where have their rightful questions wandered off?  This “beef” or rivalry between two artists, why isn’t the same happening instead, between artists and institutions or governments or other powerful hegemonies? In a country whose 50 percent population is drowning in immense poverty and unemployment, where is the representation of the voices and songs of that faction of the society? I want to fill these colors in the picture. I would be grateful for such opportunities but even if other people were to do this, I’d be very relieved.

What else is coming up through 2023 in terms of lyrics work?

This year, two movie albums are set to release. Some singles are also expected. Other than this, I have decided to pay more attention towards the indie scene this year. I want to collaborate more with new people.

For instance, the hip-hop scene; it has attracted me greatly for a few years now because of the immense possibility for poetry exploration. I wish to try my hand at that as well. Now even if my hand gets burnt in this trial, I wouldn’t complain. I would also be releasing some of my original singles this year. I am also working on a musical on one of my favorite genres. Rest, like Ghalib Sahab has said “Hazaron khwahishein aisi ki har khwahish pe dum nikle.”