Tuning Bollywood: Amrit Pritam Dutta

Bollywood actually has very few Assamese names, and probably due to lack of fluency of speaking Hindi, there haven't been any on-screen superstar from Assam. However everything is movies is about being on-screen and there are pains and hard work of a lot of people technically associated with a movie. From camera man to the spot-boys, every one has equal contribution in making it a blockbuster. But all of them remains quite unnoticed and very few actually get the credit for their work. 

In a movie, apart form the stars and their acting, the very next thing people look for is its music and background score. Can we imagine a Bollywood Tadka without Songs and music backdrop; no never. The singers and the music director are not far behind the on screen stars in taking credit and fame for their work. But there remains one such person, who's work is always been appreciated, but rarely is asked about. And he is the one who designs the sound for whole of the movie. Form action sequence to death, every scene is equally justified by the work of the sound engineer or designer. He is one who is also to be credited for the success of the movie.

If we look at the sound editing history of all the major Bollywood successes since the year 2003 till date, we find the name of an Assamese associated with it. Though his name became household when he assisted the Oscar winning sound designer of Russal Pukutty, in Danny Boyle's super hit Academy Awards winner 'Slumdog Millionere', but long before that he had already established his name in the Industry.

Born in Jorhat, Assam, Bollywood might have been a dream for Amrit Pritam Dutta, but some dreams come true. Who might have thought that a lad form the North East would be receiving Filmfare and IIFA award for his precious contribution to the Industry and splendid composition. Amrit Pritam graduated in Physics from JB College, Jorhat and later joined Jyoti Chitaban, Guwahati in the year 1999 for a three months course. There he got his first break in an Assamese movie. During his three-year stint in Jyoti Chitrabon, Amrit got to learn a lot from teachers like Farooq Iqbal, national award winner from Kolkata Anup Mukherjee, and others. Having got a strong base here in Guwahati, he then decided to move out and try his luck in the city of dreams – Mumbai. Accordingly, in the year 2002, he and his friend Debojit Changmai packed their bags and set out to follow their dreams.

Amrit Pritam’s first break came about in 2003 with Karan Johar’s Kal Ho Naa Ho where he got the chance to work with stars like Shahrukh Khan, Preeti Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, and the like. And since then there has been  no looking back for him. The IMDb record of Amrit Pritam clearly shows the mark of his influential and brilliant work. Have a peek in the movies he have worked: 

Gandhi of the Month (sound designer - sound designer) (post-production)

201010ml LOVE (sound designer) (completed)

2011Ra.One (sound designer)

2010Pappu Can't Dance Saala (sound designer)

2010Walkaway (sound designer)

2010Khichdi: The Movie (sound editor)

2010Endhiran (sound designer)

2010Prince (sound designer)

2009Raat Gayi, Baat Gayi? (sound editor, sound effects editor)

2009Fatso! (sound designer - sound designer)

2009/IBlue (sound designer)

2009Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (sound designer)

2009The President Is Coming (sound editor)

2008Ghajini (sound designer)

2008Slumdog Millionaire (production sound mixer)

2008Mithya (sound editor, sound effects editor)

2008The Fakir of Venice (sound editor)

2007Saawariya (sound editor)

2007Manorama Six Feet Under (sound editor)

2007Gandhi, My Father (sound editor, sound effects editor)

2006Kya Tum Ho (sound designer - as Amrit Pritam)

2006Bombay Skies (short) (assistant sound mixer)

2006Omkara (sound editor, sound effects editor)

2006Mixed Doubles (sound editor - as Amrit Pritam)

2006Zinda (sound design editor: Fire Fly's Post Studios - as Amrit Pritam)

2005Bluffmaster! (dialogue editor - as Amrit Pritam, sound editor - as Amrit Pritam)

200515 Park Avenue (sound editor - as Amrit Pritam)

2005Dreaming Lhasa (location sound, sound editor)

2005My Wife's Murder (sound editor, sound effects editor)

2005The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (sound editor)

2005Black (foley editor)

2005Amu (foley editor)

2004Musafir (sfx editor)

2004The King of Bollywood (assistant sound editor)

2004Kyun! Ho Gaya Na... (assistant sound editor)

2004Masti (dialogue editor)

2004Ab Tak Chhappan (sound editor)

2003Maqbool (assistant sound editor - as Amrit Pritam)

2003Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women (assistant sound editor)

2003/IBoom (sound editor)

(Source: www.imdb.com)

Russal and Amrit

Isn't this remarkable. It is indeed a great job done by this young Assamese lad, and now have been also rewarded for his excellent job. Ghajini brought him an IIFA award while Slumdog Millionaire went on to win a Global Globe and eight Oscars, including one for best sound mixing. 

While he got the Flimfare, while he bagged the IIFA award again for SRK flick Ra.One. Its feels great to see Assamese dominating the industry, and after the likes of Reema Kagti, we have guys like Amrit to carry the legacy of the state. We wish him all the luck and success for future.