A Melodic Tribute to Mrinal Sen - The

There are projects you execute for delivery.Then there are those you create for reverence.

This one falls in the latter.

Back in 2023, when the birth centenary of Mrinal Sen approached, an idea sparked—one that was both simple and sweeping. It came from Saptak Sanai Das, a composer whose instincts often walk ahead of the times. Sanai, a long-time friend and collaborator, sent me a scratch version of a song, accompanied by lyrics that did more than rhyme—they resurrected.

The lyrics, written by Dhrubojyoti Chakraborty—a social activist and renowned lyricist—held something special. In one seamless flow, they wove the names of Mrinal Sen’s iconic films into verses that didn’t feel like a listing, but a journey. It was nostalgia, layered with reverence, floating over a soundscape that only Sanai could have composed.

And as I read those lyrics and heard the scratch for the first time, something clicked. I could see the entire video in my mind.

Wall by wall. Frame by frame. Poster by poster.

Even though budgetary constraints wouldn’t allow the full-fledged visualisation we had imagined initially, I knew one thing—the essence must remain untampered. The emotion behind the tribute had to land. And it did.

The song features the melodic trio—Durnibar, Surangana, and Anushka along with composer Sanai—each voice flowing into the next like monsoon rivers, carrying with them the soul of Mrinal Sen’s cinema. Their voices, each textured and deeply emotive, brought Dhrubojyoti’s lyrics alive. If you’ve seen Mrinal Sen’s work, you’ll hear him in their notes. If you haven’t, you’ll want to.

Visually, we leaned into the concept of memory stitched on walls—animated posters from Mrinal Sen’s seminal films like Bhuvan Shome, Chorus, Calcutta 71, and Baishe Shrabon blend into the background as the singers take turns walking, stopping, reflecting. The animation isn’t loud—it’s just enough to let you know, this song is not just about him, it is him.

Sony Music East, who have been our longtime client and trusted collaborator, backed Sanai’s vision with faith. They saw what we saw. And that kind of creative support becomes rare when the idea is as artistic as it is commercial.

We at Doozy Studioz, as the registered vendor for Sony Music East, had the honour of crafting the visual tribute. It wasn't just another video production job—it was a responsibility. A creative offering. An homage.

I still remember watching the final render alone. Lights dimmed. Volume up. By the time it ended, it didn’t feel like a piece of content anymore—it felt like a conversation with a man I never met, but always knew.

Mrinal Sen didn’t need a tribute. But I think we did. We needed to remember what cinema once felt like. This was our way of saying thank you.

Watch the music video here: 🎬:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsi4UW5cTEk