Using music and icons to cement brand promotions

	Pic by Deepak Dhuri

MUMBAI: One of the largest cement manufacturing companies of north-east India is planning to use music and icons of the north east, led by the legendary Dr Bhupen Hazarika, to cement its brand profile throughout all the states of the north east.

On Saturday, Cement Manufacturing Company Limited, launched a music video, “Our North- East, Our Star’, directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury of Antaheen fame, and featuring Dr Bhupen Hazarika in his first music video composed by acclaimed music composer Shantanu Moitra with lyrics by Swanand Kirkire.

The video was released at an event where Dr. Hazarika was presented with a memento by Sanjay Agrawal, Director Cement Manufacturing Company Limited, and Shantanu Moitra.  Dr. Hazarika was also honored with a Gamusa, a tradition much followed and honored in the North East.

The music video, with the Hindi baseline, Sapne Sach Kare, will use TV, local cable channels, Radio, You Tube and all digital platforms for playout. It will hit the air in December and the makers hope that it ends us being an anthem of sorts for the north-east. Film theatres across the north-east are also expected to air the music album before screening movies.

Shantanu Moitra, the award-winning composer of films like Lage Raho Munnabhai and  3 Idiots, told RadioAndMusic.com, “This music video features four of the biggest starts from the north east: There’s Mami Varte, who is a huge star in Mizoram; Lou Majaw  who is very big in Meghalaya, and Sourabhee Debburma who is equally popular in Tripura. All three are huge in their states, but it is the fourth star, Dr Bhupen Hazarika – the legendary music composer, filmmaker, Dadasaheb Phalke award winner and brilliant singer – who actually transcends all states and is a true national icon for every Indian.”

Together, the four stars have been signed up by CMCL to give a voice to the North East. Says Moitra, “They have come together to give a voice to one sound from the north east, developed by me, and written by Swanand Kirkire.”

Moitra says that while the CMCL music video is a marketing tool for its cement brand, it is nevertheless an extremely sensitive way of “using music with the larger good in mind. It is a lot like responsible branding, more like nationalistic CSR through Music.”

Explaining, Moitra  says, “Today, nobody knows much about the North East – there is ignorance, and most people from other parts of India cannot even name the seven states there. What we want to say through this music video, is that while we are using four regional languages in the song, they are all held together by the national mother tongue or official language, Hindi. This is the first time a music video is using so many regional languages and Hindi together. There is a strong, enlightening and entertaining message of integration here, and a feeling of pride in being part of the north-east, which has been an important region of our motherland.”

Getting nostalgic, Moitra says, “Many  years ago, when I was a student, I had gone to attend a concert of Dr Hazarika in Delhi. Although it was at a big stadium, I realized that the tickets were sold out! I remember listening to half of the concert standing outside Talkatora stadium. Since then it has been a desire to meet this great man,  and now, after so many years, I find myself actually directing Dr Bhupen Haartika on a composition of mine!  This is a dream come true for me. We know he is a legend and an icon in Indian music,  especially for what he has done for Assamese music. So it was my privilege and honour to work with Dr Hazarika. The Hindi baseline of the song is Sapne Sach Kare… it’s a coincidence that my dream has come true with this music video. Recording with Bhupenda was a great experience!”

Speaking about the first music video he has sung for and been featured in, Dr Hazarika told RnM: "Our North- East, Our Star will make the North East twinkle better."

Agarwal, the moving spirit behind the video, says, "We are looking to cement the bond between the states in the North East,  and what better than through music from the legends. The entire music video is in tune with the idea of the musical unification of the north-east."

Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury whose films have won five national awards, said of the music video,” It has been shot at very beautiful locations here in the north east. These are places that people in other parts of India and the world must see. People here are very nice and kind. Most of us are not even aware of what the north-east looks like and how the people out here are. This music video hopefully should make the rest of the nation bond with the north-east a lot more," opines the outspoken filmmaker.

MUMBAI: One of the largest cement manufacturing companies of north-east India is planning to use music and icons of the north east, led by the legendary Dr Bhupen Hazarika, to cement its brand profile throughout all the states of the north east.
On Saturday, Cement Manufacturing Company Limited, launched a music video, “Our North- East, Our Star’, directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury of Antaheen fame, and featuring Dr Bhupen Hazarika in his first music video composed by acclaimed music composer Shantanu Moitra with lyrics by Swanand Kirkire.
The video was released at an event where Dr. Hazarika was presented with a memento by Sanjay Agrawal, Director Cement Manufacturing Company Limited, and Shantanu Moitra.  Dr. Hazarika was also honored with a Gamusa, a tradition much followed and honored in the North East.
The music video, with the Hindi baseline, Sapne Sach Kare, will use TV, local cable channels, Radio, You Tube and all digital platforms for playout. It will hit the air in December and the makers hope that it ends us being an anthem of sorts for the north-east. Film theatres across the north-east are also expected to air the music album before screening movies.
Shantanu Moitra, the award-winning composer of films like Lage Raho Munnabhai and  3 Idiots, told RadioAndMusic.com, “This music video features four of the biggest starts from the north east: There’s Mami Varte, who is a huge star in Mizoram; Lou Majaw  who is very big in Meghalaya, and Sourabhee Debburma who is equally popular in Tripura. All three are huge in their states, but it is the fourth star, Dr Bhupen Hazarika – the legendary music composer, filmmaker, Dadasaheb Phalke award winner and brilliant singer – who actually transcends all states and is a true national icon for every Indian.”
Together, the four stars have been signed up by CMCL to give a voice to the North East. Says Moitra, “They have come together to give a voice to one sound from the north east, developed by me, and written by Swanand Kirkire.”
Moitra says that while the CMCL music video is a marketing tool for its cement brand, it is nevertheless an extremely sensitive way of “using music with the larger good in mind. It is a lot like responsible branding, more like nationalistic CSR through Music.”
Explaining, Moitra  says, “Today, nobody knows much about the North East – there is ignorance, and