Behind The Covers

Many people have admired the designs for the covers of both the albums by Sanjo and Chandrani – the new album Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab released in 2015 and Barson Huey released in 2005 and re-released in 2015. The assumption was that the covers were designed by Sanjo, who in addition to being a musician is also a creative professional with an advertising, designing and brand communication background. However, this assumption is wrong. The covers were, in fact, designed by Chandrani.

A lesser known fact about Chandrani is that she is an amateur photographer and an avid traveller. The photographs that adorn the covers of the two albums were taken by Chandrani on her pro camera during her visits to various picturesque locations across India.

When the two albums were being uploaded on OK Listen, the music site required the cover art in a particular format and size. The designs had to be completed and ready for upload overnight. Since no designers were around to work at such short notice, Chandrani stepped up, selected two photographs from her collection and designed the covers.

Drug Addiction… The Darkness Within

The recent brouhaha over the release of Udta Punjab and the subsequent discussions and debates it provoked a few days ago on the occasion of International Anti Drugs Day (26th June) has put the spotlight firmly back on the dark underbelly of the drug addicts’ hellish world.

Interestingly, Sanjo and Chandrani’s second studio album (Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab) has not one but two anti-drugs/addiction songs. We’ve already mentioned one on this blog – Ham Chalein, a positive, upbeat song that affirms: ‘we will not allow drugs to take us down… we don’t need drugs… we are high on life!’

Yes, it’s a powerful, youthful feel-good song – but sadly, the world of the addict isn’t so hunky dory. In the second song – Aisa Kuchh Hua Hai Usse – Chandrani’s lyrics have strong undercurrents of gloom and despair, reflecting the hopeless downward spiral of the addict plummeting to the depths of ruination.

Sanjo’s haunting melody complements Chandrani’s heart-wrenching lyrics, creating a song that is almost menacing, forbidding and undeniably frightening. Why did they descend into such darkness? Chandrani explains: “The horrors of drug addiction can be truly comprehended only by someone who has seen a loved one succumb to it. This is the state-of-mind we have tried to capture. Being face-to-face with the wretchedness of an addict can be a powerful deterrent. This is what we have tapped in to as a way of creating awareness of the seriousness of this issue.”

Here are the hard-hitting lyrics of this song…

AISA KUCHH HUA HAI USSE

Lyrics by Chandrani

Reproduced here with permission from Chandrani

AISA KUCHH HUA HAI USSE NIKLI JAATI HAI JAAN

DHARHKAN JAISE THAM SI GAYI SAANSEIN HAI ANJAAN

JEENA USKA MUSHKIL SA HAI HAR PAL JEEVAN SE DOOR

JEENEY KI HAI CHAAHAT USSE PAR HAI WOH MAJBOOR

SAAYE GEHREY PHAILEY HUEY HAI USKO GHEREY

RAATEIN KITNI LAMBI HUI KHO GAYE HAI SAVERE

AISA KUCHH HUA HAI USSE NIKLI JAATI HAI JAAN

DHARHKAN JAISE THAM SI GAYI SAANSEIN HAI ANJAAN

DARD SE RISHTA JUD NA SAKEY KARLO KUCHH AISA TUM

AANKHEIN KHOLO O DIWAANO HONEY NA DO KHUD KO GUM

AISA KUCHH HUA HAI USSE NIKLI JAATI HAI JAAN

DHARHKAN JAISE THAM SI GAYI SAANSEIN HAI ANJAAN

As regular readers of this blog will know, earlier we used to share short one-minute clips of the songs (on SoundCloud) so that you could get a flavour of the song. But now you can listen to the complete songs on various popular music sites/apps like Saavn and Gaana. Here are some links for Aisa Kuchh Hua Hai Usse.

Aisa Kuchh Hua Hai Usse on Saavn

Aisa Kuchh Hua Hai Usse on Gaana

The song along with the rest of the album is available on more than 700 digital music sites across the world. In India, you can buy the Song/Album here:

Buy Aisa Kuchh Hua Hai Usse and other songsby Sanjo & Chandrani on OK Listen

If you would like to get in touch with Sanjo & Chandrani, you can write to them at: sanjoandchandrani@gmail.com

A Special Song... For Special Children

Of all the songs in Sanjo and Chandrani’s second studio album, Ham Se Hi Hai Yeh Sab, the one closest to Chandrani’s heart is a song called ‘Itni Saari Hansi’. She wrote it with passion and sung it with every fibre of her being.

The song is an entreaty asking people to gain a better, deeper understanding of children with disabilities. However, it chooses to view disabilities in a very different light, seeing them instead as special capabilities that “normal” people do not possess; for instance, the innate ability of visually challenged children to “see” the colours of love, and the ability of verbally challenged children to “speak” with their eyes. Writing about the song in a Hyderabad-based daily newspaper, a journalist pointed out “the powerful lyrics of the song leave you feeling rather inadequate in comparison with these special children who do not let their disabilities get in the way of living joyous lives.”

Here are the extremely stirring lyrics…

ITNI SAARI HANSI

Lyrics by Chandrani

Reproduced here with permission from Chandrani

ITNI SAARI HANSI THORHEY AANSOO KABHI

CHEHREY PE DIL KA HAAL LIKH JATA HAI

ITNI SAARI HANSI THORHEY AANSOO KABHI

IN EHSAASON KA HI HUMKO PATA HAI

HAR LAMHA SAPNA KOI DIL KO KAHIN CHHOO JAATA HAI

ROSHNI KI KAMI PALKON PE HAI NAMI

ANDHERE KA YEH RANG HUMKO PYARA HAI

RANG DIKHTE TUMHE PYAAR DIKHTA NAHI

PYAAR KA PYAARA RANG HUMKO DIKHTA HAI

HAR LAMHA SAPNA KOI DIL KO KAHIN CHHOO JAATA HAI

HOTHON TAK NA KOI KHWAAB AA PAATEIN HAI

DHARHKANON MEIN KAHIN LAFZ KHO JAATA HAI

ANKHON SE HAM SABHI BAAT KEH LETE HAIN

TUM JO SAMJHEY NAHIN HAMEIN KEHNA AATA HAI

HAR LAMHA SAPNA KOI DIL KO KAHIN CHHOO JAATA HAI

SHOR KOI NAHIN AAHATEY GUM HUI

SAAZ KOI NAHIN HAM TAK AATA HAI

SISKIYAAN AURO KI TUM TAK JO NA PAHUNCHI

DIL HAMAARA UNHE SUN HI LETA HAI

HAR LAMHA SAPNA KOI DIL KO KAHIN CHHOO JAATA HAI

Earlier, this blog used to share short one-minute clips (on SoundCloud) so that you could get a flavour of the songs. But now you can listen to the complete songs on various popular music sites/apps like Gaana and Saavn. Here are some links for Itni Saari Hansi.

Itni Saari Hansi on Gaana.com

Itni Saari Hansi on Saavn.com

The song, along with the rest of the album, is available on more than 700 digital music sites across the world. In India, you can buy the Song/Album here:

Buy Itni Saari Hansi and other songs by Sanjo& Chandrani on OK Listen

If you would like to get in touch with Sanjo & Chandrani, you can write to them at: sanjoandchandrani@gmail.com