‘Appreciation for sound designers is limited’
Says Dhiman Karmakar, sound designer of ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’;
Hailing from Kolkata, Dhiman Karmakar has been a part of Bollywood for over 14 years. From Imtiaz Ali and Sujoy Ghosh to Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar and Neeraj Ghaywan, he has collaborated with some of the most renowned filmmakers. An award-winning sound designer and production sound mixer, Dhiman has been selected for the prestigious BAFTA Breakthrough Programme for his work in ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’. Excerpts from a conversation:
How does the BAFTA Breakthrough Programme benefit an artiste?
To be honest, I have never applied for such programmes before. But initiatives like these help us connect with professionals from various disciplines, which is invaluable.
You were selected for the programme for your work in director Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’. What was unique about working on this film?
There were many firsts for me in this project. Although I had worked with Imtiaz Ali before, this time he wanted to record live songs, which was a new and exciting challenge.
You’ve been working in Bollywood since 2009. How has your journey been so far and what prompted your move from Kolkata to Mumbai?
While completing my film school in Kolkata (he is a graduate of SRFTI), I had the opportunity to assist one of my seniors on the set of Dibakar Banerjee’s ‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha’ (2010). That was my starting point. Gradually, I began working on various projects, including ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, ‘Kai Po Che’, ‘Fukrey’, ‘Raees’, ‘Love Aaj Kal’, ‘Joram’, ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’ and others.
Have you ever worked on a Bengali film?
No, I haven’t. I’ve never been approached for one.
Do people understand the role of a sound designer?
Outside the film community, it’s quite difficult to explain what I do. Even my relatives and school friends often assume I’m a music director. Sound design, however, is entirely different from composing music.
Does the sound department receive enough recognition for its efforts?
Honestly, appreciation for the sound team and their work is quite limited within the industry.