PHOTO: SHEIKH MEHEDI MORSHED

SADI MOHAMMAD SHAHNEWAZ

After a string of successful film scores that brought Pritom Hasan fame beyond his years, the artiste recently announced that he would step back from playback singing for the time being. Now, fresh off the release of 2nd Nayok , a collaboration with Nuhash Humayun, the indomitable composer-turned-actor looks to return to his roots as the poster boy of Bangla independent hits.

You were arguably at the peak of your popularity when you stepped back from making music for films. What led to that?

I was oscillating back and forth about it for a while, especially since independent work has always been at the core of my musicianship. Many of the fans who have supported me from the onset voiced that they miss the style of my 2023 EP (Extended Play).

Was there a specific moment that made you step back?

Not a specific moment per se. However, I knew that being cornered into one specific niche can get stale and even kill careers. I wouldn’t say that I was typecast, but I didn’t want to be “instructed” to do a particular kind of music. That’s just not my jam.

‘2nd Nayok’ really comes into its own with its music video. How did you and Nuhash conceive this idea?

If you really look into it, the concept is about being sidelined—a feeling that I’m sure a lot of people are familiar with. The relationship between Nuhash and me is that of close friends, so whenever we are supposed to casually hang out, we end up talking about work. This song came out of one of those meetings.

The casting was also inspired.

It was! We wanted a fresh face for the video, and Malaika fit the bill perfectly. I am a huge fan of Mir Rabby and his on-screen presence, so it was a no-brainer for us to cast him in the video.

A vacuum will be felt because of your absence in films. Who can take up your mantle?

(Laughs) There’s more than enough talent in our industry! G M Ashraf is already doing an amazing job. Jahid Nirob has been prodigal for a long time. Ankon Kumar and his mellifluous voice are assets for Bangladesh, and we need to look after him. Personally, I want more indie musicians to come forward and show their mettle.