Multi-talented Piyush Mishra no Tom, Dick or Harry

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Piyush Mishra in the breathtaking Andaman Islands where his latest political satire, association with the Dewarists, Tom Dick an

A nonchalant “hello” in that by now famous voice greets from the other side, while a flood of well prepared queries float in my mind.

A few minutes later, realisation dawns that a conversation with Piyush Mishra charts its own course, all preset efforts are simply an exercise in futility.
Unravelling the genius of Mishra could have been a complicated indulgence, (purely considering his multifaceted talent), but his easy going manner comes to the rescue. Unabashedly outspoken, effortlessly humorous and exceptionally talented, his repertoire of work is reflective of the times we live in.
One wonders if the burst of his creative brilliance is in response to the pent up angst inside him. His take is, “It is all in my blood. The ideas germinate inside me, but they are not genetic, I have cultivated them myself… And I strongly believe there is a certain power that guides me.”
That very sense of fury is visible in his latest political satire that goes by the name Tom Dick and Harry.
Shot in the breathtaking Andaman Islands, Piyush’s recent association with the Dewarists has culminated into a no holds barred music video that reflects the state of affairs in our country. “This has become a corruption-laden nation. A handful are amassing enormous wealth through corrupt means, while the ordinary man, who pays his taxes continues to struggle in life. This is the man who stands on the street, in quiet fear, while a VIP flashes his red beacon car and brushes pass him. I am that ordinary Indian, who cannot remain indifferent to the incessant plunder of his country. Tom Dick and Harry points at those people who occupy the seat of power and remain intoxicated in its luring,” he shares.
Living up to his reputation, the lyrics of Tom Dick and Harry too, are confronting and controversial. “By no means did I wanted to beat around the bush, my intention was to convey a stark and direct message. However, on a note of surprise, the entire song was given a green signal except for two words. I feel the two names that were sentenced to silence were absolutely non-controversial. But then strange are the ways of the censor board,” he says in a resigned tone.
British rapper Akala, who is known for walking the “music with a cause” line, also features in the Dewarists song. Sharing his perspective on this fusion, Mishra elaborates, “The facade of the problem may differ from region to region, but their nature is similar. Here, caste related issues still stare us, while Akala has to deal with racism in his country. His music stands testimony to that thought process. As individuals we all react to our prevalent surroundings. John Lennon’s music was also a reaction to the issues that confronted his conscience. Bob Dylan expresses his priorities as an artist through his songs. Incidentally, issues that provoke my senses, and my artistic inclinations, both meet on the same page.”
The talk gradually veers towards MTV Coke Studio’s Husna, Piyush’s unforgettable imprint on the pangs of partition and separation. “It belongs to my years of theatre in Delhi. Pakistani writer A.K. Hameed had written this piece and we had staged the play,” he says. “Recently, I performed Husna at Hard Rock Cafe in Mumbai. It’s a hangout for the quintessential MTV affiliated crowd. One glance at them and I dismissed their presence with the thought ‘ye kya samjhenge iski gehraayi’. With resigned feelings and zero expectations, I revisited Husna that evening. And then it was my turn to get surprised, those youngsters listened with rapt attention. Honestly, the kind of response the song evoked, left me stunned. We make the mistake of stereotyping our youth. Give them quality material, and then watch how they endorse it,” he says with a hint of confidence.
The actor-cum-singer-cum-composer-cum-lyricist’s life started in Gwalior, where the constant demand to keep his attention focused towards a conventional career kept encroaching his artistic pursuits. His rebellious streak too was acquired quite early in life. “I was born with the name Priyakant, I detested it. So one fine day through an affidavit, I changed it to Piyush,” he reveals. Perhaps by scripting the birth of Piyush, he succeeded in giving breathing space to the artiste in him.
The first move in that direction was joining the National School of Drama; this was followed by years of theatre in Delhi. The initial attempts vis-a-vis the proverbial shift to Mumbai, left him disillusioned. Disappointments later, finally his admirer from the NSD days, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap asked him to compose the music of his next film.
A significant, too, developed in the scheme of things. A long wait later, the film saw the light of the day, and the film industry struck an acquaintance with an artist, who is like no other artist.
He agrees to the importance of the word gulaal in his life. “Anurag felt it was long due and then things fell into place,” he adds. “But I have moved beyond Gulaal, even beyond Gangs of Wasseypur. I need to let it go. And let’s not delve into the future, I will mention a project and then it may not work out. So what’s the point?” he says.
As he abruptly expresses the “withdrawn” feeling, one can simply apprehend that this man lives life on his own terms, his creativity too, has a mind of its own.