‘Ura Dhura’ Antara stoked about her first ‘superhit’

Born and brought up in a family that practices and appreciates the art of music, Debosrie Antara officially debuted in Dhallywood with "Laage Ura Dhura" from the upcoming Shakib Khan starrer film "Toofan". The song, composed by Pritom Hasan, has now become the party anthem of the season. 

The singer, as of late, has been assumed to be from West Bengal simply based on her name, but she has been in the limelight since amassing two duets with the famed Habib Wahid.

It has been a few months since we last spoke. How are you feeling now that 'Laage Ura Dhura' is storming through the charts and social media?

I, myself am feeling Ura Dhura (laughs). However, I have to admit, they got the right song for me, at the right time. It feels like a step forward for my career, as my name is still not 'out there' in the industry, in that sense.  

How did this opportunity come about?

Pritom bhai called me one day and said that he had a work for me. Suffice to say, I was stunned, as it would mean working with a musician like him for the first time. When I was told that I would be lending my voice to an item song, I wanted to know more about the lyrics, considering item songs ought to have a standard. 

When all the related decisions were made, funnily enough, I still had no idea that I would be singing for a song in "Toofan". That was mostly because I am obviously not a part of the film industry, and when I was told that Mimi Chakraborty would be lip-syncing to my voice, I still did not know enough to connect the dots.  

A personally significant aspect of the song that I discovered once the trailer was released, was that it is penned by Rasel Mahmud and Shorif Uddin. Now, Rasel Mahmud is the man who wrote the first-ever jingle I voiced. It was a full-circle moment for me. 

Many claim that your name has largely been disregarded throughout most of 'Toofan's' promotional campaigns. What is your take on this?

I have come to learn and understand that there can be several reasons behind that. There are certain regulations that the team must adhere to for maximising promotional content including which names to push and publish. They could have also been confused regarding which name of mine to use, since my stage name was written inside a bracket beside my actual name, Antara Roy Chowdhury, in my NDA. Having said that, "Toofan" in and of itself is a massive project to helm so I'm sure they have more pressing matters to attend to. 

What matters to me the most is how the song reached the top trending music charts across notable platforms like YouTube. Moreover, people are constantly dancing and singing to it while making reels for social media. The fact that this is my first time singing as a playback singer for a film, which has been jointly produced by Bangladesh and India is immense! 

Besides, the film is about Shakib Khan, so the male singer having most of the limelight is natural.

What was your experience working with Pritom Hasan like?

He is a very humble, nice, and genuine individual, who was transparent from his end, from the get-go. He is also very knowledgeable, so when it comes down to sound mixing — he is extremely meticulous. 

When we were discussing the required texture of "Laage Ura Dhura", Pritom bhai further elaborated on the analyses of female singers with deeper voices being preferred worldwide, nowadays. His explanation boosted my morale and made me realise that the texture of my voice is an asset that I have. 

Did you imagine this song doing so well?

We had anticipated the song becoming a hit, because of its energetic ability to make people dance – it's a Pritom Hasan's project after all. However, I had no idea that it would reach the heights that it has been reaching around the world! 

Has further work been knocking on your door since 'Laage Ura Dhura's' release? 

I am working on several projects, including works related to my profession outside the musical world. I will be releasing my self-made song this year, followed by more originals. I have returned to dance and music classes to hone my skills. As an artiste, I believe I must work on myself so heavily so that I can, at the very least, be solid in my work.