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Review by Bhamini Shatpadi
The music of the film Goldfish stands out for its strong grounding in classical and semi-classical traditions.
Composer Tapas Relia and lyricist Kausar Munir craft a soundtrack that recalls the mood of films like Umrao Jaan and Pakeezah. Yet, unlike those films, Goldfish is set in contemporary times.
Directed by Pushan Kripalani, the film explores the strained relationship between a mother and daughter, against the backdrop of dementia and emotional distance.
The film received positive reviews for its restrained storytelling and performances by Kalki Koechlin and Deepti Naval. Critics were impressed by the film’s sensitive treatment of aging, loneliness and family conflict. Deccan Herald praised the film for going beyond the self-sacrificing mother stereotype, and exploring emotional vulnerability.
The soundtrack is sparse, relying largely on sarangi and tabla rather than dense orchestration. The compositions draw from thumri and ghazal traditions, with frequent classical-style phrasing. Raag Bihag, in particular, appears to influence at least a couple of melodies, lending the songs a reflective and late-evening quality.
One of the notable tracks is Bachpan Ki Galiyan, sung by Madhubanti Bagchi. The song reflects on memory and childhood with simple and evocative lyrics by Munir.
Another standout is Chanda se chhup ke, sung by the late Ustad Rashid Khan. The track leans most strongly into tradition, allowing Khan’s voice and the sarangi-led arrangement to carry the emotional weight.
Piya padh lena, sung by Pratibha Singh Baghel, has a measured pace and recalls the musical sensibility associated with films like Umrao Jaan.
The soundtrack also includes Taiy nahi kiya abhi, sung by Papon, which introduces a more contemporary tone to the album’s semi-classical aesthetic.
The music of Goldfish is a far cry from the commercial, programmed tracks characteristic of commercial Bollywood. At the same time, it may sound predictable to those steeped in the semi-classical traditions of north Indian music.
Goldfish stars Kalki Koechlin as Anamika and Deepti Naval as her mother Sadhana.
The supporting cast includes Gordon Warnecke, Rajit Kapur and Siddharth Dhananjay.
