Shyama

Debasis Hazra, one of the two musical arrangers of Shyama, passed away this morning after suffering a brain haemorrhage. Known to Shyama's production team as 'Bachchuda', he was one of the key people without whose support and encouragement the film would not have been made. His amazing percussion sets the pace of the dancing and atmosphere throughout Shyama's soundtrack.

Producer/star Kaberi Chatterjee, who is currently in Santiniketan, said "Bachchuda has been a personal friend for many years and had been teaching percussion at the Sangeet Bhavan for just over 30 years since he was 18. He accompanied all the major Tagore dance drama productions of Visva-Bharati University I performed in both here and internationally. I and many others in Santiniketan today cannot imagine a Tagore dance drama without him. "

Director Obhi Chatterjee (pictured below with Debasis Hazra in Santiniketan earlier this year) said "Shyama gave me a unique opportunity to work closely with Bachchuda. It was easy to recognise that his sense of pace, timing and using percussion to create atmosphere was brilliantly suited to Tagore's music and drama. Apart from his musical skill, though, his warmth, humour, dedication and honesty were remarkable. It was an honour to have had the opportunity to get to know him and to learn from him but I am sad that he was taken from us at such an early age."

The Shyama production team have decided to add a short tribute to Bachchuda as a postscript in the final version of Shyama, which was due to have been released this week.