His father, Naresh Sharma, gave the film industry melodious tunes with tracks for hit movies like Aashiqui, Mann, Judaai and many more. His grandfather, Pandit Ramprasad Sharma, was a great violin and trumpet player, whose disciples included the likes of Pt Hridaynath Mangeshksar, Surendra Sodhi, Anu Malik, Zarine Daruwala and Uttam Singh.
His uncle, Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma, of the musical duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, heralded a new era in the music industry in the 1980s-90s. So, it’s no surprise that Mithoon Sharma delved into the world of music.
“Music is in my genes. My father sent me to the best music teachers when I was just 11. By the time I turned 16, he ensured that I was technically sound in all facets of music,” says Mithoon.
Like several new composers, Mithoon’s musical journey found a platform in the films by the Bhatt camp. His first composition, “Woh Lamhe”, for the film Zeher, broke all the records, becoming a rage among youngsters. His subsequent compositions for Bas Ek Pal and Anwar sealed his position in the industry, proving his credibility. His moment of glory came when he composed the song “Tum Hi Ho” for Aashiqui 2. The young composer went on to compose tunes for films including Yaariyaan and Ek Villain.
Of course, with so many musical greats in the family, the journey into the industry must have been pretty smooth and hassle-free for Mithoon. “Thanks to my family’s name, I have been given opportunities. Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt agreed to give me a chance only on the goodwill that my father has built for himself. But I have sustained the subsequent struggle on my own and built a name for myself,” says Mithoon.
How does one deal with the pressure that comes with the family’s name? “It’s like this. When you compose hit songs, people expect nothing less from you the next time around. But I don’t feel the pressure coming from the reputation my family has built. The only pressure is to impress the audience,” explains Mithoon.
His latest song for the film Hamari Adhuri Kahaani has received rave reviews and he reveals the story behind it. “Mohit Suri (director of the film) and I go back a long way. Composing for this beautiful story has been emotionally draining and fulfilling at the same time. I had to get into the layers of the characters to get the tunes right,” says Mithoon.
Giving us a sneak peek into the drama that unfolds behind the curtains in a music composer’s studio, Mithoon says, “I don’t have a bank of tunes or songs. With every movie, it’s a new beginning. When a filmmaker comes to me for a composition, I get a feel of the movie thoroughly. I breathe the essence of the story and then create tunes. Usually, it takes around 15 to 20 days to design a simple melody.”
But, unlike other composers, why does he restrict himself to just one or two songs in a film? “It’s not a conscious decision. Creating music takes a lot of time and I need to get into the mind of the filmmaker to get it right. Moreover, since I am involved in every stage of the process — as an arranger, composer, pianist — I need the luxury of time. For composing songs for an entire film, I would need two years at least and that would be unfair for the directors,” says the award-winning composer.
A true music lover, Mithoon admires his contemporaries Harris Jayaraj and Amit Trivedi, and believes everyone could learn a lot from the music maestro A R Rahman.
The future projects of this talented composer include Shivay, Shabd and the Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam movie, Traffic.