The song 'Juddhang Dehi' from Dhrubo Banerjee’s upcoming film Golondaaj (2021) conveys the spirit of resistance through a football anthem composed by Bickram Ghosh and written by Srijato Bandopadhyay.
The song, the video for which features Dev Adhikari as Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari, the father of Indian football, John Bhattacharya, Indrasish Roy, Ujan Chatterjee and others, has been rendered by Nirmalya Roy and Sovan Ganguly.
'Juddhang Dehi' shows how the pioneering footballer prepared his team for a match against the British, India's colonial masters who also invented the game. The composition brings out the grit, dedication and unwavering spirit of the team, with their leader leading from the front, standing up to the British soldiers and throwing down the gauntlet with a calm yet determined look.
Sarbadhikari uses the phrase 'Juddhang Dehi' as a war cry to motivate his team against the British who refuse to recognize the expertise of the 'natives' at the game.
The song begins with a soft melody in raga Desh, rising to bring alive the spirit of an anthem. Ghosh has also infused the flavour of rural Bengal with a change of rhythm and by incorporating elements of kirtan (devotional music), which creates relief within the song.
The visuals exude energy as the team members refuse to bow to the dominance of the colonizers by thumping their chests at the football ground. Roy and Ganguly’s voices express determination as well as the essence of empathy and kindness, highlighting the different shades of the song.
Golondaaj is slated for a theatrical release on 10 October. Watch the song below and let us know if you are keen to watch the film.