‘Jawan’ Actress & Singer- ‘Sanjeeta Bhattacharya’, song writer & composer unveils new short film for her song X Marks The Spot

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THE SHORT FILM / MUSIC VIDEO

‘X Marks The Spot’ has delved into the intricacies of a relationship, wherein recognising and addressing its complexities can become a tough journey. Sometimes, the difficulties reach up from external circumstances, which highlights that it’s not necessarily the people involved who are incompatible, but rather the unfortunate timing that surrounds their ill-fated connection.

A song written by singer-actor Sanjeeta Bhattacharya and Prabhtoj Singh, weaved into visuals by Karan Kapoor. Talking about her experience, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya states – “We shot the video in a day and half at Aksa Beach and our friend’s apartment. It was lovely getting to know my co-actor Shiv Masand through the process and a wonderful experience to work with Karan Kapoor (also known for his work as Assistant Director in Gehraiyaan) again who has also previously shot my music videos for my songs, “Khoya Sa” and “Red”.

Karan ideated and wrote the screenplay around a relationship that goes through a challenging journey, addressing the complexities and intricacies that eventually decide the fate of the relationship. Often, the difficulties stem from external circumstances, highlighting that it’s not the people involved who are incompatible, but the unfortunate timing is mis-aligned. We wanted to create a short film instead of a music video to weave a cinematic experience around the song. The audio that you hear in the film is an extended version of the original song. In an age of declining attention span, we wanted to create visuals that need you to take a breather and just feel”.

As for the Berklee College of Music graduate, ‘X Marks the Spot’ is extremely important and personal. This song makes Sanjeeta take us on an intimate journey back to 2019, a time when her life was wounded with personal turmoil, and amidst the trials and tribulations, she found her peace in songwriting, thus giving birth to a beautiful ballad. “Chickenpox is one big reason for my frustration but the song is a lament of sorts. It was the pain I felt in every bone, in every part of me, the target being my heart, marked with an X. So ‘X Marks the Spot’ was a fitting name,” said the Delhi-based musician-actor.

Interestingly, Sanjeeta’s song undergoes an intimate and heartfelt ‘note’ she wrote to herself during those tough times. “It’s in the realm of a rock ballad drawing from my inspirations like Aerosmith. I wrote it during a period of general turmoil in my life. Everything in and around me seemed to be crushing my spirit and I wrote this song as a note to self. I was going through my first bout of chickenpox, and the news reports said that the Amazon Forest had been on fire for three weeks, my personal relationship at the time reduced me to feeling unsure about myself and I felt vulnerable, small and lost. It seemed like I had been “shot in the lungs’ ‘. ‘XMTS’ is my putting those incredibly frustrating emotions out onto paper,” said Sanjeeta, who’s part of the album ‘Shuruaat’, which got a Grammy nomination for Best Global Music Album.

‘XMTS’ has been produced by Prabhtoj Singh, who also features in the song. Before ‘XMTS’, Sanjeeta had already captivated the audiences with her soulful voice in a series of mesmerizing songs like ‘Khoya Sa’, ‘Red’, ‘Everything’s Fine?’, ‘Watercolour’ , ‘Natsukashii’ , ‘Itne Pyaar Se’ and ‘Udd Chalein’ that touched hearts worldwide. One of the most defining moments in her career was when she paid a heartfelt tribute to the legendary maestro, AR Rahman, at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in 2015. She was also a part of the Berklee Indian Ensemble’s debut album ‘Shuruaat’, nominated for the 65th Grammys.Sanjeeta was born to Bengali parents and is the daughter of celebrated painter Sanjay Bhattacharya. She is indeed a powerhouse performer who has graced prestigious national and international music festivals.

She has also performed at renowned events like the Nami Island World Music Festival in South Korea, Panama Jazz Fest in Panama and NH7 Weekender and Hornbill Festival in India. Her exceptional vocal prowess has helped her make a way to share the stage with musical legends such as Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and AR Rahman.

Alongside that, Sanjeeta is also in the audience’s eye for her big Bollywood debut in SRK-starrer action thriller ‘Jawan’. She plays the role of the hacker, Helena, in Atlee’s debut Bollywood directorial. She also features on the background score for the film, having written and sung the Spanish song, “Mis Chicas” for the film. Prior to ‘Jawan’, Sanjeeta has also gone all the way, proving her acting acumen in ‘Feel Like Ishq’ on Netflix and ‘The Broken News’ alongside Sonali Bendre on Zee5.