Salil Chowdhury

Vaasthuhaara (1990)

The Dispossessed � A deeply moving Malayalam film with background score by Salil Chowdhury, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Govindan Aravindan.

Film Information

Language: Malayalam

English Title: The Dispossessed

Director: Govindan Aravindan

Story: C. V. Sriraman

Main Cast: �Bharat� Mohanlal, Neelanjana Mitra, Neena Gupta, Padmini

Aravindan selected Salil Chowdhury for the music because much of the film was shot in West Bengal, reflecting Salil�s deep cultural roots.

The background score includes two Bengali folk songs sung by Avijit Basu � one of them being: �Dehotori Chhaaira Dilaam�.

The background theme is based on the Bengali song �Jetey Dao Nodi Hoye� (HS3), sung by Haimanti Shukla, and is considered one of Salil�s most poignant and haunting pieces.

The Title Music is especially admired for its restrained yet powerful orchestral depth.

Notes & Background

Vaasthuhaara received multiple awards and remains an important work in Malayalam cinema.

Salil's contribution is background music only, yet it is regarded as one of his most emotionally powerful cinematic scores.

The film stars Malayalam superstar Mohanlal in a leading role, bringing depth to a narrative centered around loss, displacement and identity.

The music is sparse but incredibly effective � a reflection of themes of uprooted lives and fading cultural memory.