Sugam and Rita’s ‘Behaal’ Released with Music by Shankar Thapa ‘Smile’

The romantic song ‘Behaal’ has been released. The song was unveiled during a program organized in the capital. Chief guest and senior musician Phanindra Rai, along with special guests lyricist Ambika Gurung, lyricist and gazal writer Bhupendra Mahat, Censor Board member and Vice President of the Film Journalists Association Kuber Giri, and other creators, launched the audio and video of the song.

The love song features lyrics by Dr. Debendra Pradhan, music by Shankar Thapa ‘Smile’, and vocals by Sugam Pokharel and Rita KC. Bisham Acharya arranged the song, while Kishor Thapa handled the mixing and mastering. The music video was directed by Keshab Raj Bhatta. Featuring actors Abhishek Shrestha and Shreetika Shrestha, the video was filmed by Dinesh Parajuli and edited by Dinson Shah.

Speaking at the event, chief guest Rai stated that the song is excellent from every perspective. Lyricist Gurung noted that while the song sounds simple, it possesses an excellent combination of lyrics, music, and vocals. She also mentioned that the video is attractive. Gazal writer Mahat added that both the audio and video aspects of the song are powerful.

Censor Board member Giri remarked that while many songs enter the market lately, only a few are outstanding, and this song falls into that category. Having closely followed composer Thapa’s work for a long time, he noted that Thapa’s creations consistently offer both innovation and originality.

Lyricist Dr. Pradhan, a resident of Kalimpong, India, traveled to Kathmandu specifically for this release. Deeply interested in Nepali literature and music, Pradhan has been active in songwriting since 2019. With nearly a dozen songs to his credit, Dr. Pradhan stated that regardless of his geographical location, his heart remains Nepali. 

Addressing the program, he credited his environment for inspiring his involvement in Nepali literature and music and expressed his commitment to remaining active in the field. He revealed that he had given these lyrics to nearly half a dozen composers but chose to collaborate with Thapa because he found Thapa’s composition to be the best.

Composer Thapa explained his effort to create music that reflects the emotions of the words. He stated that he composed the simple words written by the lyricist from the depths of love in a simple style. With music in over 1,500 songs, more than two dozen of Thapa’s tracks are in the "crore club" (ten million views). He noted that this song offers a slightly different flavor compared to his previous works.

Singer Rita KC shared that she lent her voice to excellent lyrics and music. She mentioned that she liked Dr. Pradhan’s lyrics as soon as she heard them and expressed confidence that the song would win the hearts of listeners.

Video director Keshab Raj Bhatta said he attempted to create the video according to the song's sentiment. The video was filmed over four days, spanning from Mustang to Pokhara. He noted that he and his team worked to make every scene meaningful and beautiful. Model Shreetika Shrestha expressed her happiness at being part of such a good creation. The event saw a large attendance of personalities from the music industry.

A Closer Look at Lyricist Pradhan

Dr. Debendra Pradhan was born in Samasing Tea Garden in Dooars, India. He currently serves as the Deputy Director in the Animal Resources Development Department in Kalimpong district under the West Bengal government. With a deep interest in Nepali literature and music, Dr. Pradhan has been nurturing the field through various creations.

He recorded his first song, ‘Thahai Napai,’ dedicated to those who lost their lives to COVID-19. Since then, nearly a dozen of his songs have been recorded. Singers such as Thupden Bhutia, Uday Sotang, Manila Sotang, Milan Newar, Arif Rawaf, Swaroop Raj Acharya, Sugam Pokharel, and Rita KC have performed his lyrics. He has collaborated with composers including Shankar Thapa ‘Smile’, Yogendra Ghatani, Uday Sotang, Sachin Singh, and Madhusudan Lama. His works can be viewed on the ‘Dev Production’ YouTube channel.

A Closer Look at Composer Shankar Thapa ‘Smile’

Shankar Thapa ‘Smile’ has been an active name in the Nepali music industry for two decades. He has composed music for over 1,500 songs across various genres, including modern, pop, folk-pop, bhajans, and film music. His music can be heard in various languages, including Nepali, Hindi, Nepal Bhasa (Newari), and Gurung.

Nearly a dozen of his music albums, such as Dhadkan, Asim, Nazar, Sadha Sadha, Manokanksha, Kadambari Kunj, Bhava, and Anupam Yatra, have been released. He has also provided music for songs in half a dozen films, including Phateko Jutta, Senti Virus, and Ke Ghar Ke Dera.

Winner of the Nationwide Open Music Competition 2077, he has received numerous awards for his musical creations. Thapa has earned nearly two dozen awards, including the Amin National Music Award, National Rapti Music Award, OS Music Award, Young Mind Entertainment Award, Kalika Music Award, National Power News Music Award, Music Khabar Music Award, Genius Music Award, Box Office National Music Award, and Sparsha Music Video Award.