Ranjit Barot

Barot was born on January 1, 1959, into a family of Indian musicians and dancers. His mother, Sitara Devi, was a Kathak dancer from Varanasi.{{cite web | title = My mother's responsible for my musical inclination: Ranjit Barot | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news-and-interviews/My-mothers-responsible-for-my-musical-inclination-Ranjit-Barot/articleshow/19016127.cms |date=17 March 2013| access-date = 4 April 2014 | work = The Times of India}} His father was from Gujarat.

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Barot's music career began in the 1980s. His drumming style had been influenced by artists from various genres and traditions, including Indian classical percussionists such as Ustad Alla Rakha, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Palghat Raghu (mridangam), Karaikudi Mani (mridangam), Palanivel (tavil), Hari Shankar (khanjira), and Sridhar Parthasarathy (mridangam, hand percussion). Other influences include jazz and fusion legends like Billy Cobham, Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, Steve Gadd, Omar Hakim, Al Foster, and Peter Erskine. He also drew inspiration from global drumming traditions, such as the African Djembe, Japanese Taiko, Middle Eastern Darbuka, and Latin Conga and Bongo styles, as well as contemporary percussionists and female artists, including Sheila E., Terri Lyne Carrington, and Evelyn Glennie.

He worked as a drummer, arranger, and producer for composers and artists including R. D. Burman, Laxmikant–Pyarelal, Kalyanji–Anandji, U. Srinivas, L. Subramaniam, Anu Malik and Ismail Darbar.{{Cite web |title=Ranjit Barot |url=https://trueschool.in/people/ranjit-barot/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130121223/https://trueschool.in/people/ranjit-barot/ |archive-date=2020-01-30 |access-date=30 January 2020 |website=True School of Music |language=en-US}} His collaborations with musicians abroad included performances with artists such as John McLaughlin,{{Cite news |last=Marik |first=Priyam |date=January 25, 2023 |title=Ranjit Barot: ‘I wouldn’t be the drummer I am today had it not been for John McLaughlin’ |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/entertainment/ranjit-barot-i-wouldnt-be-the-drummer-i-am-today-had-it-not-been-for-john-mclaughlin/cid/1912072 |access-date=November 14, 2024 |work=The Telegraph Online}} Jonas Hellborg, Aydin Esen, and Tim Garland. He was featured as the drummer on McLaughlin's Grammy-nominated album Floating Point. Bruce Swedien influenced Barot's musical style and approach to contemporary work, mixing Barot's songs on Vande Mataram 2 and Senso Unico, an Indo-Italian feature film. He works out of a studio in Mumbai.

At the Jazz Yatra '80, he performed with the Jazz Yatra Sextett and Pandit Ravi Shankar's ensemble, Jazzmine, featuring John Handy, George Adams, and Mike Richmond of the Mingus Dynasty.

During the Jazz Sextett's first European tour, Barot met and befriended Don Cherry, which led to a joint performance at the 1982 Jazz Yatra in Bombay.

In November 2010, Barot released his debut album, Bada Boom, a collection of his Jazz Fusion and World compositions featuring performances by Ustad Zakir Hussain, John McLaughlin, U. Srinivas, U. Rajesh, Scott Kinsey, Matt Garrison, Wayne Krantz, Dominique Di Piazza, Harmeet Manseta, Taufiq Qureshi, Sanjay Divecha, Tim Garland, Gwilym Simcock, Ayden Esen and Elie Afif, among others. Barot was the Music Composer and Sound Designer for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010. He represented India in his live performance at the "India Inclusive" showcase at WEF, Davos 2011.{{Cite web |date=8 November 2017 |title=Ranjit Barot |url=http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Ranjit_Barot.html |access-date=8 November 2017 |website=www.drummerworld.com}} He played for the opening of the Hockey World Cup in 2019 and was the music producer for Jammin (Season 2) and MTV Unplugged's (Season 1 & 2). He leads the band AR Rahman Live.{{Cite web |last=Rao |first=Madanmohan |date=2023-04-04 |title='You are always a student, no matter where you are in your journey' – in conversation with ace percussionist-composer Ranjit Barot {{!}} World Music Central |url=https://worldmusiccentral.org/2023/04/04/you-are-always-a-student-no-matter-where-you-are-in-your-journey-in-conversation-with-ace-percussionist-composer-ranjit-barot/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=World Music Central |language=en-US}}

In 2001, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Background Score for Aks.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/entertainment/bollywood-runs-on-nepotism-says-musician-ranjit-barot |title=Bollywood runs on nepotism, says musician Ranjit Barot |author= |date=6 July 2020 |work=IANS |via=National Herald |access-date=7 November 2024}} In 2011, he won three major Indian music awards for his work in Shaitan.{{Cite web |title=Ranjit Barot {{!}} Remo |url=https://remo.com/profile/ranjit-barot |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=remo.com |language=en}}

Barot has a daughter, Mallika, who is a vocalist.{{Cite news |author=Anuka Roy |title=A voice of her own |url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/a-voice-of-her-own/articleshow/72918612.cms |access-date=2024-11-07 |newspaper=Mumbai Mirror |language=en}}

• Shaitan (June 10, 2011){{Cite web |title=Ranjit Barot {{!}} Composer, Music Department, Actor |url=https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0056427/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}
• Thanks Maa (March 5, 2010)
• Yeh Mera India (August 28, 2009)
• Toss (August 28, 2009)
• Sankat City (July 10, 2009)
• Mere Baap Pehle Aap (June 13, 2008)
• Tashan (April 25, 2008)
• Bhool Bhulaiyaa (October 12, 2007)
• Black & White (March 7, 2008)
• Cash (August 3, 2007)
• Aryan – Unbreakable (December 15, 2006)
• Tathastu (May 12, 2006)
• Dus (July 8, 2005)
• Main Hoon Na (April 30, 2004)
• Rishtey (December 6, 2002)
• Hathyar (October 18, 2002)
• Aks (July 13, 2001)
• Fiza (September 8, 2000)
• Tera Jadoo Chal Gayaa (2000)

• Brides Wanted (2010)

• Muskurake Dekh Zara (April 23, 2010)
• Brides Wanted (2010) (unreleased)
• Acid Factory (October 9, 2009)
• Sankat City (July 10, 2009)
• Chhodon Naa Yaar (October 5, 2007)
• Urchagam – Tamil (September 2, 2007)
• Kanna - Tamil (2007)
• Holiday (February 10, 2006)
• Chupke Se (September 12, 2003)
• Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost (August 22, 2003)
• Qayamat: City Under Threat (July 11, 2003)
• Hathyar (Background Score) (October 18, 2002)
• Fiza (September 8, 2000)
• V.I.P – Tamil (June 13, 1997)
• Oh Darling Yeh Hai India (August 11, 1995)
• Raakh (1989)
• One Heart: The A. R. Rahman Concert Film

• Tera Jadoo Chal Gayaa (2000)

• Muskurake Dekh Zara (April 23, 2010)
• Brides Wanted (2010) (unreleased)
• Acid Factory (October 9, 2009)
• Sankat City (July 10, 2009)
• Ru Ba Ru (September 12, 2008)
• V.I.P (Tamil) (1997)
• Aryan – Unbreakable (December 15, 2006)
• Baabul (December 8, 2006)
• Pyare Mohan (April 21, 2006)
• Holiday (February 10, 2006)
• Dus (July 8, 2005)
• Main Hoon Na (April 30, 2004)
• Chupke Se (September 12, 2003)
• Shaitan (2011)
• Oh Darling Yeh Hai India (August 11, 1995)

• 99 Songs (2019)

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20091225071722/http://www.gomolo.in/People/People.aspx?pplid=11512 Gomolo]

• {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107061959/http://ranjitbarot.com/ |title=Official website}}
• {{IMDb person}}
• {{Bollywood Hungama person}}
• {{AllMusic}}

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