While music directors go for well known crooners, Moitra has got Delhi-based classical singer Pranab Biswas, whom he discovered during his Eklavya days; lyricist-turned-singer Ajay Jhingran from Uttar Pradesh, Hamsika Iyer, who gets back into the groove after a long stint in commercials; and Salil Chowdhury’s daughter Antara, who gets a second shot in films.

“I have been singing for commercials for a long time. Shantanu would ask me to cut down on those assignments and concentrate on playback singing. Then he offered me the only track in Eklavya and somehow it helped me get back on track,” says 35-year-old Iyer, who has sung the track Khushboo sa in Khoya Khoya Chand.

For classical singer Biswas the foray into the heart of Bollywood happened only because of Moitra. The 35-year-old had got in touch with the music director, who listened to one of his compositions and facilitated a meeting with Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Soon he was signed up to compose the background score of Eklavya. In Khoya Khoya Chand, Biswas is back with O re pakhi.

“Earlier, music directors went for the conventional school of singers. But now, with new people like Shantanu, the field has opened up,” says Jhingran. He had got a call at 1.30 am, asking if he could drop by the studio. Moitra told him he would get two turns to get the title track with Kirkire correct. Jhingran recorded the demo, ready to come back the next day for the real thing. But Moitra was so impressed that the re-recording was cancelled.