Parineeti Chopra is actually a singer: Sachin-Jigar, who composed her new song

Musician duos have nearly always found themselves doing well in Bollywood, and the combination of Sachin Sanghvi and Jigar Saraiya is no exception. Known for making off-beat music — as can be sampled in their songs such as Mileya mileya (Happy Ending; 2014) and the recently released ‘Maana ke hum yaar nahi’ (Meri Pyaari Bindu), sung by Parineeti Chopra — the pair have churned out quality music in their nine years in the industry. But with indie music claiming an increasing share of the market, the music industry has changed in India, and these composers are very aware of that. Sachin says that over the years, the brief they get has “changed”, and it’s a good phase for music in general. Excerpts from an interview:

Your music is different from the usual fare in Bollywood. Can you talk about how you go about composing?

Sachin: Our school of music has been such that we can never be ‘not mainstream’. There is a sense of rebellion; there is an idea of improvising, and beating our own best [work]. But over the years, the brief has changed; what people ask of us has changed; the references have changed. It’s opened up now. I think this is a good phase for music. I think that just how newer films are being made, new music will also start being composed. We are pretty much like a mix of all this.

Jigar: The thought has been the same since Teree Sang (2009) — we don’t want to go with the flow. We still want to do what we like, what our directors expect from us, and, of course, what our fans expect from us. So we do whatever feels right to our hearts, regardless of whether a song is going to become a huge hit or not.

You recorded a song with Parineeti for Meri Pyaari Bindu, how was the experience?

Jigar: I want to make it clear that Parineeti is actually a singer. She understands music; she understands when we talk to her in a certain musical way. There is now a trend of actors singing songs, so if Parineeti would have been the first one to do it, people would have respected an actor singing. Unfortunately, she joined the bandwagon a little late, but she did practice a lot. Many actors in the West are good singers, so I think it’s time for us to accept that actors can sing.

Do you think it’s a good idea that actors are now singing?

Sachin: When singers or composers try to act, the transition needs to be organic. If there is a good-looking singer like Vasundhara (Das), that transition doesn’t feel bad. To see her acting in Hey Ram (2000) was delightful. Likewise, for an actor like Parineeti, who is learned in music, that transition works. But to see somebody deliberately doing it because they have the star power… wo thoda dil ko khatakta hai (that bothers us a little). So if it becomes a trend, and it’s forced onto people then it’s a problem. But as long as it’s organic, it’s all cool.

Jigar: Not all actors. I am very happy that Parineeti has turned singer and I am very happy that Ayushmann (Khurrana; actor) can sing. There are actors who deserve to be singers and there are actors who probably don’t.

There are actors who deserve to be singers and there are actors who probably don’t.
-Jigar Saraiya

Do you have more creative freedom while making independent music?

Jigar: I think there is enough freedom in film music. It is wrongly stated that the film music industry doesn’t give you freedom. Music in films is about a character; it’s about many people in the film, so there is enough freedom. It’s only about exploring the right [musical] notes.

Sachin: I completely love the independent scene. I love how every form of art is breaking the shackles of Bollywood, and making room for itself. Unfortunately, Bollywood is the epitome of media [in India], and I hope that artistes will someday be known for their hard work, and not for their hard work for a certain film. But I do see light at the end of the tunnel already.

Sachin, your daughter (Tanvi Sanghvi) sang a song for Coke Studio. Do you have plans to get her into the music industry?

Sachin: As parents, our biggest responsibility will be to help her differentiate between right and wrong, and moral and immoral. And where ever she lands up, we will stand with her. If that means that she wants to sing, we will encourage her to do that. She enjoys singing. When she heard ‘Maana ke’, she said, “Papa it’s such a different song, and I don’t know if I can sing it now, but I will learn it and I will sing it for you.” It’s delightful to see her hit a certain note that touches your heart. That kind of expression comes from God. One may have a great voice, or they may be great technically, but that ability to sing, travel the distance and touch someone’s heart, is given by God.