How Sachin-Jigar Became Bollywood’s Horror-Comedy Hitmakers

Successful music composers are often recognized by their duo names—Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Shankar-Jaikishan, Anand-Milind, Sajid-Wajid, and Sachin-Jigar. In recent years, Sachin-Jigar has emerged as a go-to choice for horror comedies. They’ve become an integral part of Maddock Productions, attributing their success to a strong rapport with Dinesh Vijan, the founder of Maddock. Their connection goes beyond just work, creating a unique synergy.

The Horror Universe

"It's been a dream run with Maddock Films and the horror universe they've crafted with films like Stree 1, Munjya, and Bhediya. Audiences have embraced these movies, which have become Maddock’s signature style. Personally, Jigar and I have always enjoyed watching horror films, even though the genre was fading in popularity. By combining horror with comedy, we've breathed new life into it, and the response has been overwhelming," Sachin shared with us. Jigar added that between the two of them, they've watched a wide range of conventional horror films from Bollywood and Hollywood, as well as several Korean ones.

Their latest project, Stree 2, continues their successful streak. Sachin Sanghvi and Jigar Saraiya have created music across various platforms, from theatre and television to jingles, before getting their big break with the soundtrack for Remo D’Souza’s F.A.L.T.U (2011), which featured hits like "Char Baj Gaye (Party Abhi Baaki Hai)" and "Fully Faltu." This was followed by compositions for films like Shor In The City, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Stree, Angrezi Medium, and Bhediya. Before going independent, they worked as music arrangers for the veteran Indian music director Rajesh Roshan.

How They Met

But how did this dynamic duo come together? They first crossed paths at Rajesh Roshan’s studio when Amit Trivedi was there for a particular song. At the time, Sachin was heavily involved in TV and theatre and needed assistance, which led Amit to introduce Jigar to Sachin. They instantly clicked, realizing how well they complemented each other. Without any formal discussions about forming a partnership, they simply followed the natural flow of their collaboration.

A quirky aspect of their partnership is that people often confuse Sachin and Jigar or assume that "Sachin Jigar" is just one person. It’s not uncommon for Sachin to be handed a phone to take a photo with a fan who thinks Jigar is just one person. For the duo, this confusion is a testament to how far they’ve come together. Interestingly, Sachin was studying chartered accountancy, while Jigar was pursuing an MBA. What united them was their shared passion for music. It was Pritam who recognized their potential as composers and encouraged them to pursue this path, leading them to work with legends like Rajesh Roshan, Anu Malik, and A.R. Rahman. Their interactions with these icons continue to inspire their music, a sentiment they find hard to express in words.

Inspired by their own mentors, Sachin-Jigar now give back by nurturing and providing opportunities for newcomers in the music industry. They’ve also been part of Coke Studio India and have several upcoming projects, including Prime Video’s web series Citadel: Honey Bunny (starring Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu) and Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video (starring Triptii Dimri and Rajkumar Rao).