‘Dhurandhar’ Music Earned Rs 350 Crore, Shashwat Sachdev Says He Has No Regrets Over Fee

Music composer Shashwat Sachdev has said he does not regret charging a lower fee for Dhurandhar, despite the film’s music reportedly generating ₹350 crore. Appearing on The Great Indian Kapil Show, Sachdev discussed the soundtrack’s commercial performance, his collaboration with director Aditya Dhar and the creative process behind the film’s music. 

During the conversation, host Kapil Sharma asked Sachdev whether he regretted his fee after learning about the revenue attributed to the film’s music. The composer responded, “No No, this thought never crossed my mind.”

The exchange prompted a humorous response from Archana Puran Singh, who remarked to Kapil, “Not everybody thinks like you, Kapil.” Sharma responded with his signature humour, keeping the conversation light-hearted.

Aditya Dhar’s Approach to Music Creation

Speaking about the soundtrack, Sachdev explained that the music rights for Dhurandhar were held by Saregama. He also credited Dhar’s approach to integrating music into the filmmaking process, noting that the director plans songs and their placement while writing the script.

“Aditya writes the songs in the script itself, its placement and how it would be done. For a composer, this is such a big blessing,” Sachdev said.

The composer also addressed questions about whether the soundtrack was still being finalised around the time of its music launch. He described the process as closely connected to the film’s evolution, with opportunities to refine the music as the project approaches completion.

“I am not just making music, I am making a film with my director. As and when the film inches towards its completion, we realise that we can do something more to enhance the music,” he said.

Sachdev added that the creative process continues beyond a film’s release, revealing that the team was still working on mixing, mastering and replacing music for the Netflix version.

“We are still mixing and mastering the music and replacing it for Netflix; we are still trying to improve the songs because the process doesn’t end after the film’s release,” he said.

Music’s Growing Commercial Significance

The reported ₹350 crore figure puts the spotlight on the commercial potential of film soundtracks and their role in the wider entertainment business. Music rights, streaming consumption and digital distribution have become important components of a film’s commercial ecosystem, alongside theatrical collections.

Sachdev’s comments also highlight how the composer-director relationship can shape a soundtrack, particularly when music is integrated into the script and narrative from an early stage.

The Dhurandhar franchise, directed by Aditya Dhar and featuring Ranveer Singh, has recorded substantial box-office success. According to The Indian Express, the first film collected Rs 1,307.35 crore, while its sequel earned Rs 1,813.39 crore. The film is currently available on Netflix. 

Sachdev’s remarks offer a glimpse into the creative decisions behind the soundtrack while raising a wider industry question: as film music generates significant commercial value, how should composers’ fees and compensation reflect the success of their work?