All about Content: If Content is King who is the Emperor?

Passion and honesty, Strive For an engaging & Authentic Connect via Content!

“Making music is a collaboration between the composer and the producer/filmmaker and the only way you can make music passionately is when you forget about what will work or not. That’s for the audience to decide, Honesty is the most important when making music. Independent music needs a support system, needs backing from friends and the media because the content being created right now is mainly done for Bollywood music but it’s great to see there are some really interesting things going on. There was a time when independent pop music was massive. Now, it can be huge but somehow it’s still not there. Besides that there are artists who’ve done really well for themselves in the independent music scene like my friend, Raghu Dixit and so many new bands and artists who are doing brilliant stuff and even OML who are putting out great content but it still needs a push from the media, television and radio channels because only then will the music find its reach.” replied Shekhar.

Now the focus is on Vishal Bharadwaj and the many feathers he dons - filmmaker, producer, writer, composer and even singer. How does that all work together? Asks Sabbas Joseph.

All the jobs are separate and sometimes it just comes all together. Sometimes while writing the scripts the songs come, other times it’s difficult for me to observe my own work objectively so I keep brutally honest friends around to give me an honest feedback and Gulzaar sir is very straight forward when it comes to music. Making the tune and making it sound effortless is the key when I compose. Of late I started composing music while walking or when there’s absolute silence. I let it come from within. I remembered Gulzaar’s poetry by heart and I mean every poem - word by word. It was my dream when I came from Meerut to Mumbai that in this lifetime I want to do just one song with him but I think I’ve done the most compositions with him so far. It’s become such an organic process with him now that we bounce off of each other and the words and tunes just flow together.” Said Bhardwaj on the magical Vishal Bhardwaj-Gulzaar duo.

OML has been doing so much across digital media and has changed the way music is perceived in the industry and has given us new formats of music and this is seen throughout the digital space. What is it that clicks best and works together in terms of the kind of content being put out there?

“It’s an interesting time for us since we’re beginning to experiment with music as creators. For example, AIB or TVF who are known for comedy or drama, the amount of time and effort they spend on getting the music right for that content (in AIB’s case it’s usually parodies) because they know that the one thing that will work in India is if you get the music right you will get your views and hits and therefore for them it’s a very integral part of the content making process. Also, now with online streaming services like Amazon prime, we’re no longer restricted to just TV as a medium. Everybody is thinking that way now which is great because there are millions of people watching this video content and it’s all very collaborative. We’re fortunate enough to be working with a lot of musicians, comedians and creators and encourage them to work with each other and can create organic music. When it comes to content, there’s no formula to what will work - you might have great content but getting that music right is the most important - whether it’s the background score or title track but that will happen now because of this medium. That will start now.” said Nair to Thakur.

Sabbas Joseph asks Mr. Bhatt, No one has discovered more talent in cinema music than you have. What do you look for in your music composers and singers?

“I have been gifted with a good ear and 90 percent of the musicians I come across are not even aware of that talent. I push them to tap into that. I don’t get satisfied that easily since audiences expect good music so that is challenging but there is SO much of talent in our country the problem is we don’t have the time to pause and listen. Sundays I spend only on music - that’s my hobby, pass-time, my high. I have singers, lyricists who come and sing, I just listen to them. That’s how I discovered Atul Tiwari, Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan when I was in Lahore. I have no falsity that I’m doing them a favor. It’s them who’re doing me the favor by giving me the fragrance of fresh music and I want to hear things that haven’t been done before. With digitization coming in the picture I feel this is the golden opportunity for a person like me to create and work on path breaking, destructive ideas and I’m not dependent on the multiplexes. This transition is very exciting as a content producer. As of now, if you have talent there are ample of opportunities for you to go out there and achieve It.” said Mukesh enthusiastically.  

“A 2014 report by Hungama indicates that Bollywood accounts for 81 percent of India’s digital music consumption. But despite film music’s preponderant influence on India’s popular music, in the last decade, the country has seen significant growth in the independent music of all stripes. Live bands, DJs and producers, and solo artists are appearing in unprecedented numbers on stages across the country. Their audiences may comprise only a small portion of the overall population, but in absolute terms, they have the ears and attention of many Indians.” is what a Forbes article had to say about the resurgence of Independent music.

Most of us have seen the wild side of Vishal Dadlani because of his non-film music. Any reason why you haven’t explored the non-film music in a larger way? Asks Sabbas Joseph to Shekhar.

What about the global audiences responding to indie music? Especially in the experiential format? Vishal, could you share your experiences.

“They have a lot of respect for our musicians and composers globally. Musically speaking, we’re way ahead than the west. The depth and level of sound is just amazing which AR Rahman helped bring forward. What we seriously lack is musicians working on the craft and they focus more on just getting their stuff out. Music is just about constantly working on your craft.”