Music directors Sachin-Jigar say that music exists in every iota of the universe, you just need to be keen enough to recognise it. By Vaibhav Ratra
They may have had different inceptions in music but their roads eventually met at one point, leading to the creation of Sachin-Jigar. For Sachin Sanghvi and Jigar Saraiya, music was certainly their first love.
The duo belong to typical Gujarati families where you either get into the family business or choose a white collared profession. Not surprising, their relatives did not think highly of their choice. “When we were music arrangers our relatives thought we were a part of some orchestra; they didn’t know that our passion lay in composition,” says Sachin. Despite that, their immediate families supported them at a crucial time. “Fifteen years back, choosing to support our dreams required a lot of courage on behalf of our parents. Back then, when reality shows didn’t exist as viable platforms that gave everyone an opportunity to showcase their talent, our parents let us identify and pursue our passion,” he adds.
About their working experience, Jigar feels, “We have a difference of opinion but then we realise that our bond is strong and goes beyond music. There is no ambition in this combination. It’s like we have sworn till death do us apart. We eventually find a halfway solution in case of a difference of opinion.” Sachin believes, “I think creative arguments and fights only help us to make songs that we are proud of. Discussions and disruptions are part and parcel of the process of creativity.”
Sachin and Jigar have drawn inspiration from a variety of sources. Jigar mentions, “We always draw inspiration from people, experiences and life in general. Music exists in every iota of the universe; you just need to be keen enough to recognise it.”
Talking about their experience as music arrangers with the legends Pritam Chakraborty and A.R. Rahman, they explain, “It is wonderful to witness and assist such music legends when they are at the peak of their careers. It’s amazing to see how they are able to skilfully depict the same song in their own way. We have worked for so many people in the industry as producers and arrangers but our stint with Pritam Sir was much longer and more enriching. We have learnt a lot from him and we can’t put it down in words. Working with him was an emotional journey that has helped us become who we are today. These days, a lot of artists forget that making music is a long drawn process; you need technical knowledge, expert guidance, a lot of personal experimentation and hand work to reach the pinnacle of success.”
Sachin adds, “I feel that Rahman sir is the simplest human being alive. He gave us a lot of perspective about how something simple can be made complicated and vice-versa. There were a couple of times when we had the chance to work with Rahman sir. We distinctly remember that once we had taken our work to him and upon viewing it, he had remarked that it’s good but it’s a simple song so don’t overcomplicate it. That just meant the world to us because that kind of appreciation for our work came from a maestro.”
Their journey started from Gujarati music. Jigar feels that “Every form of music that is pleasing to the ears can be a part of Bollywood music. This flexibility with style and openness to accept a wide variety of music is what makes Bollywood such a welcoming platform. Here, you can achieve the fame that other platforms cannot provide. Sachin feels that, “The heart will always lie in folk music. We have absorbed so much from folk music and our own tradition that our minds first make music in the mother tongue.”
Sachin remarks, “We don’t want to commit ourselves to a particular style of music, we always try to look first at the script and get a grip of the situation before committing to it.”
“There is no set formula. Sometimes Sachin has an idea and I build upon it, or vice versa. We can arrange, compose and ideate. Nothing is planned, it is an ongoing, dynamic and creative process,” Jigar adds.
They agree to the fact that today’s music lacks melody. However, Jigar believes that “films represent the times we are living in and today’s generation primarily wants to dance when they listen to music. They want their music to set the stage for dancing. Music is not only confined to those who seek soulful melodies; they form just one segment of the listeners.” Sachin feels, “Today’s audience isn’t well informed about what good music making should be like and so they only look for Punjabi rap or dance music. Half of the films have run-of-the-mill songs, which will probably remain in people’s counsciousness for 15 days and then be played only at weddings. We call such music, popcorn music. I am not against it, I am just saying that we are undergoing a transition phase.”
They summarise their upcoming projects as: “Reload, IshqVishq 2 and Haseena. All these films have a different approach and we will try to deliver something that stands out in each of our songs. These projects will classify us in a new segment altogether. Fans won’t be able to tell that this is a Sachin- Jigar song. That is the extent to which we are undergoing experimentation this year.”
Their only advice for future musicians is to keep experimenting and evolving. “Implementing variations to your comfortable style will always give you good results,” they say as they sign off.