The composer duo strikes a fine balance between two different universes of music – traditional folk and contemporary
The composer duo strikes a fine balance between two different universes of music – traditional folk and contemporary
The twirl of a lehenga, soaring feet and a dazzling smile light up the dance floor – when Madhuri Dixit’s promo song ‘Boom Padi’ from the film is shown garba maja ma was issued, it was completed with immediate approval. The song from the soon to be released OTT film has become the most played dance number in this season’s Garba and Dandiya events across the country; The song’s composers, cousins Siddharth Mahadevan and Saumil Shringarpure, couldn’t be happier.
“We were very excited when we first heard that ‘Boom Padi’ would be shot on Madhuri Dixit, a living legend of our industry. But, with that heightened excitement came some pressure,” says composer Jodi, from Mumbai. while talking.
The fact that the song was meant to be Madhuri’s first Garba dance track added to the anticipation. Says Siddharth, “We wanted to put extra effort into composing the song. We wanted to keep it groovy and upbeat with a rhythmic pattern in keeping with the original traditional Garba flavor; So that we can do justice to the songs and finally the choreography.”
Madhuri Dixit in the song ‘Boom Padi’ from the film maja ma
, photo credit: special arrangement
authentic gujarati
Siddharth and Saumil do not speak Gujarati, but grew up in Mumbai, taking inspiration from participating in garba events during Navratri and conceived the portraiture. “Those memories and experiences eventually laid the groundwork for what I composed with ‘Boom Padi’. Priya Saraiya, the award-winning lyricist, being a Gujarati, was able to give more context with authentic lyrics and gave us a feel for this project. So we did full justice to its originality,” says Siddharth.
While the essence was to create an authentic Gujarati festival song, director Anand Tiwari was up to the idea of recreating a traditional Gujarati folk song. However, Siddharth and Saumil were keen to bring something new and original. To keep it authentic, he used live instruments for both melodic and rhythmic parts. “We wanted it to feel like a live ensemble cast at a garba event, along with being fit for a featured segment in a film. We wanted to avoid any electronic or digital sound,” says Siddharth.
Saumil and Siddharth jam together. photo credit: special arrangement
In their decade-long music careers, Siddharth and Saumil have often brought together two different universes of music – traditional folk and contemporary – despite the challenges they face. They acknowledge that one needs to be mindful of the melody, the instruments used, the lyrics and the sounds on the track. “Fusion for fusion defeats the purpose. Then it just becomes experimental. We would instead work hard and create something that most audiences can relate to. It’s a fine balancing act but as modern musicians, such Creating compositions probably becomes a little easier for us as we are in touch with these two worlds and keep taking inspiration every day,” he says.
Expansion of repertoire
Siddharth and Saumil are first cousins and have been jamming and making music together since childhood. While Saumil trained in piano, Siddhartha trained in singing and while growing up, Siddhartha played percussion and Saumil played keyboards. He first composed music for a Marathi film and 12 years later, his repertoire expanded into jingles and live shows as well. Siddharth says, “Dad (Shankar Mahadevan) gets the nuances of music at a level that most people cannot. He has always encouraged us to stay away from imitation and find a personal style that is unique to us. Their feedback and input can be important at times, but it is all coming from a place of experience and deep knowledge which is invaluable and will only aid our growth. Says Saumil, “Shankar Uncle Has always inspired us to explore new horizons and boundaries beyond our comfort zone. Our biggest learning from him is to say yes to everything and believe in our ability to make the impossible possible.
Saumil has played the lead role in two Marathi films, but for now, he says his focus is on making music that his audience enjoys. “We started small with ad jingles, while I simultaneously started performing live at Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy concerts. That initial performance laid the foundation for being surrounded by music and musical influences. So, while it was not a well-planned move to become a professional musician, the subconscious love for all things just kept growing within. ,
Both consider Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy as their biggest role models and show an extraordinary maturity in setting their personal paths in the future. “We have seen how they have grown as a collective and independent artists over the years and built legacies. While we love working together and there is so much incredible work to be done on this evolving journey, Independent The search for opportunities is something we can consider. There is so much to learn, explore, experiment and create…. Whether we do it together or independently, we know we will always be one Will pat the other’s back,” he confirms.