Siyavar Ramchandra Ki Jai.
Tell us the story behind "Siyavar Ramchandra Ki Jai."
The backstory is a happy accident in the best possible sense.
The composer, Dhirendra Mulkalwar, is a close friend of mine. I was already working on the background score for Hanuman Ansh with him, layering guitars and adding a few other elements. One day, Dhiru bhai called and said, "Bhai, yeh chorus ka part fatafat gaa kar bhej do please."
It was the main chant and the Sitaram chorus that closes the track. I dubbed it, sent it over, and completely forgot about it.
A few days later, he rang me up again: "Bhai, Siyavar Ramchandra Ki Jai ka mukhda karna hai, aur abhi approval ke liye bhejna hai."
I asked him to send the lyrics, but he said, "Aap hi scratch lyrics nipta do, phir baad mein dekhte hain."
So I asked him for the tune.
He simply said, "Main tune bana raha hoon, aap lyrics niptao tab tak."
And somehow, in that room, everything just came together.
Since the track had to be sent for approval, I quickly recorded a scratch version with my voice, and we sent it across.
After that, well⦠Siyavar Ramchandra Ki Jai!
What about "Manzar Hai Yeh Naya" from URI: The Surgical Strike? How did that come together?
That was another case of pure serendipity!
I was working with Shashwat Sachdev on a completely different project at the time. I received a call from his studio saying they were looking for a voice for a song and asked if I could sing the scratch.
I said yes, and we recorded it that very day.
The fun part? The rough scratch track we recorded that afternoon is the exact vocal take you hear in the final movie!
We always see this fascinating instrument in your hands in photos. What is this beauty, and what's the story behind it?
Ah, that beauty has a name - Bingo the Banjo!
This beauty is a banjo, and it actually entered my life just two years ago. I was in the middle of setting up my band, but even after four rehearsals, something felt off-we just weren't vibing.
On my way back from a dubbing session, I picked up this banjo from a friend just to fiddle around with it.
At our next rehearsal, one of the guys pointed at it and asked, "Shall we use this?" I hesitated because I didn't even know how to play it!
But I picked it up anyway and began strumming. One by one, the band joined in, and the energy shifted instantly. I knew right then that this instrument had found its home in our sound.
I tweaked my technique to fit my personal style, and everything clicked. My daughters even named it "Bingo the Banjo."
Now, Bingo and I are inseparable. It made its way extensively into the Hanuman Ansh background score and key tracks, including Ram Bhajan Ki Ore.
Where do you see yourself five years down the line?
I see myself collaborating with my favourite creators-first within the Indian music industry, and then internationally.
I see a rich catalogue of albums under my name because, honestly, that's where the dream began for musicians of my generation, and I'm not letting go of it.
Touring more frequently with my band is definitely high on the agenda. Looking ahead, the goal is simple: to continue building on this exact trajectory, expanding our reach, taking on grander projects, and scaling both the artistic and commercial side of my craft.
Fingers crossed
