Pop band Shor Police on juggling South films, Bollywood, and indie music as it forays into Telugu cinema with Subham
Shor Police comprises (L-R) Bianca Gomes and Clinton Cerejo
With Bianca Gomes and Clinton Cerejo, the dynamic duo behind Shor Police, you can always expect something new — be it sonically, or career-wise. Their newest venture is scoring for Subham, Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s maiden production, which marks the duo’s debut in the Telugu film industry. How is it straddling indie, Bollywood, and now Telugu film music? That’s what we find out as Shor Police discuss the thrill of composing in a new language, and what sets it apart from Hindi film music.
Excerpts from the interview:
You have made your South Indian film debut with Subham, Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s maiden production. What drew you to the project?
Bianca: We love the work that Samantha has done in the past, and were excited to be part of her new production. It’s a layered script, and we were eager to dive into this genre and put our spin on the music.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu (far right) has turned producer with Subham
Was there a difference in the creative process when composing for a South film vis-à-vis a Bollywood movie?
Bianca: In theory, the creative process was similar to the Bollywood process, [save] for one big exception — that all these songs were composed remotely. We were doing a lot of concerts at that time and would carry our set-up everywhere we went. We basically composed on the road.
Clinton: It’s remarkable how sonically forward the South audience is when it comes to not only music, but also cinema. There had to be a marked difference between how we treat a Bollywood film and this movie. Bollywood falls into certain traps that leave very little room for experimentation, whereas the South cinema-going public encourages out-of-the-box thinking.
What do you feel each of you brings to the table that defines the Shor Police sound?
Bianca: We’ve never really broken it down. Clinton has always been great at orchestration and vocal harmonies. I’d say my strengths are drum grooves, bass lines, and melody lines. But we also switch roles a lot of the time.
Clinton: I see Bianca as a disruptor to my thought processes, and it’s a disruption I welcome. I see myself as bringing a lot of experience and knowledge, which can sometimes be a double-edged sword, because the magic happens when both of us don’t always react the [same way], because one might be operating from a place of knowledge, and the other, from a place of instinct.
As working musicians, how do you navigate financial security in an industry that can be unpredictable?
Bianca: Back when we started out, we would let our music speak for itself, but things are so different now. Your people skills are more important than your music skills. Being seen goes a long way, and understanding how the music industry functions is important. While moving with the trends is required, it’s more important to figure out what you’re good at and what makes you stand out.
Having worked across languages and formats, what’s your take on the evolving sound of Indian film music today?
Clinton: It has reached an interesting phase where Bollywood is trying to become more indie in its sonic nature. That’s a double-edged sword because for all the individuality and quirkiness that the indie movement brings, a lot of substandard music passes muster these days. That balance between the two is more crucial now than ever before.
Hindi films on the band’s résumé
. Pune Highway (above)
. Dhoom Dhaam
. Jaane Jaan (2023)
. Blind (2023)
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