Synopsis
Music composer C. Girinandh discusses his creative journey in scoring the documentary 'The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan.' He blends traditional instruments with modern sounds, capturing the intense emotions of the historic rivalry.Key Takeaways
- C. Girinandh blends traditional instruments with electronic music.
- Documentary explores the India-Pakistan rivalry.
- Creative process aimed at portraying shared musical elements.
- Collaboration with his band Oxygen enhanced the soundtrack.
- Netflix provided supportive creative environment.
Mumbai, Feb 3 (NationPress) Music composer C. Girinandh, responsible for the soundtrack of the streaming documentary, ‘The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan’, revealed that he achieved authenticity in the music by merging traditional Indian and Pakistani instruments such as rabab, bansuri, sitar, and Indian rhythms with hybrid electronic music.
‘The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan’ delves into the historical, cultural, and emotional aspects of one of the most intense rivalries in sports and beyond. For C. Girinandh, it was a “fanboy moment” to score for this series.
Discussing his creative approach, he stated, “The creative process was organic, and I aimed to create a sound palette that reflects the shared musical traditions of India and Pakistan. My goal was to sonically convey the players' mentality, aggression, sportsmanship, and the bond between the two nations.”
He emphasized the importance of maintaining a neutral stance while crafting the music for the Netflix documentary, saying, “There are many captivating moments and matchups involving legendary players. Having grown up witnessing these historic clashes, it was a challenge to evoke nostalgia (particularly from the 1999-2005 Indo-Pak era) and capture the electrifying atmosphere in the stadiums among fans and players.”
He added, “This series provided ample opportunity for experimentation and the incorporation of live sounds and instruments. As we curated our sound palette, we opted for various ethnic live instruments (such as rabab, oud, bansuri, sitar, and Indian rhythms) and blended them with modern electronic elements.”
The composer is also the founder of the band ‘Oxygen’. For this documentary, C. Girinandh collaborated closely with his bandmates. He shared, “With Oxygen, we create and perform instrumental music that draws from global genres. This series offered great potential for experimentation. Working with my bandmates is always rewarding, as each brings a distinctive perspective. We utilized diverse ethnic instruments, a large drum ensemble, and a horn and strings section to emulate the stadium sounds and achieve an epic feel. Viewers can anticipate a rich variety of sounds in this docu-series.”
Reflecting on his experience with Netflix, he remarked, “Collaborating with Netflix was a wonderful experience, as they genuinely appreciate and respect the creative process. They provided me with the time and freedom to explore and deliver my best work without compromise. Their support really helps to enhance the quality of your output. From the initial discussions, our directors, Chandradev Bhagat and Payal, were exceptionally supportive, and our musical visions aligned seamlessly.”
He expressed, “I feel privileged to contribute to this significant project. The rivalry between India and Pakistan is deep and complex, and I hope my music captures the fervor and intensity that surrounds it.”
Regarding his future projects, he mentioned, “My next release will be an immersive album titled ‘Metagen’ with my band Oxygen.”
“I've also collaborated with singer Hariharan, Vijay Prakash, and actor Vikram for my upcoming indie music releases,” he added.
