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What is the story about?
“Because we were not chasing a moment.” That, according to composer Shashwat Sachdev, is at the heart of why the music of Dhurandhar has connected so strongly with audiences. In an era where much of the music economy is driven by viral hooks, short-form clips and algorithm-led discovery, the soundtrack of the film has stood out for something rarer — patience.
While trends often reward immediacy, Sachdev says Dhurandhar was built with a different intention. “We were asking what the script needed, what Aditya [Dhar] had written, what the characters were carrying, and where silence was more powerful than sound,” he tells CNBC-TV18.
For Sachdev, Dhurandhar was conceived not as a collection of tracks but as an immersive world. “When you work on something like Dhurandhar, you are not trying to decorate a film. You are trying to enter a universe and understand its pulse. Every sound has to feel like it belongs to that world.”
That philosophy shaped a soundtrack that blends qawwali traditions, Punjabi devotional influences, electronic production and international collaborations, a mix that, he says, reflects his own musical life as much as the film’s world.
“It came from a very personal place. I am Punjabi. I have grown up around qawwalis, devotional music, folk colour and a certain emotional largeness that exists in our culture,” he says. “At the same time, I am also an electronic music producer, and I have spent a large part of my life working with international sounds and musicians. For Dhurandhar, I did not want to choose between those worlds. I wanted them to sit together without apology.”
Sachdev’s career spans film scores, independent music, streaming projects and international collaborations, but he insists his identity is not defined by formats or genres. “More than any genre or phase, it has been the people,” he says. “A composer's identity is shaped by the singers, musicians, directors and writers he is lucky enough to sit with.”
Among the milestones in that journey is his National Award win for Uri: The Surgical Strike, which made him one of India’s youngest recipients.
Also Read: Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame: Here’s her net worth
Looking at the broader landscape of Hindi film music, Sachdev believes the most significant shift is not just technological or industrial, but creative accessibility. “What feels exciting about Hindi cinema now is that ambition is not limited only to the people with the biggest resources,” he says. “Earlier, the ability to make something large was tied very closely to money, access and machinery. Now, if a filmmaker has a strong story and a clear intent, that work can travel much further.”
At the same time, he is clear-eyed about the pressures facing composers in a streaming-first ecosystem. “The real question is no longer whether we have the resources. The real question is whether we have something honest and fresh to say,” he states.
On the question of visibility for music directors in Bollywood, Sachdev says, “In general, I do think composers need more visibility and ownership. Film music carries so much of the emotional memory of cinema, but the people who create that memory are not always seen enough.”
While he describes his own journey as fortunate, he believes the industry conversation needs to evolve. “Music directors should not have to become powerful first in order to be visible. The work itself should be given that dignity.”
Having worked across India and internationally — including collaborating with Hans Zimmer on Virdee — Sachdev says each ecosystem has shaped him differently. “The Indian side has taught me emotion and scale. The international side has taught me discipline, restraint and the value of sound as architecture.”
For now, his focus is shifting beyond the screen.
“I am very interested in what live music can become next,” he says. “I want to build live experiences where people do not just listen to songs, but feel like they are inside the world of the music.”
Also Read: From Taylor Swift to Bob Dylan: The youngest honourees of the Songwriters Hall of Fame
While trends often reward immediacy, Sachdev says Dhurandhar was built with a different intention. “We were asking what the script needed, what Aditya [Dhar] had written, what the characters were carrying, and where silence was more powerful than sound,” he tells CNBC-TV18.
For Sachdev, Dhurandhar was conceived not as a collection of tracks but as an immersive world. “When you work on something like Dhurandhar, you are not trying to decorate a film. You are trying to enter a universe and understand its pulse. Every sound has to feel like it belongs to that world.”
That philosophy shaped a soundtrack that blends qawwali traditions, Punjabi devotional influences, electronic production and international collaborations, a mix that, he says, reflects his own musical life as much as the film’s world.
“It came from a very personal place. I am Punjabi. I have grown up around qawwalis, devotional music, folk colour and a certain emotional largeness that exists in our culture,” he says. “At the same time, I am also an electronic music producer, and I have spent a large part of my life working with international sounds and musicians. For Dhurandhar, I did not want to choose between those worlds. I wanted them to sit together without apology.”
Sachdev’s career spans film scores, independent music, streaming projects and international collaborations, but he insists his identity is not defined by formats or genres. “More than any genre or phase, it has been the people,” he says. “A composer's identity is shaped by the singers, musicians, directors and writers he is lucky enough to sit with.”
Among the milestones in that journey is his National Award win for Uri: The Surgical Strike, which made him one of India’s youngest recipients.
Also Read: Taylor Swift becomes youngest woman inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame: Here’s her net worth
Looking at the broader landscape of Hindi film music, Sachdev believes the most significant shift is not just technological or industrial, but creative accessibility. “What feels exciting about Hindi cinema now is that ambition is not limited only to the people with the biggest resources,” he says. “Earlier, the ability to make something large was tied very closely to money, access and machinery. Now, if a filmmaker has a strong story and a clear intent, that work can travel much further.”
At the same time, he is clear-eyed about the pressures facing composers in a streaming-first ecosystem. “The real question is no longer whether we have the resources. The real question is whether we have something honest and fresh to say,” he states.
On the question of visibility for music directors in Bollywood, Sachdev says, “In general, I do think composers need more visibility and ownership. Film music carries so much of the emotional memory of cinema, but the people who create that memory are not always seen enough.”
While he describes his own journey as fortunate, he believes the industry conversation needs to evolve. “Music directors should not have to become powerful first in order to be visible. The work itself should be given that dignity.”
Having worked across India and internationally — including collaborating with Hans Zimmer on Virdee — Sachdev says each ecosystem has shaped him differently. “The Indian side has taught me emotion and scale. The international side has taught me discipline, restraint and the value of sound as architecture.”
For now, his focus is shifting beyond the screen.
“I am very interested in what live music can become next,” he says. “I want to build live experiences where people do not just listen to songs, but feel like they are inside the world of the music.”
Also Read: From Taylor Swift to Bob Dylan: The youngest honourees of the Songwriters Hall of Fame
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