PremiumExclusive! Dhaakad music composer: Heartbreaking when the blood and sweat that you put in is rejected by the public
Despite the heartbreak, musician Dhruv Ghanekar is happy with the response that he received for the film's music. In an email interview with OTTplay, the musician decoded the music of the film
Last Updated: 03.37 PM, May 28, 2022
Kangana Ranaut and Arjun Rampal's action thriller Dhaakad hit the theatres along with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 on May 20. While the horror-comedy starring Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani and Tabu has been raking in the moolah, Kangana’s film met with quite the opposite fate at the ticket windows. Despite the heartbreak, musician Dhruv Ghanekar is happy with the response that he received for the film's music. In an email interview with OTTplay, the musician decoded the music of the film.
Excerpts below:
Tell us about your journey with Dhaakad. While the film failed, the music was liked by people…
Yes, it is heartbreaking when so much of the blood, sweat and tears that you put in are rejected by the public. No one sets out to make a bad film, however, despite one's best intentions, we can lose objectivity. In the case of Dhaakad, the music is gaining a lot of traction. I worked very hard on both -- the score, as well as the songs, getting them to sound a particular way, took a lot of time.
I began work on Dhaakad in January 2020 with the Lori So Ja Re, as it was integral to the story and they were about to begin shooting for the film. Unfortunately, due to the lockdown, I couldn't record in person. Sunidhi had to record it by herself remotely. It was recorded over six months in two different phases. So yes, it was challenging as I wasn't able to guide the vocals. But she is such a professional that she just understood the ethos and mood of the music and delivered it in spades! Hari Haran recorded much later in person at my studio.
The brief I gave myself was to try and imagine if a Tim Burton film had a Lori how would that sound? Hence it has a very dark atmosphere that encapsulates the character upon whom it is based. The song is quiet and dark and becomes operatic and dissonant in the middle. The endeavour was to transport the listener into the dark world of the antagonist. The song has been beautifully penned by Ishitta Arun.
Then comes Babul – Bidai song. This was born as I was working on the score of the film over a very disturbing scene within the story. The music needed to evoke a strong reaction and it does so with the help of dark trap and breakbeats treatment. Richa Sharma has hit the ball out of the park with an unbelievable vocal performance.
Dhaakad was again born out of the score as I needed a strong character theme and the song opens with the thematic interpretation of the melody. It is the song of the main protagonist Agni. The song needed to embody her character – the fierce, fury and vulnerability. From a composition point of view also, the track needed to encompass all the characteristics in lyrical and musical form that underlines the titular character’s journey in the film. The track endeavours to transport the viewer into the film’s world whilst keeping the universal appeal that captures the best of east and west. The song marks the debut of the incredible Vasundhara Vee on vocals. The lyrics are by Ishitta Arun.
You have also composed the BGM of the film. What are the five important aspects that one needs to keep in mind while composing the BGM?
Good question. While there are no formulas for how to produce a kickass score, here are the five things that I keep on top of my list:
Early experimentation: I like sketching a lot of ideas before I settle on one or two that I will flesh out. The process of composing is really about tinkering and a lot of trial and error. This takes up a lot of time, so I prefer coming onto the project early. But sometimes ideas are born in the most unusual places. I got the opening line for the song Dhaakad while taking a 10-minute nap on a Sunday afternoon.
Maintaining continuity: A film is a sum of its parts. Scoring a film is broken down into cues that last often no more than two- seven minutes. However, it is important to keep an eye on the bigger picture and maintain consistency in sound and flow.
Restricting the palette: With technology, it is very easy to get carried away and get lost in an ocean of sounds. However, it is critical to keep your options limited for a cohesive sound. Less is more.
Strong character themes make for a strong score: It usually takes longer to find four notes that define a character than to construct music for a 5/7-minute piece. But once you have done the groundwork the scoring is more about fleshing out the original idea and running off into the wild.
Time management: All media jobs have deadlines; however, I pride myself on keeping my internal deadlines. I always stick to finishing a project before time as this sends a message of professionalism. A lot can happen during the making of a film that can derail the creative process. So, it's important to keep a buffer period for changes and tweaks to the music at the end when it really matters.