Beginner composer Manan Bhardwaj recently tasted success with the song, ‘Teri Aankhon Mein’.
Now, he is ready to roll over with some large and promising projects to come.
Etime followed musicians for exclusive chat, where he opened about independent music, collaboration of dreams, remake trends, and their journey in the music industry so far.
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You have become part of this industry for about 15 years now.
How do you look back on your trip so far? Every chapter of this 15-year-old book is filled with experience.
I open a new chapter now.
One thing I learned in the past few years is that nothing is impossible if you work hard.
I also believe that there is a big difference between hard work and struggle.
I will still not call all the night without sleep it, traveling by foot to work, live with a diet Vada Pav, and stay in 5×7 ft rooms, struggles.
It was my difficulty, followed by my hard work.
How difficult is it to make it in the industry? It feels like jumping into the ocean who believes in your swimming skills.
I have done every possible thing, try every mantra that anyone says to me.
The early days were very difficult because I shifted to Mumbai immediately after my father’s death.
It’s difficult – both financially and emotionally.
However, I always remember my father’s words: ‘If you have started something, finish’.
These words give me the power to continue; I still run and always will.
I want to work until my last breath.
I prefer working day and night rather than wasting time at the party and going out at night.
Independent music trends back.
How do you see it? Good music always finds its way, sooner or later.
For me, music is always independent, if it’s not for films.
In the film, you need to work on a situation.
Even there, you have independence to make whatever you want for a particular situation.
I feel the only thing to think about a musician is to make good music.
When did you decide to make a career in music? When I was only 4-5 years old, I used it to write poetry and sing it, rather than recite it in front of my class.
When I was in 8th grade at school, I told my friend that I knew that I would pursue music as a career, because I felt it was the best I could.
AR Rahman Sahab and Jagjit Singh Sahab are two personalities that unconsciously help me.
Their music gave me a kick and touched my soul at the same time.
Is there someone from the industry you idolize? I have no doubt idolize Bhushan Kumar sir.
I have never seen humans who are more hard-working than him.
He is inspiration.
Only two minutes conversation with him gave me a boost.
I idolized it as God.
Your dream collaboration will be together …
if heaven has a hour’s visit, I would love to collaborate with the Jagjit Singh Sahab and Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Sahab for sure.
Or, I truly undergo a dream and collaborate with all the artists I love.
Bollywood currently utilizes remixes and remakes from old songs.
As a musician, how do you see it? Remakes well as long as the original essence is maintained.
This is good in other ways too.
I heard the ‘Chandni Raatein’ remake when I was at school.
After some time, I found that it was originally sung by Noor Jahan Ji.
They presented the remake so beautiful so I thought it was the original version.
That’s the beauty of good recreation.
There is a wave of new content in OTT for actors and filmmakers.
Do you think there is room for musicians too, with shows like, ‘bandit appeal’? The sad part of OTT is that most of the music is not considered; The web series about music is very rare.
Performances such as ‘bandit appeal’ which are entirely based on music are clearly good for musicians, but one will only hire experienced musicians like Rahman Pak or Shankar sir for that.
They will not try beginners because they have limitations too.
Even music in a normal film or web series can reach the ear music lovers if the director is also healthy music.
For example, the theme scores ‘Scam 1992’ became viral in a short time.
Which filmmaker is on your wish list? After ‘Bahubali’, I was amazed by SS Rajamouli sir.
I hope one day my music will please his ears too.
Even working with Mani Ratnam Sir has become a dream of my childhood.
I hope that the musical sitting with him will happen soon.