Kaun Banega Crorepati 15 EXCLUSIVE! Show's Composers Say 'Amitabh Bachchan Is Fun Guy Who Break Rules'

Kaun Banega Crorepati 15: Ahead of the launch of KBC 15, Filmibeat interacted with the show's composers Rohan and Vinayak over several interesting topics. The campaign promo of KBC season 15 which stresses on Badal raha hai desh, badal raha hai Kaun Banega Crorepati', has already captured the attention of the netizens.

Wonder who is the genius behind the music? Well, there are two masterminds- Rohan and Vinayak. The talented duo spoke about their experience working with Amitabh Bachchan, the theme of the show and what went behind the making of the song in an exclusive interview with Filmibeat.

Here are excerpts from the interview!

1) QUESTION: Kaun Banega Crorepati is an iconic show, and its theme tune is part of its identity. How did you brainstorm about bringing freshness into a tune that resonates in the hearts of millions of fans?

Rohan: Well, it all started when Sony TV briefed us about the concept. The tagline for this season is "Desh Badal Raha Hai, Sab Kuchh Badal Raha Hai" (The nation is changing, everything is changing). The idea was to create a modern tune that reflects the use of technology in today's world and also captures the new culture embraced by the younger generation, who are adapting to these changes. However, we wanted to retain the essence of the original tune. So, that was the correct brief given by Sony TV, and we had to incorporate it by laying down a base of Western-style arrangement. We also thought, why not use the voice of Mr Bachchan himself, since it is an iconic tune and he has been associated with it for so many years? This breakthrough idea led us to explore new possibilities while keeping the tune intact. We wanted to bring a sense of freshness to it. We discussed this idea with Mr Bachchan, and he liked it. He provided his input, sang and hummed along, and we made a few more arrangements in the studio. This became the key point where we felt that the voice-over was running parallel to the change happening in society, a positive change. The track started taking shape with a modern touch, yet it encompassed the essence of the original tune.

Vinayak: Additionally, Mr Bachchan suggested incorporating an Indian instrument or sound to give it a more Indian touch. It was a brainstorming session that lasted for about seven days. We had multiple jamming sessions, where we laid down the track, added the voice-over, and the next day, we refined it further. We called this process "setting," a term we use in our work. It's a rhythmic cycle with gibberish words. This "setting" became a highlight, a cool aspect of the tune. It's a blend of modern instruments and Indian influences. We wanted to capture the same emotional connection in the tune. So, while we had a modern Western arrangement, we also added Indian instruments to bring that Indian flavour. And, of course, having Mr Bachchan's voice as the tune itself was a cool element that people loved.

2) You have previously worked with the legend himself, Mr Amitabh Bachchan, with some of your works included in films like 'Sarkaar 3', '102 Not Out', 'Pink', and 'Badla'. What was that moment of epiphany where you thought his voice could be the perfect voice to hum the tune?

Rohan: As I mentioned before, the tune can be played on almost any instrument you can think of, be it the flute, violin, mandolin, or piano. However, I believe his voice, which is as powerful as an instrument, stood out to us. Everyone recognizes Mr Bachchan's iconic voice, and that's where we drew our inspiration. We saw the potential to use his voice as an instrument in its own right. The KBC tune we listen to is something different from what we usually hear, but this is the first time where we have the proper singing of the KBC theme, particularly by Mr Bachchan, which makes it more iconic.

Vinayak: Yes, the iconic host of the show, Mr Bachchan, is the one bringing this unique tune to life, which adds to its iconic status. We felt that our blend of his voice with the tune turned out to be truly marvellous. We are extremely happy with the result. Mr Bachchan agreed to the idea and even provided additional renditions and suggestions. We have been working on a few more things, which will hopefully be released soon, giving you more opportunities to listen to his incredible voice, right?

3) You are fans of Mr Bachchan and then you had the privilege of working with him too, how was that journey?

Vinayak: We met him a few years back in 2015, we were doing one promo and that's how we met him. After that, he started jamming with us on more opportunities. Music is Mr Bachchan's favourite topic. Even when he's doing any promo work or something like that, he always likes to get involved in the process.

Rohan: Yes, he gets very serious about music and music-making and honestly gives suggestions. He comes up with completely creative ideas for instruments which can be added like there should be Sitar, should be this kind of beat and this and that and you know that kind of involvement like a proper music jamming session. He does not brief us, he sits down, listens with us and if we are playing something he gives us his suggestions. There is an exchange of musical experience.

Vinayak: and talking about the journey that you asked about, it's been almost 8 years now and it's been amazing working with the legend. He has something new every time you meet him, and so, you look forward to that. We have worked with him for a long time now. He has a keen sense of music which we incorporate in our tunes. We restrict ourselves sometimes to some ideas you know using it when we create something. But he comes up with ideas like you know what? You're thinking too musically and you're getting too technical, so he sometimes also suggests things which are slightly different than our other ideas. So it's that kind of exchange. Torque also you know, it's not just very, very technical. He gets involved in the actual music-making process. He gets into the process, gets technical and gives us some good suggestions. That's what makes us connected all the time and it's the best part you know, so that when the tune comes out, its brilliant.

4) With KBC being one of the biggest television shows in India, how did the call go when you were asked to give your composition to the promo of the show?

Rohan: The good part is, I mean, I mean we've been associated with Sony and KBC for many years. I mean we've been fortunate, Vinayak and I worked on the first commercial which was the KBC 2012 promo. It started from then and since then we've been working on some parts of KBC. So in 2014- 15 we extensively worked on the main 3 promos and then the campaign and again. It's not like we got a call yesterday. We have been associated with Sony for quite a bit and that's why we were asked to create this iconic tune. You've heard this tune in every possible rendition also till now, but, the challenge here was again, as I said, that it had to break through. Sony briefed us on technology and 'badlaav' and that is what we kept in mind.

Vinayak: It is like family, the space is so familiar. We've worked with Sony and KBC a lot of times. So we sort of know that it's the KBC tune, and we need to create something new out of it, there is pressure but we are not scared. There was a challenge of course. We worked on it continuously and after 7 days we were happy with the result.

5) How is Mr Bachchan in the recording studio?

Rohan: He is the most fun guy because he breaks the rules. That's what his style is. He breaks the rules. He's very creative, to be honest, and we are no one to say all these things. He's very, very intelligent and very informative about things and the kind of music he listens to. He listens to different kinds of genres be it Arabic music or be it Indian music, Western music, classical music, or Western classical, he listens to everything. He genuinely likes listening to it and that helps him in a way to give us inputs because he has such knowledge which he uses to our benefit, whether it be different instruments or different tunes. So it's very easy for us and for him to communicate when it comes to music. He's a very fun guy in the studio and he does everything. He does it in one take. We might ask him to take one or two lines in the beginning but he insists on singing the whole song in one go. You know, so that is kind of the involvement. He is dedicated towards the craft and it truly serves as an inspiration to us.

Vinayak: He's like the most skilled guy. When you go to the studio. I think he is very happy too. He has already mentioned that in his blog. He has mentioned it so many times, you know. He plays the piano also and a lot more than what we could also play. It's very easy to communicate with him because it feels like we are a couple of musicians brainstorming.

6) Tell us about the process of composing the music for KBC 15. How did you incorporate the messaging of the campaign in your melody?

Vinayak: Sony briefed us about how this time the messaging is how India is changing, and how they are using technology to their benefit may it be the younger generation or the older generation. This is the new India. So, the whole song is about that. We incorporated different musical instruments in the tune mirroring that. And not just tabla and sitar, which are playing in the promo. There are synthesizers, there are orchestrations. There is Western style also and a little bit of scattering along with Mr Bachchan's hum which adds to the perfect finishing of the tune. So it's a fusion musically, it's a fusion, and it's a fusion of this change. It is, yeah, it is an exchange of Western and Indian music with technology also.

Kaun Banega Crorepati will soon hit the airwaves on Sony Entertainment Television. The show will be launched next month at a prime time slot.