C Girinandh blends cultures and emotions through music in The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan

Music composer C Girinandh is elated about his latest project, the documentary The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan, a powerful exploration of the intense sports rivalries between the two nations. The show delves into the emotional and historical elements that fuel this rivalry, and the composer’s music plays a vital role in bringing the narrative to life.

When asked what drew him to this project, he explains, “I’ve been composing world music with my band, Oxygen, for 20 years now. We’ve been releasing music and working on international projects. It was around this time that Netflix approached me to score for the series. The music instantly piqued my interest.”

Girinandh shares how blending Indian and Pakistani instruments with electronic music was key to creating the right atmosphere. “The series captures many iconic moments, especially from the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry. For example, the unforgettable World Cup moment when Venkatesh Prasad takes Aamir Sohail’s wicket. These moments are etched in our minds, and I wanted the music to reflect that nostalgia. We aimed to make it contemporary, using electronics while merging live instruments. We used a hybrid live approach, where live instruments were integrated with sound synthesis to give the score an emotional undercurrent.The goal was to reflect the emotional highs of the players, the intense moments in the dressing room, and the diplomatic intricacies between the two countries. It was all about capturing the essence of the rivalry.”

Being an avid cricket fan himself made the process even more special for Girinandh. “I was so involved because cricket is a passion of mine. Had I not pursued music, I’d have been a professional cricketer. It was like reliving those unforgettable moments, especially from India-Pakistan matches. I remembered how the Chennai crowd gave Pakistan a standing ovation after a loss, or how Kolkata saw riots in response to a match. These moments needed to be reflected without being too opinionated. The music was used to capture the full range of emotions.”

Despite the excitement of working on this prestigious project, Girinandh acknowledges some of the challenges facing independent musicians today. "One of the biggest hurdles is being influenced by the mainstream labels, as they often dictate what the popular sound should be. Independent artistes often lack the platforms to truly express their unique voices, and now, with AI gaining prominence, it’s even harder to discern who the true musicians are," he explains. "The key for us indie musicians is to focus on creativity and sound design. We must embrace technology, including AI, while retaining our unique emotional voice and creativity. That’s the only way to stay relevant."

 Girinandh also shares his plans for his band Oxygen, revealing that they are currently working on an ambitious new project called Metagen. "It’s a full-band collaboration with a 20-piece string orchestra. We're documenting our songs in different genres, from oriental and symphonic to new age blends of live electronics and orchestral sounds. We've already released three songs, and we’re capturing the atmosphere and vision in the process."

His independent music journey also includes collaborations with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Hariharan, Vijay Prakash, Pradeep Kumar, and the rapper Devoid. One of his tracks, in collaboration with Hariharan and Vijay Prakash, is a patriotic salute to India’s armed forces, while another one with Pradeep Kumar blends Bengali and Celtic influences.

Reflecting on the current state of the Indian music scene, Girinandh acknowledges the rising popularity of indie musicians. "There’s a lot of appreciation for indie musicians and albums these days. We’ve been doing live concerts and tours, and we have our own space in the studio where we work on our creative process. We’ve also been documenting our journey, making it accessible for people to experience the behind-the-scenes work we put in. We perform at cafes, theatres, and festivals, spreading our sound," he says.

Since forming Oxygen in 2002, Girinandh and his bandmates, including Rajeev Kumar, Kartik Iyer, and Nidhi Krishnan, have continued their musical journey, now with a renewed focus on their social media presence. "We’ve been growing organically, but now we're paying more attention to the visibility factor. We have a dedicated team to optimise our time and expand our reach," he concludes.

sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com

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