Tanishk Bagchi: ‘I will no longer make recreations’

Tanishk Bagchi

Often referred to as the king of recreations, Tanishk Bagchi is certain that the album of Akshay Kumar's Sky Force will compel filmmakers to see him in a new light. While fans have celebrated his original hits, including Raataan lambiyan and Bolna, the songs have often been dissociated with his name given the spate of rehashed numbers he has served music aficionados.

Akshay Kumar in a still from Sky Force

But Dinesh Vijan's Sky Force, he says, is set to put his best work on display. "Imagine an album that has Rata lambiya, Ve mahi, Bolna, and Badri ki dulhaniya, all in one album," he says of the film that has five songs crafted by him. In this interview, he reveals how he charted his career to facilitate this transition.

Edited excerpts of the interview.

What was the discussion you had with the makers with regards to the music of this album?
I used to create a lot of songs for Dinesh sir, but it would be one song in the entire soundtrack. I've also done a lot of recreations. Dino [Vijan] had praised my skills as a composer. Nobody understood that I have the potential [to helm] a solo film. Dinesh sir told me about this film that he was working on, and told me to make the entire soundtrack. That is where we began. He spoke to me about the situations the songs were to be placed in, but left the work to me. He didn't share any references and allowed me to decide the genres.

Because this is a patriotic film, we've tried to retain honesty in the emotions. I can't take references from other tracks. I'm proud of this album because these are the songs that I've always wanted to make. I knew that if I ever got an entire film to work on, I could design the soundscape as I desired. When I'd see [composers like] Sachin-Jigar, Vishal Dadlani, or Pritam, I'd always wonder why I couldn't get an entire soundtrack [like they do], and was only entrusted with promotional numbers. That was, in a sense, a struggle for me. So, this film marks a new journey. I have been known as the person who did recreations, so this breaks the barrier for me. All the songs are original, and have been composed by me. The credit goes to Dinesh sir.

Were there any active steps you took to make this transition?
It began with saying no to a lot of [offers]. I turned down offers to back recreations. The last remix I did was for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, and I did that only because I had worked on the second part as well. Even then, I tried to treat that number like an original song and added a new sound. I no longer wish to do any recreations. As much as I can, I will decline those offers. I've done what I had to do; I've established a trend. Now, I want to focus on my original music.

Is there a genre of music you've employed here that you feel you have dominance over?
When I compose, my music reflects a lot of the emotions that I encounter. Because I belong to Bengal, I've been inspired by folk melodies. I always wanted them to be reflected in my music. For Sky Force, I put all my skills to use, including using all the genres I know. Everything was scattered, but I created this package that brought it all together. This album includes one of the best tracks I believe I have ever composed. There's another romantic song that, I am certain, will be liked by people. There's also a number that adds emotional depth to the situation is was made for. Imagine having an album that has songs like Rata lambiya, Ve mahi, Bolna, Aankh maare, and Badri ki dulhaniya, all in one album. I think, this is that.