Phule composers Rohan-Rohan discuss the challenges of creating music for a film set in the 1800s while also catering to contemporary music listeners
Rohan Pradhan and Rohan Gokhale
Set to release on April 11, Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa-starrer Phule is touted to be a film that dives deep into the relationship shared by Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule, who campaigned for increased rights for the underprivileged. Composers Rohan Pradhan and Rohan Gokhale, popularly known as Rohan-Rohan, who crafted the songs and the score of Ananth Mahadevan’s directorial venture, wanted their work to serve as the catalyst that put the deep understanding shared by the characters on a pedestal.
“[The music] dwells on how Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule were together in their journey—sharing responsibilities and challenges. It’s an expression of lasting love, and the lyrics don’t only talk of romance, but also discuss companionship,” says Gokhale, adding that considering the fact that the film is set in the 1800s, the composer-duo had to work hard to create a sonic palette that did justice to the era while still being relevant to music listeners of this day and age.
Patralekhaa and Pratik Gandhi in Phule
“We wanted the music to be grand, but didn’t want it to be dramatic, as though it were created for an action hero. The score is orchestral, and the music that has been played in this orchestral arrangement is Indian. The newer generation is aware of musicians like John Williams and Hans Zimmer, who used heavy scoring elements. We retained that grandeur and used the violin and bass sections, but kept the central melody Indian. That’s a fresh concept because [so far, we have seen] Indian instruments being used for Indian melodies. Here, we tried to strike a balance here,” he adds.
With two fine actors in Gandhi and Patralekhaa at the helm, Mahadevan evidently wanted to showcase hard-hitting and rousing moments in the offering on the social reformers, and Pradhan says it was on them to ensure that the score supported the director in his endeavour. “We believe the better the acting, the lesser the score needed. Since their acting [chops] were phenomenal and the dialogues, [impactful], we didn’t want to steal anything away from crucial scenes. The best example is the recently released show, Adolescence—the narrative and acting are so good that in several scenes the need for music isn’t there. [In this film] there are many important dialogues that are relevant. We wanted the emphasis to be on them so that they stay with people long after the film concludes,” he says, as Gokhale adds that movie-makers in 2025 are challenged with the task of “getting audiences to theatres”.
Ananth Mahadevan
“It’s not the music alone. The cinematography, acting, art direction and music must come together to attract people to theatres. That is the biggest challenge that the entire industry is currently facing.”
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