Composers Sachin and Jigar on why Hindi music industry keeps using star voices: 'Kisi tarah mere 400 crore recover ho jaaye’

Sachin-Jigar have opened up about why the Hindi music industry often turns to the same popular singers for big projects. The composer duo, who recently worked on the soundtrack of 'Chand Mera Dil', said voice casting is not always only a creative call. They explained that producers often look at a singer’s fan base because a lot of money rides on a film. The album features Shreya Ghoshal, Jonita Gandhi, and Neeti Mohan, along with newer voices such as Tushar Joshi, Raghav Chaitanya, Suvarna Tiwari, Junaid Ahmed, and Faheem Abdullah.In an interview with Variety India, Jigar Saraiya said their process stays democratic. “Each to their own,” he said, adding, “But see, even an artist is hungry. So, you have to offer them. Our process is very democratic. So if we have three songs we think a particular singer can sing, we will pitch those three songs to the singer, then ask them if they feel anything.”He added, “‘Do you want to sing any of the three?’ That is our question. We will never say, 'You have to sing this one or that!' Select the one you connect with. All three if you connect with all of them.”Jigar said they do not chase names for their own sake. “For Sachin and me, it's never been that we want so-and-so on a song,” he said. “Some would go for the numbers, some would go for the face. But we'll actually only go for the feeling.”Sachin Sanghvi said outside factors also affect the final decision. “There is a lot of say externally as well. We can suggest names, but we are not the final calls for the voices,” he said. He added that producers often think, “ke mujhe iski fandom mil jaaye” (that I get their fandom). He joked, “That's why perhaps the industry tends to overuse star voices because they feel like, 'Kisi tarah mere 400 crore recover ho jaaye’” (somehow, my 400 crore should be recovered).Speaking about 'Chand Mera Dil', Sachin said that some scratch voices were left in because they fit the song. “For example, 'Khasiyat' was always in Raghav Chaitanya's voice, and we decided to value his merit and retain his voice,” he said.He also praised Faheem Abdullah, who sang the title track and 'Aitbaar'. Jigar said, “Faheem Abdullah also looks for that honest moment. So, it was such a 'pair made in heaven' sort of a marriage.” He added that the team still felt KK’s absence on one song. “But we really miss KK for this song. I think this song, if KK was there, man…”Sachin also praised Jonita Gandhi, Suvarna Tiwari, and Junaid Ahmed, and said fresh voices help songs feel new. He added that experienced singers like Neeti Mohan and Shreya Ghoshal balance the album.The duo also spoke about OTT and theater. Sachin said OTT “gives you absolute freedom of speech” and allows more experimentation. He said their musical 'Rajadhiraaj' will return to NMACC in August, and added, “I will always be a theater boy.”