'With Chamkila and Heeramandi traveling globally, there's a growing appetite for Indian soundscapes that are emotionally rich and culturally nuanced'

Time of India

3 hours ago

Monika Shergill, Netflix India VP Content
World Music Day is a reminder of how deeply music wires itself into our memories, heartbreaks, and our joyrides home. It's the thing that hits you before the first line of dialogue, and the thing that lingers long after the end credits vanish.
In the era of skip buttons and binge fatigue, Netflix is leaning into music as a co-author of emotion. Its stories are increasingly scored not just with background beats but with sonic identities. Mismatched, for instance, doesn't just give you young love it gives you a mixtape of it. Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar has folk, Sufi, cinematic opulence layered into every note. While in Amar Singh Chamkila, the music has resistance in rhythm.
What's fascinating is how these soundtracks are no longer confined to the screen. They spill out - into reels, into playlists, into Bluetooth speakers on road trips. Songs from Netflix originals are trending, looping, and becoming part of the new Indian soundscape.
This World Music Day, we're turning up the volume on that evolution. What does it take to create a song that hits both emotionally and algorithmically? Composers, lyricists, and Netflix executives share how they create magic through music.
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When music leads the story: How Netflix is composing the sound of modern Indian storytelling
It's impossible not to notice how Indian storytelling always melodic at heart is entering a new sonic era. Music has long been central to Indian cinema, and now, with streaming platforms like Netflix, it travels further than ever before.
"Music has always been intrinsic to Indian storytelling, and with streaming, it now travels further, connects faster, and lingers longer,' says Monika Shergill, Vice President of Content at Netflix India.
'At Netflix, we've seen songs like 'Ghodey Pe Sawar' from Qala and 'Ishq Hai' from Mismatched grow beyond the screen, clocking millions of streams and becoming part of people's everyday playlists.'
Qala
Streaming, she explains, gives artists more room to experiment not just with melody and lyrics, but with structure and silence. 'The storytelling becomes more layered and immersive, whether through a full-bodied track or a single, intentional note of background score that captures the emotional weight of a moment.'
That intention extends to scoring as much as it does to songcraft. 'Scores are crafted with the same care and vision as songs,' Shergill says. 'Whether it's Achint's haunting tension in Scoop, the nostalgic synth in Monica, O My Darling, or the soaring emotion in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi, the background music is designed to become a character in itself. It guides the emotional rhythm of the story- shaping how the audience feels moment to moment.
'
Shergill says this music-led approach starts not in the studio, but in the writers' room. 'At Netflix, we start thinking about music from the moment a project begins. It's not something we add later- it's a core part of story development, right from scripting and budgeting. Music supervisors, composers, and editors are brought on early so we can shape the soundscape alongside the characters and arcs.'
Monika Shergill, Vice President of Content at Netflix India
'When a track like 'Raanjhan' from Do
Patti
crosses 240 million streams, or a song like 'Ishq Hai' becomes an anthem for young love with 157 million streams, it does more than entertain - it creates an emotional bridge'
Giving an example of a track that has reached far beyond the screen, she says, 'When a track like 'Raanjhan' from Do Patti crosses 240 million streams, or a song like 'Ishq Hai' becomes an anthem for young love with 157 million streams, it does more than entertain - it creates an emotional bridge to the story.
For many, the music becomes their first touchpoint with the title. It drives curiosity, builds recall, and brings new viewers in through the power of emotion.
'
She continues, 'We are witnessing this in our upcoming film Aap Jaisa Koi, where we worked closely with the creators to ensure the music resonates on a deeper level—not just heard, but truly felt. Its soulful melodies beautifully mirror the mood of the Indian monsoon, making it the perfect accompaniment to a film set for a July release.'
She notes that music today often travels faster than the films themselves. 'A song or even a short musical phrase can go viral, building anticipation and resonance for the show or film it's part of. We've seen that repeatedly across titles, and it's reshaping how stories find their audience.'
The resurgence of authentic, rooted sounds is also reshaping how Indian identity is expressed through music. 'The Indian relationship with music is unique, it's not just cultural, it's emotional and deeply personal.
And today, we're seeing a resurgence of that authenticity. Folk, classical, and regional sounds are making a strong comeback.'
One standout example is Chamkila, where the music does not merely decorate the story - it powers it. 'Punjabi folk music isn't just a backdrop - it's the heartbeat of the story,' Shergill says.
And as Indian soundtracks travel globally, Shergill sees a powerful dual movement. 'Indian music is becoming more global and more grounded at the same time.
With shows like Chamkila and Heeramandi traveling internationally, we've seen a genuine appetite for Indian soundscapes that are emotionally rich and culturally nuanced.'
That global ambition is backed by local investment. 'From workshops with Berklee College of Music and John Warhurst to our new music supervision programs, we're creating long-term pathways for composers, editors, and emerging talent. Our goal is to ensure that Indian music- whether it's a quiet background cue or a soaring anthem - not only reaches global audiences, but defines what cinematic music can sound like in this era.
'
'We use melody and harmony to create individual character themes within this palette'
The duo behind music of Dabba Cartel, Gaurav Raina and Tarana Marwah, speak to the architecture of sound. 'Once we decide on an overarching sound palette for the show - analog synths, Indian percussion, and piano - we use melody and harmony to create individual character themes within this palette. It is these individual themes that help us tell complex stories that are intertwined to form the main storyline of the series.
'
Lyricist Kausar Munir, who penned the songs for Do Patti, emphasizes the importance of creative freedom. 'I always feel that people who are facilitating the process need to guide the creative process rather than control it. Sometimes that line gets blurred. Sometimes platforms and producers become creative controllers rather than allies and guides.'
What worked for Do Patti, she says, was trust. 'The faith that the platform had really mattered.
Kanika and Kriti were very hands-on with the composers and me. Everybody's point of view was considered.'
Speaking about the song 'Ja Heer Ne Tenu Chhor Diya,' she notes its surprising resonance. 'Apart from that being a good song, I'm told that the thought has been appealing to a lot of young people. Heer keh rahi hai ki ja maine tujhe chhor diya, while Heer usually is the pining one.'
Music has this quiet power to reflect what we sometimes can't say out loud. I think Jab Tu Sajan is one such song: Mohit Chauhan
Mohit Chauhan, who lent his voice to Jab Tu Sajan (From "Aap Jaisa Koi"), speaks about music's quiet power. 'Music has this quiet power to reflect what we sometimes can't say out loud. I think Jab Tu Sajan is one such song. The moment I first heard the composition, I felt an immediate emotional pull. What made it even more special is that I had the opportunity to lend my voice to Madhavan's character. There is a gentle depth to the melody by
Rochak Kohli
and lyrics by Gurpreet Saini that stayed with me.
I wanted every word to feel honest, like a quiet conversation with someone you love.'
He adds, 'There's a shift happening - songs are becoming more narrative-driven, more emotionally nuanced, and less bound by formulas. As an artist, that opens space to be more vulnerable, more truthful. We are moving towards music that breathes, that allows space for feeling - and that's the kind of music I've always felt closest to.'
For composer Rochak Kohli, less was more. 'Composing Jab Tu Sajan was an amazing feeling. The emotion in the lyrics guided the entire musical direction. I wanted the sound to feel like a quiet conversation with someone you love deeply. The goal was to let the melody do its magic without overpowering the feeling. Honestly, there are few voices that can carry emotion the way Mohit does, and Gurpreet's lyrics take it a notch higher.
I am incredibly moved by how listeners are connecting with it. It reminds me that the softest emotions are often the most universal.'
Chamkila