Indian music composer C. Girinandh, founder of the popular music band OXYGEN recently composed music for a Netflix show titled The Greatest Rivalry - India Vs Pakistan. One of the most awaited releases this month, the show takes a deep dive into the 90s era when matches between India and Pakistan would stroke the nationalistic frenzy between the nations.

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Not to say that is not the case anymore but with so many cricketing competitions now including the IPL (Indian Premiere League) and others, the aura of an India-Pakistan match is somewhat debatable. We do love a good match between the two neighbouring (politically warring) nations though. 

Hence, making music which would elevate the storytelling, and complement the athletic spirit of the show that highlights cricket, a sport that is celebrated like a festival in both countries – was going to be both challenging and a mighty task. We spoke to C. Girinandh who told us about his vision and approach to composing music, and his two cents on the historic rivalry between India and Pakistan which he tried to capture in his music. 

Here are the excerpts of the chat:

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Q: Congratulations on composing music for Netflix's The Greatest Rivalry - India Vs Pakistan. What was your approach to composing music for this series?

A: Thank you. My approach was to maintain a neutral tone while evoking emotions and recreating the iconic moments from historic India-Pakistan matches. I had the opportunity to explore and incorporate multiple genres into this docu-series.

Q: How did you draw inspiration from the historic rivalry between India and Pakistan to create music for the series?

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A: As a fan of India-Pakistan matches, I've followed most of the games, and those epic moments were enough to create a musical landscape for this series. The directors, Chandradev Bhagat and Payal, were also clear about their vision, which helped guide my composition.

Watch the trailer here:

Q: You've also composed a song for the series. Can you tell us more about the song and how it fits into the narrative?

A: The song is a collaboration with rapper Devoid and MKB. It's a sonic expression of the bond, relationships, sportsmanship, aggression, attitude, and players' mentality and strategy on the field.

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Q: How did you infuse your band’s genre into the music you created for The Greatest Rivalry?

A: We incorporated various world music elements into the series, using a hybrid approach that merges electronic and live instruments. We also drew from popular instruments common to both India and Pakistan, such as the rabab, oud, dhol, and percussions.

Music composer C. Girinandh

Q: What was the most challenging part of composing music for this series?

A: The most challenging aspect was conveying contrasting emotions seamlessly, one after the other, while maintaining a neutral approach and striking a balance.

Q: How did the experience differ from your work with OXYGEN?

A: Composing for OXYGEN is a cumulative, organic approach where we jam and combine perspectives from band members. In contrast, composing for a series requires a clear approach and vision, with a given situation and time frame. This experience taught me to adapt to a more structured format while maintaining my creative voice.

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Q: What’s next?

A: I'm excited about my upcoming projects, including "METAGEN," an immersive format album featuring a 20-piece string ensemble. I'm also collaborating with renowned artists like Hariharan Ji, Vikram, Vijay Prakash, and several promising indie artists.

The Greatest Rivalry - India Vs Pakistan is currently streaming on Netflix. It was released on February 7. The documentary series will give fans inside stories from some of the epic matches between India and Pakistan throughout their cricketing history, narrated by legends from both countries. The series also features actual match footage.