Sachin-Jigar Interview: How The Duo Built a Genre-Bending Legacy in Bollywood Music

“We first met when we were composing for television and theatre,” says Sachin Sanghvi. At their Santacruz studio on a torrential day in Mumbai, sitting with long-time co-creator Jigar Saraiya, he continues, “It’s when we started arranging for Rajesh Roshan, and arranged “Dil Na Diya” for Krrish, that we realised we could work well together.” Neither of them aspired to disrupt the industry, nor did they want to make anything larger than life. “There is no defining moment when we decided we were partners — it came very naturally to us,” Jigar says.

If you have lived in India, you have surely come across Sachin-Jigar’s work. From clubs to cabs, a “Nadiyon Paar” from Roohi (2021) or “Saibo” from Shor in the City (2010) must have grazed your ears. But their itinerant discography wasn’t built without debate. “Throughout our 23-year-long collaboration, it is difficult to remember a moment when we did not disagree,” Sachin says. “That’s the beauty of it. We can both be ourselves, and what comes of that combination is the bhelpuri you hear.”

The most important cornerstone in making them a solid team has been acknowledging and working through these differences. “Music is so very subjective,” says Jigar, “and if we don’t see eye-to-eye on something, we create two versions and unanimously decide on what sounds better.”

“We learn a lot from each other, and much of it has nothing to do with music really,” Sachin admits. “Jigar can immediately pick up on what the producers or directors are asking for and put a point across without coming off too strong, which I try to emulate.” Working together for more than two decades has resulted in a Freaky Friday-esque exchange of traits and habits between the two. “I don’t even remember what I was like before I met Sachin. The way he handles stress in tough situations is commendable, and he’s always the first one to remind me that it’ll always work out,” says Jigar.

Before they became a powerhouse pair, Sachin-Jigar had assisted industry behemoths Rajesh Roshan and Pritam, and worked for stellar composers such as A.R. Rahman, Vishal-Shekar, Nadeem Saifi, Shravan Rathod, Sandesh Shandilya and Anu Malik. “One of the highlights of our career has been assisting Pritam. Away from the stress of being a composer, it has been brilliant to see his process and understanding of how he handles a certain demand, or manages his time and resources,” Sachin says. To climb through the ranks has been the secret sauce to their success, and they couldn’t recommend it enough to young creatives. “Our relationship with A.R. Rahman has been much like Ekalavya and Dronacharya. We have never really assisted him, just worked on a couple of songs for him. But his aura is magnificent to bask in. The things he has done for musicians — from navigating copyrights to bringing computers to our houses. He made us truly independent.”

The defining thing Sachin-Jigar have learnt from working with these great minds has been the art of reading the audience. “To think of an idea and then refine it based on how the audience might perceive it, decide on how sugary or savoury a composition must be depending on the times we are living in — that has been a monumental takeaway,” says Jigar.

Throughout the duo’s time in the limelight, Priya Saraiya, Jigar’s spouse, has been a fundamental contributor and source of influence. “We go to her for feedback, and she always has the heart and honesty to tell it to us like it is.” A part of the famed ‘Little Wonders’ troupe, along with Sunidhi Chauhan and Akriti Kakkar, Priya has toured and performed across the world. “She knew much more about live gigs when we started. I remember when we didn’t have a manager or a team, Priya would take enquiries for us while writing and singing herself. Her contribution has been way too special, and I don’t know how far we would’ve come without her,” Jigar says.

This constant collaborative spirit that punctuates Sachin-Jigar’s work allows them to create genre-bending tracks. For them, each project is a turf where party anthems like “Char Baj Gaye” sit comfortably beside soulful bangers like “Le Ja Tu Mujhe”. “That is exactly what we’ve always tried to do,” says Sachin. “We try to compose a story, and the script is our blueprint. We must thank the films that have come our way for how versatile our compositions have eventually become.”

Their career sees a Go Goa Gone (2013) follow F.A.L.T.U. (2011), preceded by Shor in the City (2010) — each film more different than the last in terms of style, culture, character and plot. “Theatre taught us to put the script first,” Sachin continues. “We don’t have songs in our kitty; we only start brewing once the narration is over. It helps us not repeat ourselves.”

“When we start working on a project, we try to sit with the character and try to relate to one or more aspects. Somewhere, we find a crossroads where we say, ‘I’ve been here.’ Maybe on a different tangent, we take what we’ve felt and try to bring that to the music,” says Jigar. The magic is in “committing to the characters and the story,” they say.

Rooted in Reality

Sachin-Jigar’s approach is undoubtedly unconventional, not afraid to step outside their studio or journey inwards when a movie requires. “Badlapur, for example, was deeply emotional for us,” Jigar remembers. “For something like ABCD: Any Body Can Dance (2013), we asked Remo D’Souza for almost a month to be with the dancers and understand what music they listen to and why. We thought dancers always look for a track with a beat; what we discovered was that their choices were much more lyrically powerful. So, when Lauren [Gottlieb] breaks into a power dance, a ‘Sun Saathiya’ plays instead of a hip-hop number.”

More than two decades in the industry have seen Sachin-Jigar navigate the advent of streaming and the democratisation of visuals. Beyond the mathematics of making a hit, both artistes have prioritised heart and soul to stay relevant. Their latest release, Janhvi Kapoor and Siddharth Malhotra-starrer Param Sundari (2025), has been built on that exact philosophy. “We have always wanted to work with Sonu Nigam. With ‘Pardesiya’, we finally had a song that could do justice to his voice. The moment he finished recording, we knew we had something special.” On the inspiration board for the film was a plethora of folk references and Indian instruments. “Right from singing at our society functions to Navratri celebrations, our own lived experiences with folk music, especially Gujarati music, have been a massive factor. We have known India’s music, not academically, but through celebration,” says Sachin. Jigar believes, “We are nothing but where we come from.”

Coming Full Circle

With their cultural easter eggs in tow, Sachin-Jigar find joy in listening to indie artistes. While Sanghvi is more populist when it comes to his music taste, he has a soft spot for classical compositions. Jigar’s playlists are more modern, with music from all over the world. “We don’t want to get trapped in our own sound. We try to listen as much as possible and learn all the time. We have recently been in love with singer Aditya Rikhari’s work, and we have collaborated with him on a song that is due for release soon.”

Now, with their production company, White Noise Studios, Sachin-Jigar are set to champion emerging programmers and composers, putting them in touch with suitable opportunities and collaborations. “We have a team that pitches these talents and their songs to platforms, and we often jump in and help mentor them to become self-sufficient. We are very proud to be able to do something like this,” Jigar says. “We don’t want to win Oscars or Grammys. As long as our work resonates with people, and we’re able to uplift others along the way, we’re good,” he adds.

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