Manan Bhardwaj is the latest musical prodigy that the Bollywood has recognised, especially after delivering back-to-back melodious tracks for films like Radhe Shyam and SatyaPrem Ki Katha. His song ‘Aaj Ke Baad’ in the Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani starrer is still trending across musical platforms. Besides these, Manan also crooned the ‘Jai Shree Ram’ track in Adipurush. Now the multi-talented composer, songwriter and singer is eagerly awaiting his next big gig, which is Yaariyan 2. Out of the 7 songs that he has written and composed in the film, two of them are already out. While Saure Ghar is a foot-tapping dance number, Simroon Tera Naam is a perfect ode to the qawaali king Nusrat Fateh Ali’s song Saanson Ki Maala.
In an exclusive interview with News18 Showsha, Manan Bhardwaj talked about the discography of Yaariyan 2, whether he felt nervous to take the musical legacy of Yaariyan forward, his track in Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal teaser and more.
Here are the excerpts:
The first track from Yaariyan 2 Saure Ghar has been hitting all the right notes with listeners. What was the brief given to you, and how did you go about creating the song? Also, how was it like recording with Vishal Mishra and Neeti Mohan?
A quick story behind this track: I got a call from T-Series saying that we urgently need a Bhai-Behen wala song. I thought that it was for some single because I was on the completion of my track “Dhokha" with Arijit Singh and everyone was loving it from the T-series team. I immediately started working on the scratch and cracked the mukhda of “Saure ghar" in no time and sent it to Bhushan sir. He loved it and called me back to praise and ask me to crack other songs for the film, and BINGO! The title of the film was “Yaariyan 2." I was awestruck.
I just loved working with Vishal and Neeti. Vishal himself is a composer, so he knows “Ek Composer ka Dard." Neeti is a gem of a singer and person. Both made this song extremely beautiful.
Without revealing much about the discography of Yaariyan 2, what kind of music should one expect from you in the film? And whether you feel it will do justice to the legacy of the Yaariyan soundtrack that became an instant hit with listeners?
Every song in Yaariyan 2 emotes differently and explains the story itself. If you hear “Saure Ghar," you can easily guess the story in it.
It’s a complete family musical drama.
Everyone can find himself in Music of Yaariyan 2. There is something for every listener.
With the fact that Yaariyan had such chartbuster songs, did you feel any pressure to match the level of that album? If yes, how did you cope with it? And what kept you focused and grounded?
Honestly speaking, I was so overwhelmed with this opportunity, I just started working with all of my heart. We made several songs, cracked so many new tunes, and tried so much in terms of lyrics, and we are ready with a beautifully diversified and wonderful music album.
In the trailer of the film, we got to hear a reimagined version of “Aaj Din Hai Sunny Sunny," and that made me curious whether it was a collective idea to remake that song. And since people have been criticizing the remake songs, do you feel it will strike a chord with them when that song comes out?
Sunny Sunny was a blockbuster from the previous Yaariyan and became the face of the film. It has a recall value too. So that people would identify something from the previous, the makers decided to relive Sunny Sunny.
Apart from composing, have you also penned the lyrics to the seven songs? So tell me something about that process, and what references did you use to give shape to the music?
People find it hard, but I just enjoy it; in fact, I love it when I write my own songs. It gives me the feeling that I am 100% connected to my melodies. It makes my job beautiful. Rejections are just part and parcel. It does in fact help you improve. Writing gives me speed, and I love speed.
Your song “Aaj Ke Baad" from SatyaPrem Ki Katha became a raging hit. And it’s a song packed with so many emotions, and it comes at a very crucial moment in the film? What was your journey with that song? And how did you compose it around the Garba beats? Also, what do you think about the placement of the song in the film since Kartik Aaryan loved it?
Aaj ke Baad is love. I made this song a long time ago. I just played it to the director, and he loved it instantly. He played it to Kartik, and he loved it too. But they wanted a garba song in that situation. Aaj ke Baad was a soft ballad back then. So we musically turned that song into a bunch of different emotions. If you hear it now, you will figure out that it starts with a piano ballad and transits into garba in the second half. That experiment worked out very well, and Aaj ke baad became a vital part of my musical journey.
Another teaser track of yours from Animal has created hype around the film, and quite rightly so. People unanimously loved that track in the teaser, and many people I know have been waiting eagerly for that track to drop. What can you tell us about that song? And whether you were anticipating a crazy response like that Also, will we get to hear more songs from you in that film?
Again, regarding music in Animal, I had a proper brief from Sandeep Reddy, sir. I have one more song in Animal, and both the songs are poles apart. The song you heard in the trailer was just a roar! Certainly, I do very little anticipation; if the music is good, it will strike for sure.
How would you describe your musical journey so far, and how did you make the transition from singing indie Punjabi songs to creating and singing music for Bollywood? Was the transition challenging?
Falling in love is never challenging. To hold it for long with honesty is. One thing I have learned is that if you are bored or tired of something you love, you are not in love at all. My musical journey is about love. I love every bit of it. Every hardship, every rejection, and every sad or bad day have made me the person I am right now.
Considering the fact that you hail from Punjab, there is a lot of folk flavor in all your songs, even the ones that are commercial. So what role does folk music play in your process of writing and creating a song? And whether you feel the modern viral Punjabi music from the likes of AP Dhillon or similar artists dilutes the rawness of it.
I am from Haryana, specifically the land of Khadi boli and Dildaar people. Punjab and Rajhasthan are very close to us, as is their music. Folk is always a learning process. It gives you the edge. If you want your music to be rooted, you should listen to folk. Regarding modern viral punjabi music, I would say we should always flow with the trend to learn something new. Folk will stay for generations.
Along with your commercial catalog of music, do you plan to create and release more independent tracks that best define you and your music? If yes, what’s in the pipeline?
The term “independent music" makes me anxious. It is a very misused term for me. There are several definitions of independent music: For me, when you are not bound by any script or situation, whatever music you are making is “independent music!" Some relate it to sound, some relate it to labels. My thought process is a bit different, like I said above. Yes, there are a lot in the pipeline. Songs in which I did not have any pre-written situations and I made the story through my lyrics:
