Musician C Girinandh says India and Pakistan’s similar music sensibilities helped him score the cricket-based documentary, The Greatest Rivalry
Musician C Girinandh
C Girinandh perhaps speaks for every cricket fan when he is asked to describe what drew him to the project, The Greatest Rivalry: India Vs Pakistan. “These matches hold a special place for us, and there are some key moments that continue to hold a place in our minds. I have been a fan-boy and have followed cricket. A project like this one is mixed with aggression [that is representative of] the sentiments of the country,” says Girinandh, who crafted the music for Netflix’s three-part series that explores India’s love for the games.
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The fact that the two countries have a lot in common when it comes to their musical evolution served the composer. “We relate to the instruments that we are exposed to. We have common [instruments] like the dhol, rabab, and [other] string-based instruments. Punjabi [music] is another [common factor]. So, we knew that there was an opportunity to craft world music that did include Indian elements but also stayed true to the ethnicity of Pakistan,” he says, adding that working on a documentary of this kind enables a viewer to enjoy a dramatic representation of real-life incidents. “It’s a good space to blend both worlds.”
In one of his most prominent expressions of the manner in which music can highlight documentary-style narrations, Girinandh chronicles a match that India played against Pakistan in Chennai. “When Pakistan would tour India, every Indian would want us to win every match. We have seen that if India doesn’t win, [fans] end up breaking things. It’s fanatical [behaviour]. But when Pakistan won in Chennai, sportsmanship took centre-stage. They got a standing ovation. Now, a scene like this is already dramatic. You would assume the crowd would boo the opponent and be disappointed. But that didn’t happen. When you embellish a scene like this one with music, you can create a unique perspective.”
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