Money Heist composer brings Bella Ciao’s rebel spirit to Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Faraar

When Money Heist became a global phenomenon, its music played a key role in amplifying the show’s mood of resistance and rebellion. Now, composer Ivan M. Lacámara, who worked on the series’ score, is bringing that sensibility to Indian cinema with The Great Escape: Faraar, a heist thriller starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and directed by Kushagra Sharma. The film also features Mission: Impossible actor Ilia Volok. Speaking about bringing Ivan on board, Kushagra says, “My sister, Srishti Sharma, the producer of the film, and I have always been fans of Money Heist. Bella Ciao worked so well there because it represents rebellion, and our film is also about a common man who is pushed by the system and then stands up for his family. Srishti reached out to Ivan and his team, and things progressed from there.” He adds that the idea was never to replicate the original. He says, “We wanted the track to have its own identity. It has Indian elements and fusion. The spirit of rebellion remains, but the way it has been adapted gives it a completely new feel. Ivan has composed one song for the film and the background score as well.” For Ivan, the project offered a creative challenge. He says, “What interested me was the possibility of fusing my music with Indian music, using instruments like the bansuri and tabla. I have always found Indian music fascinating because of its rhythmic and harmonic richness. The song initially began as a cinematic theme for an early sequence. When it was received so well, we decided to develop an extended version that was faster, more electronic, and could also work as a standalone track.” The song features vocals by Sunidhi Chauhan, along with Swedish singer Jules Vikström. Music producer Diesel, a composer of Indian origin based in Sweden, co-composed the Indian segment of the song. Kushagra says, “We wanted an international sound, and Sunidhi’s calibre as a singer is unmatched. The song has English lyrics as well, and her voice fits the requirement perfectly.”