The real era of background score composers has just begun: Mannan Shaah

Composer Mannan Shaah has delivered memorable tracks in films such as Namaste England, Commando 3, Hotel Milan, Romeo Akbar Walter and Bell Bottom. Now, with The Kerala Story 2 and Manoj Bajpayee-starrer Governor, he is increasingly making his mark as a background score composer. In a candid conversation with Bombay Times, Shaah talks about discovering a new creative territory, working on politically charged stories, the importance of live music in the AI era, and why his nightly riyaaz remains the most important part of his day.

You have delivered popular songs for years, but background scoring is a very different craft. What made you wait this long to seriously step into scoring? Do you think Bollywood often underestimates the role of a composer beyond hit songs? I honestly never planned to enter the world of background scoring. My entire creative energy was focused on composing songs and pursuing my riyaaz in Hindustani classical music. I've always admired background score composers and often watched films specifically to understand how they built their scores, but it's a completely different craft. Over the years, I did create music for advertisements, documentaries and short films. A turning point came last year when I co-produced and scored Where The Heart Is, a documentary directed by Ulka Mayur that premiered at IFFI in the Indian Panorama section. That experience gave me the confidence to take on longer-format storytelling. My team and I spent nearly six to seven years growing through shorter formats before I felt ready to score a full-length feature film.
As for Bollywood, songs traditionally drove audiences to theatres, so they naturally received greater attention. But cinema has changed dramatically in the last few years, especially after the pandemic. Audiences now seek a complete audiovisual experience. Background scores are finally getting the recognition they deserve. I genuinely believe the real era of background score composers has only just begun.

You describe the background score of Governor as its biggest USP. Isn't that a risky claim when the film stars an actor of Manoj Bajpayee's stature?
Not at all. In fact, scoring for an actor of Manoj Bajpayee's calibre is a huge responsibility. He owns almost every frame of the film. The challenge wasn't to compete with his performance but to support it. Governor demanded tremendous patience and precision because even a small mistake in the score could alter the narrative's impact.
His character is a silent thinker, someone who carefully observes before acting. He is a man of few words, but when he speaks, he is direct and uncompromising. I had to understand his psychology and create music that reflected what was happening beneath the surface. Since Governor is set against the economic crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the score almost functions like a parallel screenplay. Along with the production design, it is the sound that transports viewers into that period. For any period film, the background score plays a crucial role in making audiences emotionally connect with the era.

With The Kerala Story 2 and now Governor, you seem to be moving towards politically and socially charged narratives. Is that a conscious shift?
Yes, absolutely. I have always wanted to take on subjects that challenge me creatively. The Kerala Story 2 gave me the opportunity to compose songs and a background score that I deeply believed in. It also marked my debut as a background score composer. I am extremely proud of that film.
The realism and intensity of the story pushed me to explore my musicality in ways I hadn't before. I used nearly 15 to 17 intricate ragas across the songs and score, probably the highest I've used in any project.
Governor came to me unexpectedly. Producer Vipul Shah loved what we achieved in The Kerala Story 2 and brought me on board after the film had already been shot and edited. That required an entirely different approach.
The only similarity between the two films is that both are inspired by true events. Otherwise, they belong to completely different worlds. Together, they helped me discover a new side of myself as a composer.

You recorded a 50-piece orchestra in Budapest and completed nearly 70 per cent of the score live. Are composers becoming too dependent on technology?
I see AI as a tool, not a replacement for creativity. A genuine composer may use AI to get an initial sense of how a composition might sound, but ultimately the goal is to create and record real music. Even if a project isn't fully recorded live, musicians will still try to retain some live elements alongside programming and digital production.
Of course, projects with severe budget constraints may rely more heavily on AI and software-driven solutions. But most serious musicians will stay true to the art because the joy lies in the process of creation. That journey can never be replaced by technology.
Your score draws inspiration from late-'80s and early-'90s sounds, including bands like Guns N' Roses, U2 and Bon Jovi. How do you balance nostalgia with originality?
The answer is simple: create fresh melodies. The tonal palette of Governor belongs to the late '80s and early '90s, but every melodic idea in the score is original. What comes from that era is the style of composition and performance. Back then, music had longer passages, greater detail and richer arrangements. We recorded live electric and acoustic guitars in that style alongside the Budapest orchestral sessions.
Since I grew up in the '90s, that music remains part of my daily listening even today. Working on Governor allowed me to revisit that world and reinterpret it through my own lens. In many ways, the score is my tribute to an era that shaped me.

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