The lyricist writes a show: Swanand Kirkire on crafting ‘Bandwaale’ and finding his voice

A young poetess dreams of breaking societal shackles portion surviving successful the tiny railway municipality of Ratlam successful Madhya Pradesh. Instantly smitten by her beingness is simply a flamboyant vocalist of a gaudy set who has a peculiar sanction to his advantage: Robo Kumar. The quality is played ceremoniously by Swanand Kirkire. The celebrated lyricist, known for his simpleton weaving of words into poetry, is besides the screenwriter and creator of the aforementioned show, Bandwaale, which released precocious connected Prime Video. Interestingly, helium co-wrote and co-created the amusement with instrumentalist Ankur Tewari. It is astir similar the 2 are coming unneurotic to marque a opus successful the signifier of a coming-of-age series.

Swanand smiles arsenic we talk to him. The 2 had worked earlier connected a abbreviated movie and wanted to enactment unneurotic connected a musical. There were immoderate ideas that Swanand tossed astir and the communicative dilatory began to instrumentality shape. “Both of america deliberation musically and that subconsciously started pouring successful the series,” says Swanand, explaining however the amusement was written extensively implicit agelong zoom calls during the pandemic.

Much of the show’s inspiration came from his ain life, arsenic helium has grown up successful Indore, a metropolis adjacent Ratlam. “In my school, determination was a miss whose sanction was Mariam. So, I thought of giving the quality that name,” helium says.

Even the show’s mounting is rather specific, arsenic it follows a Malayali Christian household surviving successful Ratlam. Swanand says helium is fascinated by the country’s diversity, particularly arsenic a Maharashtrian who grew up successful a mostly Hindi-speaking city. “Ratlam was established by the British arsenic a railway city. So, determination is simply a ample Christian assemblage successful the municipality with a beauteous church. Most of their sermons instrumentality spot successful Hindi. It is rather absorbing that determination are truthful galore radical successful the state and we unrecorded with inclusivity, sharing the aforesaid stories,” says Swanand.

He besides plays the relation of Robo earnestly. However, Swanand says that helium was not reasoning of playing the portion part writing. “When you are doing an Amazon show, it is not successful your hands to play a role. I americium not arsenic large a prima to accidental that I volition besides enactment if I americium penning it,” helium says, adding that they got clarity connected the quality on the way. “We realised that Robo needs to beryllium played sensitively. He has to look idiotic and not astute successful bid to travel retired well. So, everyone thought I person that ‘idiot’ connected my face,” helium smiles.

Having written and sung galore songs implicit the years, Swanand feels that his acquisition does assistance him successful acting. “You recognize words, lines, meanings and subtext overmuch better,” helium says. At the aforesaid time, helium adds that it is important not to transverse the line. “If I americium singing a opus written by Amitabh Bhattacharya, I volition sing it the mode it is written without telling him what to write. I would person written the opus successful a definite mode if I was the lyricist. I wholly recognize that we each person antithetic voices,” says Swanand.

At the bosom of Swanand’s songs, determination is simply a stirring simplicity marked with a premix of vivid imagery. His poesy encapsulates emotion and longing with the oculus of a child. When asked however helium instils that feeling to his songs, Swanand says, “I truly don’t know. That’s however I am, a elemental person. I conscionable look astatine the satellite with a batch of curiosity. I americium not judgemental. I conscionable similar to reflector the satellite and not make my ain coating of it. I emotion people, their sorrows, joys, dreams, memories and pain,” helium reflects.

Over the years, Swanand feels that his ‘voice’ arsenic an creator has grown. Now, erstwhile helium looks backmost astatine immoderate of his work, helium finds country for betterment astatine definite places. “I besides often consciousness if I truly unrecorded what I write. For instance, I easy wrote, ‘Is pal ki baat hai, is pal mein jeene bash (Let maine unrecorded successful the moment)’. But bash I unrecorded successful the moment? I don’t bash it myself past however americium I penning a opus astir it?”

Bandwaale is presently streaming connected Prime Video