(January 23, 2025) When ace filmmaker Girish Malik and music maestro Bickram Ghosh collaborate, the result of their incredible synergy is a unique, meaningful, and musical blockbuster. Their recent film Band of Maharajas — which resonated with audiences worldwide — is proof enough. Garnering global recognition for its storytelling and music, the film has entered the race for Oscar 2025 eligibility in two categories — Best Original Song for Ishq Walla Daku and Best Original Score. Moreover, the film has made the cut for the Best Picture Reminder List for the 97th Academy Awards.
“The two of us had to have many discussions and brainstorming sessions to arrive at the right kind of sound for the film and some of the specific sections in it. It was an extremely pleasurable experience,” smiles Indian musician and tabla player Bickram Ghosh, speaking to Global Indian.
Girish Malik and Bickram Ghosh
The visionary direction by Girish Malik, combined with Bickram’s masterful compositions, ended up making Band of Maharajas a cinematic and musical triumph, which led it to the race for Oscars 2025. “The eligibility for nomination is a huge deal and a humongous honour, more so because we as a team have received this recognition twice in 10 years,” says Bickram, who excels in Indian classical, fusion, and film scoring and has been featured on over 200 music albums worldwide.
Earlier, their project Jal was shortlisted as an Oscars 2014 contender in the Best Picture category and the Best Original Score Category.
“Band of Maharajas is a labour of love, and we are grateful for the support and appreciation it has received,” says Bickram, who received a silver medal at the Global Music Awards 2018, (USA) for his album Maya.
The Film
Band of Maharajas tells the inspiring and emotional story of three young musicians from a small border village in Punjab. Determined to pursue their passion for music, they courageously cross the border into Pakistan — a country where music often faces resistance from radical elements. The film captures their journey of perseverance, courage, and the unifying power of art.
“It’s a very interesting concept because the journey to Pakistan in search of a certain kind of music offers a unique premise, unlike anything we’ve seen before,” says Bickram, pointing out that the film showcases the power of music which transcends borders and brings people together.
The film’s poignant narrative and musical brilliance is what captivated audiences worldwide as it continues its journey toward potential Oscar glory. “The band faces the reality that music making isn’t as simple as they thought and it involves so much sacrifice and strife. This sets a tremendous premise for a great film,” says the maestro, who received the Best Music Director award at the Montreal International Film Festival for the film Avijatrik.
Bickram describes the film as unique in its storyline, noting, “There are certain angles of his (Girish Malik) own childhood which he brings to the film.”
World music
Creating the music for Band of Maharajas was an incredible experience for Bickram. “Composing the background score and the song was a wonderful journey,” he shares. “Girish Malik’s films usually have very interesting storylines and the settings that stand apart from the usual films one comes across.”
He shares that creating a captivating score that perfectly fits the film was a challenging yet rewarding experience. “I used a lot of Balkan sounds, including trumpets and horn sections, for one part of the film, while another part features rich Middle Eastern influences with instruments like Rabaab, Sanj, Bazooki and Oud,” he explains.
Bickram reveals that the score features a fusion of electric guitars alongside African drums like Jembes and Middle Eastern percussion instruments such as Darbukas and Doumbeks. “It’s a world music-inspired sound, with a Punjabi essence because the film is set in Punjab,” says the musician, who has performed at major global venues like Royal Albert Hall in London and Carnegie Hall, New York, Palais de Beaux Arts Brussels, Mona Foma, Australia among others.
He admits that crafting the perfect soundscape for the film involved a lot of trial and error, making it a challenging process. “Besides that, it was an extremely pleasurable experience.”
‘Ishq Walla Daku’
Speaking about the soul-stirring song, Bickram shares that while the song is in Punjabi, it carries a distinct world music vibe. “It features Punjabi dhols and electric guitars alongside the Middle Eastern sounds, drum kits and drum loops,” explains the maestro, who has played on four Grammy-nominated albums and one Grammy-awarded album, Full Circle (2002) with maestro Ravi Shanker.
Band of Maharajas
Bickram, who scored music for 54 films (42 in Bengali and 12 in Hindi), believes that the soundscape is what caught the attention of the Oscars. “It’s not the typical Bollywood or Hollywood sound. It has a character of its own and that’s what people are really liking about the soundscape of the film,” adds Bickram, who won the 2012 Global Indian Music Academy (GIMA) Awards in the Best Pop/Rock Single category for his composition, Vande Mataram.
Role
Bickram hasn’t just composed music for the film but also appears in it. He plays Feroze, an Afghan percussionist who has joined the band. “It’s a very interesting role. Girish bhai requested me to do it and it turned out to be a wonderful experience,” says the maestro, who also features in the song Ishq Walla Daku.
The film is already making its way through various film festivals. “I hope it gets a worldwide release and the music resonates with audiences everywhere.”
Like father like son
Born in 1966 in Kolkata, West Bengal, Bickram began his musical journey under the guidance of his father and tabla maestro Pandit Shankar Ghosh. He further developed his skills in Carnatic percussion under Vidwaan S. Sekhar and trained with the legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar, performing alongside him as well.
Bickram later established himself as a music director for several Bengali films and founded his band, Rythmscape, in 2021. Known for neo-fusion music, the band has released numerous successful solo albums. To mark its tenth anniversary, Rhythmscape collaborated with American drummer and percussionist Greg Ellis to perform in Kolkata and Mumbai. In 2010, Bickram expanded his creative horizons by launching his music company, Melting Pot Productions.
In his musical journey, Bickram has received numerous awards and accolades, including The Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Highest National Award / Honour in Performing Arts in India. He received the award in the rare category of contemporary music. He also received the best background score 2020 (Radio and music.com CLEFF Award) for Torbaaz, directed by Girish Malik.
Jal
Bickram-Girish collaboration, which began in 2009, saw their project Jal being short listed as an Oscars 2014 contender in the Best Picture Category and the Best Original Score Category. The film advanced in the top 114 films in the Best Original Score Category.
“We feel extremely honoured to get this kind of international selection twice,” says Bickram while praising Girish Malik’s visionary approach. “He visualises through sound. He’s a man who sees not only through his eyes but through his ears as well,” he says.
Set against the backdrop of water scarcity, the film follows the story of Bakka, a man with the unique ability to find water in the desert. It has been included in the reminder list of productions eligible for the 87th Academy Awards. Additionally, its screenplay was invited to the Oscar Library’s permanent core collection.
Now, 11 years later, Bickram and Girish are once again eyeing Oscar glory with Band of Maharajas in the running for 2025 nominations. Excited and hopeful, the duo looks forward to this opportunity, keeping their fingers crossed for a win that would highlight their impact on Indian cinema and music.
- Follow Bickram Ghosh on Instagram
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