Anand Tiwari, the creative mind behind the hit series Bandish Bandits, recently opened up about the show's unique approach to blending classical Indian music with contemporary sounds. As a creator deeply passionate about music, Tiwari shared his thoughts on how he hoped to make classical music more accessible and appealing to younger generations.
In a heartfelt conversation, Tiwari lamented how the rhythm and essence of Indian classical music had started to fade in modern times. "It is unfortunate that we have lost the rhythm of India, Zakir Hussain Saab," he said, reflecting on the impact of legendary tabla maestro Zakir Hussain. He went on to describe how attending his concerts at Prithvi Theatre left an indelible mark on him: "When I used to watch his concert live, it used to feel like, thank God I am alive and got to listen to such amazing music." For Tiwari, these experiences were life-changing, and he wanted to share that transformative power of classical music with a wider audience.
Tiwari’s vision for Bandish Bandits was to present classical music in a way that would resonate with Gen Z. "If Gen Z takes this music as cool, and it's sexy, and doesn’t think of it as something very old, we’ve just added our contribution—a little contribution—to what musicians and maestros have been doing for years," he explained. By merging traditional classical rhythms with contemporary music, the show bridges generational and cultural divides, making classical music feel relevant in today’s fast-paced, evolving music scene.
With Bandish Bandits, Tiwari and his team have succeeded in crafting a narrative that brings the beauty of Indian classical music into the mainstream, while keeping its purity intact. The series has not only introduced young audiences to the power of classical music but also highlighted how this timeless art form can coexist and thrive alongside modern musical genres. Tiwari hopes that, in doing so, the series will play a part in ensuring that this rich tradition of Indian music continues to inspire and captivate future generations.
The musical drama is penned by Atmika Didwania, Karan Singh Tyagi, and Anand Tiwari, starring Ritwik Bhowmik, Shreya Chaudhry, Atul Kulkarni, Sheeba Chadha, Rajesh Tailang, Kunal Roy Kapur, Saurabh Nayyar, Rohan Gurbaxani, Yashaswini Dayama, Aaliyah Qureshi, Divya Dutta and more.