Singer and music composer Vishal Shelke's music has resonated the audience. And the hit music of films like, Jug Jugg Jeeyo, Mastiii 4, vouches for the success rate he brings with himself. So, it didn't come as a surprise when he got Sonu Nigam onboard for 'Manjogi' song for 'Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain' the movie.
From his experience of working with the legend, replacing previous music composer in the film to the future of music and Arijit Singh's retirement; Vishal Shelke spoke to International Business Times at length.
IBT: Manjogi has been receiving tremendous love post-release and is trending across platforms. How does it feel to see the song connect so deeply with audiences?
Vishal: I feel musicians are the chosen ones to spread love and peace in the universe. The song is about pure love — about how a Jogi (played by Ravi Kishan) leaves everything and falls in love innocently with Angoori (Shubhangi Atre). You can't cheat in music.
It has to be pure and straight from the heart. When the intentions are pure, everything — from the composition and lyrics to the legendary voice of Sonu Nigam — falls perfectly into place. We never thought it would receive so much love when we started. It truly feels like a blessing, and I'm deeply grateful to all the listeners.
IBT: Now that the film is out, what kind of feedback have you received for the music, especially from fans of the original television series?
Vishal: It's a great film — a complete laugh riot. I have done both the song and the background score for it.
It was a challenge to work on a film based on such a popular television series. The expectations were high. I'm glad it worked out well. When you hear people laughing so much in theatres, that itself is proof that the background score is working.
IBT: Sonu Nigam's rendition has been widely appreciated. After the song's release, did he share any thoughts or reactions about the audience response?
Vishal: There's actually a story behind choosing the right singer for Manjogi. When I composed the song, I was very clear — this is a Sonu Nigam song. There were suggestions from the production team to consider Arijit Singh and Jubin Nautiyal. Arijit and Jubin are both fantastic singers, but every song has its own destiny. I feel the song only chooses the singer.
When I approached Sonu Ji, he immediately agreed because he loved the composition and the lyrics. He is a great singer, but an even greater human being. During the recording, he said, "Vishal, this was your song. Now it's our song. Let's make it the best."
IBT: Comedy is often considered a light genre, but the emotional depth in Manjogi stands out. How did you balance romance and emotion within a comedy-driven narrative?
Vishal: Comedy is actually the most challenging genre in film scoring because it requires perfect timing and innocence. You can't make people laugh intentionally — it has to be organic. I had great fun scoring Bhabhiji.... But to tell you the truth, I wasn't the first music composer for this film. It was initially scored by another renowned composer. However, the makers felt it wasn't working, and after seeing my work in Mastiii 4 and Jug Jug Jeeyo, they approached me.
We started from zero and scored the film again. Initially, the film didn't even have a romantic song. It was a creative decision to include one, because Ravi Kishan and Shubhangi's love story is the central thread that runs till the climax. When Manjogi was added, it gave emotional depth to the film overall.
IBT: With AI-generated music and global influences shaping the soundscape, how do you maintain originality while staying relevant to current trends?
Vishal: Let me put it this way — can AI make Lag Ja Gale? I don't think so. AI cannot replace human emotions. It often comes out sounding fake, and that's why many AI-generated songs lack purity and emotional depth. AI is great for creating instrumental tracks or assisting in production, but you cannot replace a real human voice, the purity of a composition, and the beautiful poetry of a lyricist.
IBT: Comment on Arijit Singh's retirement.
Vishal: Arijit hasn't retired from music. In fact, no one can truly retire from music — it lives with you , it dies with you. Arijit is a great singer. He will continue to perform in concerts and create independent music. He has taken a break from playback singing. Every artist thinks differently, and maybe he felt a strong need to pause and reflect. That's a personal choice, and it should be respected.
IBT: What's your view on remixes and rehashing old Bollywood songs in movies these days?
Vishal: Old songs are timeless. But where is the creativity in taking the same composition and lyrics, adding just a beat on top of it, and then putting your name in the credits? That is not art. We should create originals. There is so much challenge and adrenaline in creating something out of nothing — that's the real magic. That's the real art.
