Prateek Rajagopal: Music can truly make or break a movie

Discover composer Prateek Rajagopal's insights on film music's evolution, technology's impact, and his Bollywood debut in "Tu Yaa Main."

Los Angeles-based composer-producer Prateek Rajagopal, linked to projects in the Star Wars universe such as The Mandalorian, has recently made his Bollywood debut with Bejoy Nambiar’s Tu Yaa Main, starring Shanaya Kapoor and Adarsh Gourav, currently in theatres. His entry into Hindi cinema comes at a moment when film music is evolving rapidly alongside streaming, AI and shifting audience habits.

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Even so, Rajagopal, who is currently in India, believes the composer’s role has only grown more important. “Music can truly make or break a movie; it can take a decent film and make it excellent,” he says over a video call with The Hindu from Jaipur.

Excerpts from a chat:

You are entering Indian cinema at an interesting time for film music globally. What have you noticed in the way scores are being created and how do you see film music evolving?

Film music has never been in the spotlight in the same way actors or directors are. When you think of composers, you can usually name only a handful — maybe Hans Zimmer. Even then, people often remember songs more than scores.