Swanand Kirkire pushes back against criticism of modern Bollywood music, explaining why today’s lyrics reflect changing times rather than declining quality.
Source: IANS
National Award-winning lyricist Swanand Kirkire doesn’t agree with the popular claim that Bollywood songs have lost their poetic soul. In his view, the writing hasn’t weakened, it has simply moved with the times.
Also Read: Swanand Kirkire on turning show creator with Bandwaale: ‘Playing the lead made it even more special’
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Responding to the long-running criticism around mainstream film music, Kirkire said the concern is often overstated.
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“I don’t think lyrics have been lost. New kinds of sounds and new kinds of words are coming into lyrics,” he shared.
For him, change in language is inevitable because every generation sees and describes the world differently.
Kirkire pointed out that what older listeners sometimes miss is actually a shift in imagery and vocabulary.
“Old-world imagery goes away, and it has to, because younger people see a different world. A different kind of vocabulary will come into their lyrics,” he explained.
He added that it’s unfair to put the past on a pedestal or dismiss everything new. According to him, meaningful writing and massy numbers have always existed side by side.
The lyricist stressed that Bollywood has never been one-note when it comes to songwriting.
“There is always a big quantum of lyrics that try to become really popular soon. And there is another part that talks about meaning. So everything is happening together,” he said.
In other words, the industry still makes space for depth, it just may not always dominate the charts.
While largely positive about the current crop of musicians, Kirkire did mention one gap he notices. He feels many young creators are excellent with sound and production but could benefit from engaging more deeply with Hindi, especially since many come from English-medium backgrounds.
Interestingly, Kirkire sounded particularly optimistic about musicians emerging from smaller towns and the indie rap space. According to him, many of them are bringing fresh honesty and rooted language back into music.
Kirkire’s latest outing is the series Bandwaale, which he has co-created with Ankur Tewari. The show is currently streaming on Prime Video.
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Over the years, he has picked up multiple National Film Awards, including Best Lyrics for songs in Lage Raho Munna Bhai and 3 Idiots, along with Best Supporting Actor for the Marathi film Chumbak.
For Kirkire, the takeaway is clear: the language of Bollywood music may be changing, but the search for meaning hasn’t gone anywhere.
Also Read: Swanand Kirkire on Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘Animal’: “What are we even applauding?”
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