'Nobody was remixing songs...': Rohan Sippy on Abhishek Bachchan's 'Bluffmaster!'
What's the story
The 2005 film Bluffmaster!, which starred Abhishek Bachchan, celebrated its 20th anniversary on December 16 (Tuesday). The film is remembered for its unique music, including the title track and Right Here Right Now. In an interview with Bollywood Hungama, director Rohan Sippy revealed how the film's music was created under budget constraints.
Budget constraints
'Budget was less than half of my 1st film'
Sippy revealed that the budget for Bluffmaster! was significantly lower than his debut film, Kuch Naa Kaho (2003). "My first film did not do great business. There was pressure on me, and obviously, I was not going to get a huge budget." "The budget of Bluffmaster! was probably less than half of Kuch Naa Kaho!" he said. This led to a tight shooting schedule of just 50 days, a stark contrast to the 80-100 day shoots common at that time.
Music strategy
'We thought of trying the soundtrack approach'
Sippy admitted that the music department, which usually requires more time and resources, was also affected by their budget constraints. "The music market was at its peak and the music composer added to the cost of an album," he said. To cope with this, Sippy and writer Shridhar Raghavan decided to try a different approach, having music in the film without choreographed sequences.
Innovative methods
'Saregama and they had an incredible catalog'
Sippy revealed that the idea of using the original version of Sabse Bada Rupaiya came from Raghavan's script, which had a scene where Roy (Bachchan) walks away with a suitcase of money while the song plays. "Nobody was remixing songs in those days. Thankfully, we were working with Saregama and they had an incredible catalog," he said.
Final song
'Right Here Right Now' was a collaborative effort
The final song, Right Here Right Now, was a collaborative effort between Sippy, Raghavan, Bachchan, and the music duo Vishal-Sheykhar. "We all described different kinds of vibes of a song. Thankfully, what came out was perfect, Right Here Right Now," Sippy said. Meanwhile, the film also featured Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Riteish Deshmukh.