Our Bureau
Mumbai
Composer Shashwat Sachdev, renowned for his work on films like Uri: The Surgical Strike and the web series The Ba***ds of Bollywood, has achieved a landmark collaboration by teaming up with two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer for the British television series Virdee. Sachdev has co-composed the title theme alongside Zimmer and Emmy-winning British composer James Everingham. This collaboration marks the first time an Indian composer has co-created music with Zimmer, who is known for iconic scores in films such as The Lion King and Inception.
Virdee is a six-part British crime thriller set in Bradford, UK, revolving around detective Harry Virdee, played by Staz Nair, who hunts a killer targeting the Asian community. The show, adapted from A A Dhand’s Bradford-set crime novels, features a large cast of Asian-origin actors. Directed by Mark Tonderai, famous for Gotham and Locke & Key, the series blends cultural identity with suspense, a tone reflected in its hauntingly layered score that fuses Indian soundscapes with Western orchestration.
Sachdev reflected on the collaboration’s unique cross-continental nature, stating that good music transcends language and borders, carrying humility, pride, and soulfulness. Describing himself as a “nomad” exploring musical worlds, he sees his sound as carrying elements of Rajasthan and Bombay, infused with heart that found a complementary cinematic world when working with Zimmer and Everingham. The partnership signifies a breakthrough for Indian music on the global stage, with Sachdev also being the only Indian artist signed to Zimmer’s esteemed label Extreme Music.
This is not Zimmer’s first collaboration involving Indian culture; he is also working with AR Rahman on the ambitious two-part film Ramayana, set for release during Diwali in 2026 and 2027. The film pays homage to Indian culture and features prominent actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash.
