The Annual Lata Mangeshkar Memorial Talk at IFFI unfolded like a vibrant musical odyssey, bringing together memory, melody and the magic of creation. Titled ‘The Rhythms of India: From the Himalayas to the Deccan,’ the session featured music composers Vishal Bhardwaj and B. Ajaneesh Loknath in conversation, with critic Sudhir Srinivas steering the dialogue.

Held on November 23 in Goa, the event offered audiences a rare window into the creative worlds of two distinctive musical minds.

According to a press release, the evening began warmly as filmmaker Ravi Kottarakkara felicitated the speakers, describing music as a powerful force that uplifts and unites. His words set the tone for a conversation that moved effortlessly between reflection, humour and deep musical insight. Sudhir opened by reminding the audience that Ajaneesh is far more than “the ‘Kantara’ composer,” and noted that between him and Vishal, the room held “the past, present and future of Indian music.” What followed was a heartfelt exchange shaped by years of mutual admiration.

Vishal spoke first, praising the ‘Kantara’ theme as “one of the finest film themes ever composed,” admitting that it compelled him to seek out the composer behind it. Ajaneesh responded with an affectionate memory of his own listening to ‘Maachis’ and the unmistakable rhythmic “swing” in Vishal’s music that shaped him since childhood. To the audience’s delight, he even hummed a bit of that rhythm on stage.

The mood grew intimate when the conversation turned to ‘Pani Pani Re’. Vishal described how the sound of water and the silence of a riverbank shaped the soul of the song. He recounted Lata Mangeshkar’s instinctive perfection how she remembered every note, completed the song in a single take, and suggested subtle adjustments in the tune to mirror the flow of water. “She wasn’t just a singer,” he said. “She was a composer in her own right.”

Ajaneesh then opened up about his own quirky creative process. He spoke about the expressive syllables ‘ayyayyo’, ‘abbabba’ and others that enter his tunes before the lyrics arrive. Directors, he laughed, almost always insist on keeping them untouched. His anecdote about the pressure-filled final stretch of composing ‘Varaharoopam’ just 20 days before release drew amused reactions across the hall.

The talk soon turned philosophical when Sudhir asked why musicians often speak of a spiritual force guiding creativity. Vishal responded with clarity: “The closest we come to silence is music,” he said, describing the almost sacred arrival of a tune something he believes comes “from somewhere else.” Ajaneesh agreed, saying he has never truly understood how he enters the creative state and has never credited himself alone for ‘Kantara’.

Language and music became the next point of exploration. Ajaneesh explained how the ‘Karma’ song resonated universally, while other culturally rooted songs may not travel the same way. Vishal recalled his own experiences composing in Malayalam, working with stalwarts like MT Vasudevan Nair and ONV Kurup, and the unique challenges of composing in a language he did not fully understand.

Folk music took centre stage as Ajaneesh described it as “born from innocence.” He explained how ‘Kantara’ relied entirely on tribal instruments until its climactic fusion sequence. He illustrated India’s vast rhythmic diversity with an example from the Koraga communities, who communicate through distinct dhol patterns. Vishal added that India contains “many cultures,” each with its own dialects, textures, folk traditions and musical signatures.

When the floor opened for questions, discussions flowed into the realms of lyrics, storytelling, technology and the future of music. Ajaneesh said AI may support musicians in certain contexts, while Vishal emphasised that technology should not be feared. “We will learn what to use and what to leave,” he said.

In the end, the Memorial Talk did more than pay homage to the Nightingale of India. It traced the vast landscape of Indian music from classical to folk, from personal memories to spiritual reflections and offered the audience a moving glimpse into creativity in its most candid form. It stood as a tribute not just in name, but in spirit: a celebration of rhythm, culture, memory and the endless melodies that shape India’s imagination.