Composer brothers Shaarib-Toshi (Shaarib and Toshi Sabri) have spent 13 years in the Hindi film industry. While they are happy about the work they’ve done, the Raaz: The Mystery Continues (2009) musicians rue the fact that composers don’t get their due. “From romantic songs to party and sad numbers, all our music has been loved by music lovers. But the sad part is that composers hardly get their due. Most songs are known by the singer’s name and that’s unfair. A song is the product of a composer. A singer definitely plays a huge role, but that shouldn’t take away credit from the composer,” says Shaarib.

Recently, the duo’s song Bandeya, which was composed three years ago for the movie, Dil Juunglee (2018), became viral on social media. “It feels good when you create something and it gains popularity. Bandeya is trending these days and we are happy for that,” says Toshi. But, the fact that it’s going viral as an Arijit Singh (singer) song upsets them. “He sang it beautifully, but it’s going viral as his song. People are making reels on it. We like it, but jab composer ko credit nahin milta, tab bura lagta hai,” says Shaarib.

Shaarib-Toshi come from a non-film background. Ask them about the mantra to make a mark here, and Shaarib says, “It’s 70% luck and 30% talent” that matters. But Toshi goes on to explain how having connections in the industry is not all you need. “If you’re not talented and think you can find a way by just using your contacts, you’re wrong. Your identity is only dependent on your talent. Connections can only take you to a certain point,” he says.