Abeer & Rohansh on ‘Alpha’, Jatin-Lalit’s Legacy, Mewati Gharana & Taking Indian Music Global

Mumbai, 18^th August 2026: Carrying a legendary musical legacy while creating an individual identity is no easy journey. For Abeer and Rohansh, however, music has always been both inheritance and inspiration. Connected to the cinematic legacy of Jatin-Lalit and the classical traditions of the Mewati Gharana, the young composers now begin writing their own chapter. Their feature-film composing debut with Yash Raj Films’ Alpha marks a significant milestone. In this exclusive conversation with MusiCulture, Abeer and Rohansh discuss legacy, responsibility, Alpha, storytelling, live audiences, creative collaboration and their ambition to take Indian music worldwide without compromising its cultural soul.

From the legacy of Jatin-Lalit and the Mewati Gharana to finding your own sound, how do you balance heritage with the need to create an identity that is distinctly yours?

Abeer: I think it’s one of the most beautiful feelings as an artist to be surrounded by such legendary people who have contributed not just to cinema, but to the cultural heritage of Indian music. The work Jatin-Lalit have done through the 90s and early 2000s speaks for itself.

There’s also a very different side of music in our family, which is the classical side, and that has so much to do with our grandfathers, Pandit Jasraj Ji. That’s a completely different stream of music. And just being able to absorb it all is also a gentle reminder that there’s a lot of responsibility in taking this legacy forward because there’s such a huge history attached to it.

There’s so much music around us, different genres, different streams. But eventually, I think it all boils down to the seven notes and your love for music. I think that’s really what it means to Rohansh and me. We just want to make everybody around us proud.

That’s something we’re wanting to do with the music that we make, especially our father, because he’s really given us so much happiness, along with everybody who’s been a listener of his music. So now that we’ve stepped into our professional shoes, it’s time to give that happiness back, starting from our father, of course.

Rohansh: I just wanted to add that I actually mentioned Pandit Jasraj Ji as a big pillar of our Indian musical heritage and the Mewati Gharana, but I would also like to mention my grandfather, Jatin-Lalit’s father, Pandit Pratap Narayan, as a huge pillar of music for our family.

He’s actually been the guru of our father, and Jatin-Lalit learned a lot of music from him. So obviously, he’s our bade guru and one of the big pillars of the Mewati Gharana, and the musical father of Jatin-Lalit, and obviously of Abeer and me as well.

Every day when we learn music, we take his blessings through the picture that we have at our studio. So yes, he’s also a big part of the legacy that we carry.

You both made your feature-film composing debut with Yash Raj Films’ Alpha at just 18 and 21. What was it like being entrusted with a major soundtrack at such an early stage of your careers?

Abeer: You know, when you’ve been trusted with the whole album for something as big as the Spy Universe and Alpha, you do tend to feel really excited, especially when you’re 18 and 21. But obviously, there’s the responsibility that’s creeping in, right?

So Rohansh and I always tried our best that whenever we were making music for Alpha, it should be honest. Because we’ve realised that we’re working towards the bigger picture, which is understanding our director Shiv’s mind and helping create the world of Alpha for him.

And I think when you’re so young, you probably don’t realise what you’re getting into. But as long as your love for music is intact and you’re committed to making sure that you give your best, I think that’s what really matters.

Rohansh: It was a surreal feeling when we got to know that we were going to be doing Alpha. And as Abeer mentioned, the first thing we did was come back home. I don’t know if there’s a word for it, excitement, or just being nervous, or whatever, but we stepped into the studio.

And I think that’s the beauty of the journey, because there are a hundred stories within one big story. And just the way the music shapes up, sometimes I feel that it has its own journey.

So you’re also the creator, but sometimes you’re also the silent spectator to how these things take shape and come to life. It’s been a beautiful journey for Abeer and me. And to start off so young, I think we’re very motivated to work ahead and build our own legacy moving forward.

Abeer, your journey from working behind the camera as an Assistant Director on War 2 to composing for Alpha is quite unusual. How did being on a film set influence the way you approach music and storytelling?

Abeer: You know, being on the sets of War 2 made me understand how important it is to be a team player and how important it is to understand the director’s vision, because we all are working towards that.

So when I was working on War 2 as an AD, if there’s something that I could take from that and apply to Alpha, it was this, how you need to be a team player and how important it is for you to understand each department so that it can help you in your own department.

So, from being an AD to a music composer on Alpha, when I made that jump, I understood that it’s important for me to understand each department and their work, even outside the musical one, so that I can understand the director’s vision better.

That way, we can cater to exactly what he needs and make sure that the music is closer to his vision. Because at the end of the day, when you see Alpha, the music is playing an important part in the storytelling as well.

So I think being an AD made me really understand the importance of storytelling alongside music.

Your music brings together cinematic scale, contemporary production and emotionally driven songwriting. When you start creating a song, what comes first for you, the story, melody, lyrics, sound or emotion?

Rohansh: I think every song has its own process. There’s definitely a method to the madness, but sometimes you’re just sitting on the keys working on a melody, sometimes you’re working on a production and that inspires a melody.

So there are more ways than one for the creative process to take place. And I think that’s how it’s really been with all of these songs.

I remember Massacre was made before we got Alpha. And so was Champagne. But both had such incredibly different journeys and the way they came to life was completely different.

But I think what was important for Abeer and me to recognise was that this is a very collaborative process, and we’re working under the vision of a director for a larger picture here.

So it was very important for us to be on the same page as him and make sure that we do our best to align with his vision and take things forward from there.

Check Rohansh & Abeer Spotify here:

Having performed across India and internationally from a young age, how has performing live shaped the way you compose, produce and understand your audience?

Rohansh: I think it definitely gives you an insight into what an audience wants. I think that’s, as a performer, an advantage you have, to be with people when the songs are out and to see what strikes a chord with them. I think that’s very important.

And I also think music is the shortest distance between two hearts. So the stage is exactly that place where you meet the lovers of music and the people who enjoy the sort of music that you’re making.

I think it definitely allows you the room to step out of your studio and go out into the world and see the sort of music that people are responding to, and just what about you strikes a chord with them. I think that’s very important.

And just in general, being able to create something that didn’t exist the day that you woke up, and then seeing it finally find a place in people’s hearts and being able to celebrate that creation with people, I think that’s one of the biggest blessings an artist can have.

You have already begun working across both film and independent music, with a stated ambition of taking Indian music to a global audience. What do you believe Indian music needs to do differently to create a stronger global identity?

Abeer: You know, I feel we already have a great global identity. There’s nothing different that we should do with our sounds or our music. I think we should be proud of our culture and embrace it.

But having said that, if there is an opportunity that comes your way that’s looking into a global collaboration, we’re all in for that, for sure. But I think as India, we’re proud of the sound and culture that we bring.

I think music is something that’s really rooted in all of our DNAs. Each one of us is a lover of music. So to be able to take that internationally is something that’s a dream of every Indian artist.

Rohansh: Yeah, I think we’re a nation that is full of lovers of music. And I think one of the largest amounts of music consumption happens in India. So I think we’ve pretty much cracked the code for doing what we’re doing best.

And I think what really separates our music is the sort of variety that we have. I think we’re the only nation, and an industry, where filmmaking and music move parallel to each other. Music is such an important part of our cinema.

I think that is one of our biggest strengths. And through the work that Abeer and I do through movies and independently, our attempt will definitely be to make sure that our music reaches an audience globally, while staying true to our music and making everybody at home proud through the music that we make.

At just 18 and 21, Abeer and Rohansh stand at an exciting intersection of heritage and possibility. Their journey reflects respect for the musical giants who shaped their family, alongside a determination to discover their own sound. From understanding filmmaking through War 2 to composing for Alpha, their approach remains rooted in collaboration, honesty and storytelling. Yet, their ambitions extend beyond cinema. As they explore independent and film music, the duo hopes to carry Indian music to listeners everywhere. Their message remains simple: embrace India’s extraordinary musical identity, stay proud of its culture, and create music capable of connecting hearts across the world.