Akhil Sachdeva on music obsession: 'I breathe later, think music first'
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Music composer Akhil Sachdeva has revealed that sleep is his lowest priority — music, by contrast, consumes every waking thought. Speaking after the release of Awarapan 2, in which he composed the track 'Piya Ghar Aaya - Homecoming', Sachdeva said his relationship with music borders on the spiritual, not merely professional.
In His Own Words
At an interaction in the BKC area of Mumbai, Sachdeva was characteristically candid about his creative obsession. 'I breathe later, and think about music first, and I'm telling the truth. I breathe later. I don't like sleeping at night. I enjoy waking up in the morning. I'm always thinking about what I will practice tomorrow and what will I create tomorrow? If there is no music in life, there are no meaning to life for me,' he said.
He drew on scripture to underline his conviction: 'It's written in the Gita that if you know the sargam, you don't even need to say Shri Ram. Shriram is present in Sa. Music wins the world. Music is a different world.'
A Personal Philosophy Rooted in Devotion
Sachdeva also opened up about what he would ask for across lifetimes — a rare window into the emotional depth behind his compositions. 'The universe is different. And I ask for the same thing in every birth. I want the same mother that I had in this birth... she shouldn't leave me so soon. And I want to be a musician just like that. I want to be a musician with a pure heart. So it's very clear to me. I just want to do music and nothing else. And I want to do music to the fullest,' he said.
The composer described his attitude to life as deliberately unhurried — a deliberate slowness that, he suggests, gives him the mental space to process ideas and channel them into his work.
About Awarapan 2 and Its Legacy
The film that brought Sachdeva back into focus is Awarapan 2, a sequel to the 2007 Emraan Hashmi film Awarapan. Emraan Hashmi reprises his role as Shivam Pandit in the follow-up, which is currently running in cinemas. The original Awarapan was considered a commercial disappointment on release but steadily built a devoted following over the years, eventually acquiring cult status — driven largely by its music and Hashmi's brooding performance.
That musical legacy now places considerable expectation on Sachdeva's contribution to the sequel. Whether 'Piya Ghar Aaya - Homecoming' earns the same long-tail affection as the original's soundtrack remains to be seen.
What's Next
Sachdeva gave no indication of upcoming projects beyond Awarapan 2, but his remarks suggest a composer who operates on instinct and intensity rather than commercial calculation. For an industry increasingly driven by algorithmic playlists, his uncompromising, music-first worldview stands out.