Abhijit Vaghani on 27 years in Bollywood: 'The fire never dies'
Synopsis
With 27 years of Bollywood songwriting behind him, composer Abhijit Vaghani says the fire never needs relighting — only the art needs daily rediscovery. In a revealing studio conversation, he reframes streaming-era scale not as a threat but as proof of arrival: if your song plays alongside Justin Bieber on Spotify, you have earned your place.
Key Takeaways
Abhijit Vaghani has been composing and producing Bollywood music for 27 years .
He argues that creative passion must remain constant, while the art itself must be 're-discovered every, almost every day.' Spotify releases approximately 1,50,000 songs a day — a figure Vaghani uses to highlight both the challenge and the opportunity for artists.
He urges artists to be grateful for even small listener counts, calling audience appreciation 'a fuel that always ignites the fire.' Vaghani spoke from his studio in Andheri West, Mumbai .
Music composer and producer Abhijit Vaghani, with 27 years of Bollywood songcraft behind him, says the secret to sustaining creative energy is not rediscovering the fire — it is never letting it go out in the first place. Speaking from his studio in Andheri West, Mumbai, Vaghani offered a candid look at what drives him long after most careers would have plateaued.
On Keeping the Creative Fire Alive
Vaghani was direct when asked how he maintains his creative intensity across nearly three decades. 'The thing is that fire cannot be rediscovered. Fire is something that you need to have constantly in your life. But the art that you have, the art that you create, that's supposed to be rediscovered every, almost every day,' he said.
He stressed that staying relevant requires active engagement with the evolving music landscape. 'If you don't keep in touch with what's happening around and what is playing around in music, it's a very tough market, and will come down heavily on any artist if they're not privy to all these things,' he added.
The Scale of Today's Music Industry
Vaghani put the sheer volume of modern music output into perspective, noting that Spotify releases approximately 1,50,000 songs a day. Yet, rather than finding that intimidating, he reframes it as validation. 'People forget that if your songs are playing on the same platform as your idols, like Justin Bieber or Rihanna — your songs are playing on the same platform, which also means that you have now become a very high-caliber artist,' he said.
Gratitude as a Creative Fuel
For Vaghani, even modest listener counts carry meaning. 'People take all these things for granted. Even 10 views. Even 20 views. Even 10,000, 1 million listens — all these numbers, you have to be very grateful about even the smallest numbers because it's finally reaching out to people,' he said.
He described audience appreciation as the ultimate accelerant for his creative drive. 'Every time I'm doing a new song, I feel like it's reaching people. People are listening to it. It is such a nice feeling to have people appreciate your song. You have worked hard, and if people appreciate the same, then it is probably a fuel that always ignites the fire,' Vaghani said.
A Career Built on Consistency
Vaghani's 27-year body of work in Bollywood places him among the industry's most enduring composers, navigating the shift from cassette and CD formats to streaming-first consumption. His perspective — that art must be rediscovered daily while the underlying passion remains constant — reflects a discipline that separates long-haul careers from one-hit runs. As streaming platforms continue to compress the gap between global and Indian artists, his outlook suggests that gratitude and curiosity, not nostalgia, are what keep a composer relevant.
Point of View
Only the art is rediscovered — is a meaningful distinction in an industry that often mistakes nostalgia for longevity. The more interesting thread in his remarks is his embrace of streaming metrics: where many veterans bristle at algorithmic culture, he finds validation in platform parity with global superstars. That shift in mindset may explain why some composers endure and others fade. What he does not address, and what would sharpen the conversation, is how the economics of streaming — where per-stream payouts remain fractional — square with his message of gratitude for small numbers.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Abhijit Vaghani?
Abhijit Vaghani is a Mumbai-based Bollywood music composer and producer with over 27 years of experience in the Indian film and music industry. He is known for his work across a wide range of Hindi film songs and operates a studio in the Andheri West area of Mumbai.
What did Abhijit Vaghani say about staying creative?
Vaghani said that creative fire cannot be rediscovered — it must be maintained constantly — while the art itself needs to be rediscovered almost every day. He emphasised staying in touch with current music trends as essential for any artist's survival in today's market.
How does Abhijit Vaghani view streaming platforms like Spotify?
He views them as a leveller rather than a threat. Vaghani pointed out that Spotify releases around 1,50,000 songs a day, but noted that having your music on the same platform as global icons like Justin Bieber or Rihanna is itself a mark of high-calibre artistry.
Why does Abhijit Vaghani say artists should value small listener counts?
Vaghani argues that even 10 or 20 views represent real people being reached by your work. He says gratitude for small numbers is essential, and that audience appreciation — at any scale — is the fuel that keeps a composer's creative fire burning.
Where did Abhijit Vaghani give this interview?
He spoke at his studio in the Andheri West area of Mumbai.
