Himesh Reshammiya rejects films without romantic tracks: 'Numbers are 10x higher'
Synopsis
Himesh Reshammiya has a firm rule: no romantic song in a film means no Himesh Reshammiya. On Komal Nahta's podcast, the composer revealed he routinely declines projects dominated by situational tracks, arguing that romantic numbers generate streaming numbers '10 times higher' — and that expectations tied to his name leave no room for compromise.
Key Takeaways
Himesh Reshammiya declines any Hindi film project that does not include a romantic song.
He cited streaming and commercial data: romantic songs generate numbers 10 times higher than situational tracks.
Reshammiya made the remarks on film trade expert Komal Nahta's 'Game Changers: The Music Series' podcast.
He also spoke about deadline pressure in film music, arguing that songs composed without time constraints tend to be of higher quality.
The composer noted that a reputation built on romantic numbers creates an audience expectation he is unwilling to dilute.
Music composer Himesh Reshammiya has laid out an unambiguous creative rule for his Hindi film music career: if a project does not include a romantic song, he will not take it on. In a candid appearance on film trade expert Komal Nahta's 'Game Changers: The Music Series' podcast, Reshammiya explained the commercial and artistic logic behind this self-imposed boundary, offering a rare window into how one of Bollywood's most commercially successful composers filters his work.
The Romantic Song Rule
Reshammiya was direct about the kind of offers he turns down. 'I frequently get situational films where I am required to make songs for two friends or siblings. They are just straight situational songs. Because I want to work on romantic songs, if 90% of the film consists of five or six situational songs and there is no romantic song, I turn them down,' he said.
The composer did not shy away from the commercial rationale. 'I have clarity because the numbers coming from romantic songs are 10 times higher. I like doing romantic songs, and I am very good at it. When I work on a film, there is a certain expectation,' he added. He also acknowledged the reputational risk of not meeting that expectation: 'If I don't deliver those numbers, they won't say that the numbers weren't good because there was no romantic song.'
The Philosophy Behind the Rule
Reshammiya's position reflects a broader tension in Hindi film music between artistic ambition and audience expectation. Romantic numbers have historically dominated streaming charts and radio play in Bollywood, and composers who build their identity around the genre face structural pressure to deliver in that lane regardless of the project's overall tone. His willingness to decline work — rather than stretch his brand — is a calculated bet on consistency over volume.
On Creative Timelines and Song Destiny
Elsewhere in the podcast conversation, Reshammiya addressed longevity in film music and the idea that every song carries its own destiny. He spoke specifically about songs that are created well before a film's production formally begins — a practice he said often yields better results than deadline-driven composition.
'I always feel that if you go in search of a song today, we say that such music is not made. It is not made because if you give me a deadline that I want a song in a month — it is possible that a great song can be made. It can be made in a minute too. But it is possible that it is not made,' he explained.
He elaborated on how shooting deadlines can force a compromise. 'Because of the deadline, when the shooting takes place in the same 15 days or a month then you either have to take the same song that I have made or anyone else has made. And that thing may not be great at that time. But if you have made one thing on time, in which there is no pressure of a time limit and it is great, after that you have made a sample,' he said.
What This Signals for Bollywood Music
Reshammiya's remarks come at a time when the Hindi film music industry is increasingly fragmented — between independent album releases, streaming-first singles, and traditional film soundtracks. His insistence on romantic tracks as a non-negotiable suggests that even veteran composers are actively curating their association with genres that sustain streaming longevity. As the podcast conversation made clear, for Reshammiya, the romantic song is not merely a creative preference — it is a brand-defining commitment.
Point of View
No deal' stance is less a quirk and more a masterclass in brand discipline. In a streaming era where a single viral romantic number can outperform an entire situational soundtrack on Spotify and YouTube, his calculus is commercially defensible. The more interesting question is what it says about the structural poverty of 'situational' Bollywood music — if even a composer of his standing would rather walk away than be associated with it, the industry has a genre-diversity problem that no algorithm will fix.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Himesh Reshammiya reject films without romantic songs?
Himesh Reshammiya says he turns down films dominated by situational songs because romantic tracks generate streaming and commercial numbers that are '10 times higher.' He has built his reputation around romantic film music and does not want to be associated with projects that cannot meet the audience expectations tied to his name.
Where did Himesh Reshammiya make these comments?
He made these remarks on film trade expert Komal Nahta's 'Game Changers: The Music Series' podcast, where he discussed his creative preferences, music selection process, and philosophy on longevity in Hindi film music.
What did Himesh Reshammiya say about music deadlines?
Reshammiya argued that tight shooting deadlines often force composers to settle for songs that are not at their best. He said a great song can emerge without deadline pressure, and that pre-composed samples made without time constraints tend to produce superior results.
What is Himesh Reshammiya's view on longevity in Bollywood music?
The composer believes every song has its own destiny and that longevity comes from consistently delivering within the genre where one excels. He spoke about the importance of not stretching one's creative identity just to take on more projects.
What kind of films does Himesh Reshammiya prefer to work on?
Reshammiya prefers films that have at least one strong romantic track. He accepts that situational songs are part of the craft but insists they cannot make up the bulk of a project he is attached to, given the commercial and reputational stakes involved.
