Industry insiders confirm that sitar virtuoso and neo classical musician Rishab Rikhiram Sharma is officially set to make his highly anticipated Bollywood debut in music scoring. In a historic musical alliance, the young maestro will join forces with Academy Award winners Hans Zimmer and Indian music icon A.R. Rahman who are curating the sonic landscape for Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming cinematic magnum opus, Ramayan.
Highly placed sources close to the production reveal that Sharma has been brought on board to compose the trailer’s title track, as well as contribute to significant portrayals involving Lord Ram, Lord Hanuman and Lankesh Ravana.
Producers were reportedly drawn to Sharma’s unique ability to tap into the human psyche through sound frequencies. A source reveals, “The filmmakers do not just want a standard background score; they want a psychological experience. Rishab’s work with music therapy made him the definitive choice to contribute to the complex emotional scenes. He will utilize his signature custom-engineered electronic sitar, SITARA, to contrast these legendary characters, bringing a fresh twist to classical bhajans alongside his own original compositions.” Through this approach, Sharma will ground the score in ancient Indian classical roots reimagined for the modern age.
Sharma’s debut comes on the heels of massive global momentum bridging the gap between youth culture and classical music. As Pandit Ravi Shankar’s youngest and last disciple, he has spent recent years breaking traditional boundaries, most notably through his pioneering global Sitar for Mental Health tour. The tour, which sold out across major Indian cities and international venues, used the classical sitar as a tool for sound therapy, mindfulness and anxiety relief.
By stepping into a powerhouse triumvirate with Zimmer and Rahman, Sharma is poised to elevate the sitar from a traditional accompanying instrument to the emotional heartbeat of modern global cinema.
Ramayan features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. Sunny Deol will portray Hanuman, while Ravie Dubey will be seen as Lakshman. Ramayan: Part One is scheduled to hit theatres during Diwali 2026, while the second instalment is expected to release on Diwali 2027.