Interview | The Revisit Project Rediscovers The Golden Age Of Hindi Film Music, One Sax Solo At A Time

The Studio Theatre at Mumbai's glittering NMACC is used to hosting the grand and the glamorous. On August 1, 2025, it will groove to the sound of something more nostalgic, and more revolutionary: jazz. Not just any jazz, though. Jazz that travels through time, reinterpreting the most beloved songs of Hindi cinema with funk, soul, gospel, and a healthy dose of saxophone.

This isn’t your grandpa's jazz club. It’s 'Celebrating Indian Composers,' the bold, brass-heavy tribute series by Delhi-based instrumental band The Revisit Project. And its founding member, saxophonist Abhay Sharma, is living his childhood dream. “I still remember being three years old and hearing S.D. Burman’s music from Abhimaan for the first time," Abhay says, eyes lighting up. “It’s etched in my memory. That’s where this whole journey began.”

Tradition With A Beat Drop

Launched in 2014 as a tribute act dedicated to unearthing Bollywood’s forgotten gems, The Revisit Project has since evolved into one of India’s most exciting indie fusion bands. They’ve released three original albums – Here We Go, Brown Man's Funk, and Born In Delhi – and are slated to perform original music at the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa this December. But we circle back to 'Celebrating Indian Composers' since it is more than just a side gig. It's a return to where it all began: a celebration of the timeless melodies that shaped their musical DNA.

“There’s a wonderful quote by Gustav Mahler I live by,” says Abhay. “'Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.' That’s exactly what this series is about.” The 90-minute set takes audiences on a chronological journey from the 1950s to the 2000s, featuring reimagined classics from the likes of Naushad, OP Nayyar, Madan Mohan, S.D. Burman, Jatin-Lalit, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Vishal Bhardwaj, and A.R. Rahman.

The Set List That Starts Fights

Deciding what to play isn’t easy when the golden age of Hindi cinema spans decades. “We start the set with Naushad saab's golden songs,” Abhay explains. “Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki (from the 1949 movie Dulari) felt like the right beginning. But we all have emotional attachments to different songs, so there were a few fights. In the end, we vote. Democracy wins.” However, they all agree on one thing: “If I try to skip Na Jaane Kyun (Salil Chowdhury's composition from Chhoti Si Baat) during rehearsal, everyone throws a tantrum,” he laughs.

How do they take melodies born in black-and-white cinema and infuse them with groove without losing their soul? “It’s like dressing a melody without over-accessorising it,” says Abhay. “You respect it. Let it breathe. We don’t change much. Jazz and blues already belonged to that era; we just bring them forward with fresh textures.”

This philosophy results in instrumentals that feel both rooted and radically new. It helps that the crowd joins in. In Delhi, audiences began singing along to every song. “We didn’t plan for that,” Abhay admits. “But I tell them now: join in when you feel like it. It’s about having a good time.”

Emotional Education

Revisiting these songs has changed how Abhay sees Hindi film music’s legendary composers. “They did more with less,” he says. “Some of these songs still make my mom cry, and there’s real depth there. Imagine a composer in Calcutta understanding exactly how a refugee felt during the Partition. Then there's a North Indian composer like O.P. Nayyar being hugely popular in the South. Music truly has no boundaries.”

If he could bring one of those composers back to watch the show? “Pancham da. Just to see his face. That would be enough.”

What Comes Next?

While Celebrating Indian Composers remains a passion project, The Revisit Project’s future lies in expanding their original sound. “That’s where we add to the lore,” says Abhay. “But this tribute series? That’s our childhood. We’ll never stop doing it.”

If The Revisit Project ever scored a film, Abhay already has a title in mind: Musafir Hoon Yaaron. Like the song, it captures the band’s journey: part nostalgia, part improvisation, all heart.

So on August 1, when they take the stage at NMACC in Mumbai, expect the unexpected. Expect jazz to meet Jab Jab Phool Khile. Expect saxophones where you once heard sitars. And expect to sing along because sometimes, preserving the fire means throwing a full-blown groove party in its honour.

Read more:

1. Tupac To Sidhu Moosewala, Hologram Concerts Are Where Popular Past Stars Are Born Again
2. Meet Nushver, The Metal Band From Mumbai Turning Mortality Into Melody
3. Bandish Music Festival Returns For 15th Year To Honour The Composers Who Composed India, RD Burman, Jitendra Abhisheki, Muthusvami Dikshitar And Others