Julius Packiam: I learnt actors’ preferences over daily cricket sessions

Julius Packiam

Over the several months that the cast of 83 learnt the sport of cricket to emulate the Indian players they were set to portray on the big screen, Julius Packiam would accompany them on the field. A devout fan of the sport since a young age, Packiam merely intended to soak in the knowledge that was being imparted by none other than the legendary cricketers who had earned India the World Cup in 1983, with Test player Balwinder Singh Sandhu at the helm of the coaching sessions.

However, it was during these sessions that the film's score composer Packiam found an opportunity to develop his work. "I fed off the actors' energies and got a sense of the vibe they shared on the field. I asked them about the kind of music they enjoy, and noticed how they interact with each other. I also asked Mr Sandhu about his memories, all of which helped me enhance my work on the score," says the musician.

Following his initial discussion with director and college friend Kabir Khan, Packiam had deciphered that the score needed to have the kind of reverence that matched the narrative. But the challenges that he faced here were different. Via his score, Packiam was expected to showcase the patriotism of not just Team India, but also all those cricketing teams that had participated in the games from across the globe. "When replicating the India vs West Indies match, [we used] distinctive sound with influences of reggae and Jamaican [music]. In West Indies, people use [steel] drums and would often carry them to the stadium, especially in those days. In India, we had our Punjabi dhol. So when the matches were played, camps were created. When they would win, their sounds [reverberated] through the stadium, and when we'd perform well, our music would fill the air. Creating the interesting dynamics and jugal bandi was enjoyable."

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Despite the film being set in the '80s, Packiam chose against creating a score that was, in its entirety, reminiscent of the era. While he used a few musical highlights of the decade, he knew that the film's emotional palette would be abused if they relied on synthetic sounds alone. "For such a narrative, we needed organic and orchestral sounds. We used music that was popular in the '80s for sections like [actors'] introductions, especially that of the West Indies [quartet] of fast bowlers. But it wasn't a blanket approach."

With tales pertaining to India's win being available in public domain, Khan, Packiam says, was eager to train attention to the players' personal stories that unfolded off the field. "It will be such an eye opener; a feast for the knowledge-seeking audiences," he promises, making a special mention for Kapil Dev's daughter Amiya, who "worked tirelessly as an assistant director, through the pandemic" to see this film come through.

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