Gingger Shankar on composing music for Ms Marvel, The Gray Man, South Asian representation in the West and more

Born to violinist Dr L Subramaniam and classical vocalist Viji Subramaniam, Gingger Shankar always had music running through her veins. Over the years, the Los Angeles-based musician went on to contribute in Hollywood films like Passion Of The Christ (2004), Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) and The Forbidden Kingdom (2008), among others. Gingger, who remains the world’s only female double violin player, has now added a new feather to her hat as she became the first musician from India to compose a song in a Marvel project titled Ms Marvel . The song titled ‘Rozi’ features in the end credits of the series. It is co-written by Gingger and marks the first release under her new label, Naughty Horses Records.

In a chat with Firstpost, the musician talks about collaborating with Pakistani rapper Eva B on Rozi, the changing dynamics and representation of Indian musicians in the West, the need to have more Asian faces in mainstream Hollywood, working on The Gray Man and more.

Excerpts from the interview

You are the first Indian composer to have composed a song in an MCU project. Tell us a bit about how you became a part of it.

First, it was already beyond exciting to have a song in a Marvel film since I am such a fan of the universe! But to have a song in Ms Marvel which features the first-ever Pakistani girl superhero created by incredible brown women and then working on a song with Eva B, the first ever Pakistani female rapper, who is so unbelievably talented with her words and her swag… the excitement level is off the charts. If you had told me five years ago that we would have a track in a Marvel show in Urdu, I wouldn’t have believed you.

It gives us all a lot of hope that we are starting to see faces that look like us in mainstream Hollywood, especially in the superhero genre.

How was your collaboration with Eva B?

It has been so magical to create music with Eva B. I first started working with her about three years ago. I had come across a video she had made called Gully Girls as a play on Gully Boy and I was blown away by her personality, her swagger and her overall message. It took so long to connect with her! I remember having a friend that was shooting a film in Pakistan, so I asked him to see if he could find her. It took another few months, but when we actually talked, it was an instant connection. We started working on a project together when the pandemic hit. About a year and a half ago, we started working again and from the first track, we knew we had something special. We’re currently working on a full-length album for her and cannot wait to share that with the world.

The cast of Ms Marvel includes a host of actors from Asia. What do you think it means for us as far as global recognition is concerned?

I think it’s extremely important. We’re living in a time of so much hatred around the world. Sexism, racism, Islamaphobia, xenophobia… In America, we saw the rise of so much violence against Asians during the pandemic. Kids need to grow up seeing superheroes that look like them. People need to see us in mainstream media. Art and media have always shaped culture, so it’s more important than ever to have more and more faces that look like us.

You have also composed music for Russo Brothers’ upcoming film, The Gray Man. When you are a part of prominent projects like this, do you believe it increases your responsibility to bring in a certain kind of Indian-ness to them?

It’s always a big responsibility to be given these opportunities because we all know so many folks who should have these opportunities in Hollywood but don’t. I feel very privileged to have platforms to be able to make music and to be able to speak. I don’t take any of that lightly or for granted. Honestly, I think just being in the room brings Indian-ness in, especially when those rooms generally don’t have people that look like me, particularly in the mainstream. The Gray Man trailer was special because I got to work with one of my favourite collaborators, Devin Parker, and we love pushing the envelope of Indian, hip pop, strings and cinematic music.

You recently gave a keynote on women empowerment and girls’ education at the Rotary International Convention in Houston. As a public figure, does it become even more important to raise your voice on topics like these?

Honestly, I still wonder how I end up in these places! Doing a keynote to 25,000 people in person about something I’m so passionate about felt so surreal. But my passion is what motivates me. And the fact that I get to not only deliver a keynote on such a high-level stage, but I also get to tell stories with music to these folks. My band French Gin performed with an incredible dhol player, bringing in Indian instruments to a place that doesn’t hear those sounds. It’s a dream. Also, I can’t imagine not raising my voice on topics that are important. What is more important than empowering women and girls? They are at the forefront of every climate crisis movement. There are Dalit women revolutionising waste picking in India to protect the environment and health. There are indigenous women on the ground in Minnesota fighting a pipeline for clean water. They are changing the world and raising families. What’s more important than that?

And what are your thoughts on the representation of Indian musicians in the west?

I honestly think our representation in the west still has a long way to go. It’s surprising when you see people falling back on the same ideas and wanting us to be the same and sound the same. I still get asked by folks if I speak Indian or play the sitar! What is exciting though is the new generation of Indian musicians. They keep pushing barriers, they’re breaking down genres, they’re experimenting and feeling so much more comfortable in their own skin. It gives me so much life seeing it.

How do you think the West’s perception about Indian music has changed over the years?

Because of Pandit Ravi Shankar ji, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan saab and Ustad Alla Rakha, the West thinks our music is synonymous with spirituality. There was a certain fetishisation that happened. And then when we had Lata Mangeshkar ji and Asha- Bhonsle ji, people would just sing the melodies and know their names without even understanding the words. There is so much power in those melodies. And I think over the years, they saw more and more collaborations - my uncle Ananda Shankar combining Indian and psychedelic rock, my dad combining Indian classical with western classical and film scores, and my grandmother Lakshmi Shankar making a pop song with George Harrison. With Bombay Jayashree singing in Life Of Pi (2012) and Ranveer Singh singing in Gully Boy (2019), it feels like the perception has shifted. Also, the industry has figured out how big our markets really are and how die-hard our fans are around the world, so that has probably helped.

Titas Chowdhury is a journalist based in Mumbai with a keen interest in films and beaches.

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