Meet Malayali musician Steve Kottoor who pepped up Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge’ score

Mumbai-based Malayali Steve Thomas Kottoor recalls the overwhelming weight that settled on him as he worked on the final moments of Ranveer Singh’s colossal hit 'Dhurandhar 2.' With just two days left until the film's release, Steve, who had composed the additional music and co-produced the background score of the movie along with the film’s music composer Shashwat Sachdev, found himself immersed in a relentless 24-hour work marathon. The countdown to completion felt like a distant echo, but this was the pivotal moment- one of the climax scenes, where every note, every sound, had to carry the emotional gravity of the film’s most intense sequence.

"I can still feel it," Steve recalled. "The studio went utterly silent. We were crafting the music alongside the visuals, and as the scenes unfolded, we were all shattered—emotionally broken, in the best way. The weight of it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. It was as if the film had reached its peak, and we were standing on the edge of something monumental.”

And Steve was not wrong. The climax of the film became one of the most talked-about aspects of ‘Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge’, with music becoming one of its defining features. In fact, the soundtracks of ‘Dhurandhar’ 1 and 2 are not just an addition to the film; they have become the film’s very heartbeat, finding its own set of fans across various ages. Steve credits this to filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s vision.

“Director Aditya Dar’s involvement with the music was unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” says the 26-year-old. “He worked closely with us, full-time, bringing his vision to life. Aditya wasn’t just a director; he was a musical genius. And Shashwat Sachdev, who collaborated so seamlessly with him, brought that vision to reality. It was awe-inspiring to watch them work. Aditya Dar is a brilliant filmmaker and deeply musical,” he said.

According to him, Aditya had one key condition regarding the music, especially during the pivotal scenes of the movie. “He was very specific about the background score needing to be both emotionally intense and haunting. Shashwat and I had already envisioned the soundscape, which blended Indian beats, English rap, hip-hop, and Punjabi music. We also incorporated deep drones, subtle pulses, and minimalistic elements throughout,” he added.

Landing the music role in 'Dhurandhar'
Steve, who graduated from SH College in Thevara, Kochi, moved to Mumbai soon after the Covid pandemic after being invited to the city by the founders of popular music band Masala Coffee. There, he began his career working as a music production faculty in a studio, before joining playback singer Atif Aslam’s band. "Debutant director Aryan Khan was looking for a music producer to arrange the music composed by Shashwat for his series ‘Bads of Bollywood.’ Shashwat’s manager reached out to my friend JK to ask if he knew any music producers who could work in the project. That’s when JK recommended me. He liked my work, and soon after, he told me about Dhurandhar, adding that he would like me to be part of the team. I’ll never forget what he said when he showed me some visuals from the movie. He told me that Dhurandhar was going to be a revolution in Indian cinema, and that its music would be remembered even 15 years later,” he said.

Working with Aryan Khan on Bads of Bollywood
Steve also shared his experience of working with Aryan Khan on the project ‘Bads of Bollywood.’ “Aryan was deeply involved in the music for the project. I vividly remember him arriving at the studio each night to review our scores. His musical knowledge was impressive—he could pinpoint even the smallest nuances that needed tweaking to elevate the overall sound. His vision was clear, and he knew exactly what he wanted musically. It was truly interesting and collaborative working with him,” said Steve.

Travelling the world with Atif Aslam
Steve has had the privilege of traveling to over 30 countries with Atif Aslam, performing on some of the world's biggest stages, including the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai. “It’s been an incredible journey so far,” Steve said. “We’ll be heading to South Africa this Thursday with the band. Every show is housefull, and honestly, I’ve never seen such a powerful unity between Pakistanis and Indians as I’ve witnessed at an Atif Aslam concert. The energy is unmatched."

Upcoming music composition projects
Currently, Steve is in discussions with a production house for a Malayalam-Telugu movie and hopes to make his debut as a music composer in films soon.