Raghav & Arjun’s latest song ‘Afra tafri’, a ghazal from the web series Raakh streaming on Amazon Prime cuts the clutter. People have called it refreshing and de-cluttering. “I feel everyone is tired of loud songs and blasting music. Afra tafri meaning ‘chaotic bustle’ in Urdu-Hindi tells you to slow down, have chai, enjoy and reflect,” says Raghav.

The duo was approached by Nightsong, who supervised the music, to compose the number. The ghazal, in Surinder Khan’s voice, explores the themes of identity, truth, memory, and belonging. “The intent was to create a composition without any production gimmicks or make things sound louder or trendier. We wanted the song to be only about poetry and music so that listeners can just sit back and enjoy,” says Raghav.

The lyrics resonate with events in the world today and the increasingly blurring line between right and wrong. The song reflects on an individual’s loss of friendship and values while chasing for material objects, adds Arjun. “It is written around the feeling of losing one's place in the world, whether through fading convictions, fractured relationships or a disappearing sense of self; the lyrics invite both personal and political interpretations,” he elaborates.

They grew up in awe of ghazals while listening to Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali and Jagjit Singh. The composers say that since they were composing a traditional ghazal for the first time, their focus was to stay true to the spirit of the ghazal tradition of the ‘70s and ‘80s . “The first step was educating ourselves about the form, understanding the matla, kaafiya, radeef, and the independence of each sher. We actually rewrote parts of the song after realising that our songwriting approach didn't serve the ghazal tradition. We kept the production raw and as close as possible to its traditional presentation,” explains Arjun.

The composers believe they found a vintage voice in Mohali-based singer Surinder Khan who has earlier done a cover of Ghulam Ali’s song. “Thanks to social media, we were lucky enough to find Surinder Khan ji, who carries a lot of nostalgia in his voice.”

Friendship evolved into music for the Mumbai-based duo — originally Raghav M Kumar and Arjun Sharma —who met at Jaypee University of Engineering and Technology in Guna, Madhya Pradesh and were part of the college’s music band. They quit jobs in Delhi to pursue their passion and try their luck in the music industry in Mumbai. “After getting married, we set up our own houses but we share our common love for spirituality. Many things intertwine us as co-workers, brothers and family,” says Raghav.

Their collaborative working style helps them to navigate creative differences. “We both have an aesthetic for good music and contribute to the synergetic process between us. We put our egos aside for music and at the end, good music is all that matters,”

The duo has been in the business for a decade composing music for brands, films like Dear Dad and the web series The Good Vibes. They have a couple of industry releases in the pipeline including a travel song ‘Kho jaayenge hum’ to release in August.

Raakh is streaming on Prime Video