Destiny appears to be striking the right notes for Nitesh Ramchandra. Currently, the music director, composer, playback singer and performer surely has much to grin about. For a child who was deeply disinclined towards education, and who fled to Mumbai from his Uttar Pradesh home at 14 to escape schooling, he seems to have it all. 

His key support, clearly, comes from Govinda. About eight years back, an acquaintance called up Nitesh asking him to show up for a swift meeting with the actor. “At that time, Govinda was a little unhappy with one of the tunes composed by a music director,” says Nitesh. “He asked me if I could make the song better and more suited to his liking. I accepted the challenge.” 

Advancing him a generous amount, Govinda commissioned him for the track. The finalised tune thrilled the actor at once, and he rewarded Nitesh handsomely. That move, however, forged a bond between them that has steadily fortified over time. 

Currently, Nitesh is in top form as the music director of the Govinda film ‘Duniyadari,” although he illuminated his skills amply with ‘Dua Qubool’ and ‘Suspense.’  

Announced in 2025, ‘Duniyadari’ - touted as “an action-drama with comedic elements and emotional depth” - is a double challenge for Nitesh, since it also marks Govinda’s comeback to Hindi moviedom.  

“I have composed 4 to 5 songs for ‘Duniyadari’ and they are all finalised,” he says. “All the songs are varied, have different emotions and are in keeping with the theme of the film. As a music director, I feel that every word of the lyrics also has its own vibration which should be in sync with its tune.”

Music, however, took root in his childhood. His early leanings towards it stem from his maternal grandfather and mother. “As a child, I loved listening to my mother’s sweet voice in the bhajans that she sang,” he says. “That also sowed the seeds of a deep love for music.” 

Following six years of training at a music institution in suburban Mumbai, Nitesh bagged the qualification of ‘Sangeet Prabhakar.’ However, he hails Manohar Iyer - a producer, actor and lyricist - as his “Godfather” and mentor, crediting him for honing his abilities in film music. 

“At 16, Manohar Sir heard me sing. He said that I have the blessings of Maa Saraswati. He then advised me to leave the world behind and embrace music as a full-time occupation,” says Nitesh.

Under his YouTube channel ‘White Waves Music,’ Nitesh diligently creates one new track per week. A feat that finds favour with an increasing number of students who can’t seem to get enough of his art. “I teach with sincerity and dedication.That’s why students who are truly interested in music easily gain knowledge and skills from me,” he says.

In the pipeline are two video albums featuring Nitesh as music director, crafted under a leading South production house. “Although they are due for release soon, I cannot give out any details about them at the moment,” he states emphatically. 

Admittedly, Nitesh identifies himself as an “old soul,” opining that he is a repository of musical knowledge accrued over several lifetimes. “That probably explains why I’m able to get a tune right within my first two or three attempts itself,” he states. “And there have been no exceptions to that, as yet.”

Ajit Ramachanddran

Ajit Ramachanddran is a journalist, content creator and researcher with over two decades of experience in the beats of entertainment, lifestyle, wellness and fashion, and has worked as a staffer with many top-drawer publication groups of India.