What inspires you?
Even
a painting can inspire me. Or a story. The story in Veyil
inspired me very much.
Your
feelings about Veyil?
I
am thrilled that my very first movie went to Cannes, and won
the National, State and Filmfare award. Thanks to Vasantha
Balan. The combo worked out superbly.
For
the cinema, cinema song in Kuselan one of the people you had
called to appear in the song is director Vijay of Kreedom. Why
did you choose him? We
think on the same wavelength. We discuss each other’s
work. We go out to dinner. He has been a great help to me.
And a really nice person. Recently for my birthday-which was
June 13th, he threw a surprise party for me. I thought one
way to return his gesture was to include him in the song as
a way of honoring him.
When
do you feel fully satisfied with a song?
Only
after the final mix is over. Before that I am never satisfied.
Also, I know when I’m tuning a song that it could be
a hit. Such as Urugudhe. And for Polladavan and Veyil I got
claps in the theatre for the hit songs.
How
do you choose a particular playback voice for a song?
I
know it instinctively. For instance, for Om Zaarere I just
knew it had to be sung by Daler Mehendi. And I invited him
to sing it. Veyil I thought will be good for Kailash Kher’s
voice, and I got him to do it.
One
song in Kuselan goes up to 7 minutes rather than the usual
five.
The
song required it because at one point at the end of the story
the movie shifts to Kerala, and that’s where the extra
two minutes of the song comes in.
You
seem to dislike doing remix songs.
I’ve
just begun composing. Why should I resort to remix? I have
so many tunes to offer to cinema. That’s why I avoid
them. However, for a forthcoming Selvaraghavan film, the visuals
require it. In this case I am doing a remix. They have already
spent so much on the song, I can’t come and spoil that.
What
do you tell your playback singers usually?
To
co-operate as much as possible, and not give excuses like
I was held up elsewhere and so I am late. Also, to give their
maximum when singing.
Directors
you’d like to compose for?
Mani
Sir. In Bollywood, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Faran Aktar.
Fave
playbacks?
Lata
Mageshkar, Rahman’s voice I like very much. Chitra madam,
Alka Yagnik, Shankar Mahadevan – and a lot of other
singers.
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