Since childhood, I had the patriotic feeling, but when I started writing songs, I got a feeling that I would be able to influence people through my songs via cinema, not just by a patriotic number; it could be a message oriented song, devotional song, motivational, philosophical etc. In the course of my career as a lyricist, I could touch a variety of genres but never a patriotic number. It was only a few years back, I was offered a song in Na Peru Surya Na Illu India. In the cinema industry, however good your song is, it needs proper publicity and right canvas, aptly here the canvas was big and I was more than happy to be associated with Vishal Baradwaj, Vakkantam Vamsi, Allu Arjun. The role of the soldier also mattered a lot and everything fell in place. Apart from getting an opportunity, I also got motivated to write a good song.
Simplicity is my USP for any song. Just as the way I talk, I keep my songs simple too unless the situation demands me to alter my style. When we get the tune, the mood is set. You get an intuition and I don’t need to hunt for words, the mood and tune inspires you and the words automatically fall in place. People think it is words that are solely responsible for the song to work, but it isn’t. There is a soul that interconnects the words and that touches us.
Success of a song doesn’t entirely depend on my composing. Though I have clarity and conviction, the director could have a different opinion. Across songs, it is living someone else’s dream. It is a dream project and they have given me one version. I need to see the director’s vision, feel his passion and I should believe in his world. It is not the physical hardship of having to spend a number of days composing; I too think like the filmmaker and own the song and the film. Be it OTT content or a big film or a small song, I work on the same level. It is the sincerity that counts. We have to take a resolution, some are tough and easy. The alignment of sentences don’t work out sometimes. I strive to write songs with a novel concept, aim for appealing, alignment of words and I use common sense and craftsmanship and I am true to myself. I got to work till I get it right and getting it right happens over years of experience. There are zillion songs belonging to the same genre but how does your song stand out? Nothing comes easy and if it has worked out easily then it is a rare thing. As long as the ball in our court we should play it well and give more than what was expected, aim for customer delight and satisfaction.
When you have started off your career you have a lot of ambitions, on the way out of your job, you want to be remembered for your work, despite it being connected or linked to society. We aren’t living in isolation, we are taking it from society and also giving it back. Seetarama Sastry states in a song from Rudraveena says, “Nuvvu thine prathi oka methuku ee sangham pandinchidhe. Garvinche ee brathuku ee samajam malinchinadhe.” Everyone has a responsibility and more so people involved with the art. My offering to the society is a song. When it is possible, I compose a patriotic song, sometimes on the pandemic, on the storm etc. Even a Butta Bomma is a contribution to society. When you come back home tired, it relaxes you to an extent. I am serving you. When a pandemic like this comes, it is a bigger responsibility. We have to be alive, positive and hang on. If one door closes, a hundred others open. A crisis leads to something new and invigorating.
