CHENNAI: City-based music director Vishal Chandrashekhar seems to be having his calendar full. While his latest film Appuchi Gramam released last Friday, the 29-year-old is busy composing for his next, starring Bharath and Premji Amaren, besides another horror flick. Having done a course at A R Rahman music school, Vishal has been composing music for numerous ads like Kingfisher IPL, Airtel Super Singer and Britannia, besides 400 short films. He has scored music for Santosh Sivan’s Inam, Brinda Das’s Hi Da, and Hrudayam Ekkadunnadhi in Telugu. The music director opens up to City Express about his favourite musician, what music means to him and future projects...
Making music
I was pretty serious about getting into film music and got my first break with Inam, directed by Santosh Sivan, after almost 12 years in the waiting. I have been learning music from the age of six. I express myself through music and it means the world to me. A good piece of song happens mostly while I am in the middle of a traffic jam or waiting in a queue. I guess most ideas come when the mind is completely blank and not pre-occupied.
Evergreen ARR
We are exposed to good quality music and new genres. But somewhere down the line, we yearn to listen to AR Rahman’s music of the 90s and the vintage melodies of Ilaiyaraaja. Every era has had its own golden period. The 70s had the marvel of MSV and the 80s had the eloquence of Ilaiyaraaja, but since I am a kid of the 90s, for me, it is AR Rahman. Of late, I look up to Santosh Narayanan, though my all time favourites include Ilaiyaraaja, ARR and Hans Zimmer.
Actors turning Singers
We see a lot of actors evolving into musicians. This is a healthy trend. When an actor sings a song for a composer, it carries the ‘hit quotient’ and benefits the composer. There is more acceptance from the audience in such cases.
Vishal’s USP
Background score is the most vital part of any film. That is my USP. I don’t restrict myself to just musical instruments while scoring. I tend to explore other sounds that give the song a unique effect.
Criticisms and Recognition
I am open to criticism that helps one become a better musician. Taking criticism in a healthy way is one of the main attributes that any artiste should cultivate. If my work gets recognised and appreciated, it inspires and motivates me to work harder for my next venture.
Favourite Singers
I like Shreya Ghoshal, Vijayprakash, Lucky Ali and many others. It’s hard to narrow down on one particular name because all of them have their own originality. I’d love to work with Shankar Mahadevan.
Being a Composer
Music composers should be decent singers. Moreover, they should be expressive about what they want from the singers. That’s when they can get the best out of them. The most challenging aspect of being a composer is not to repeat yourself. A composer has to create a brand around oneself while working with a lot of people who have different mindsets. My goal is to become a musician who can be associated with really good music.
Rewind Via Remix
I am open to remixes as long as I have the consent of the original composer. Good remixes can make today’s generation connect easily to the past.
Focus on Lyrics
There are songs which have left a prolonged impact on audiences because of the depth of the lyrics. There are also songs which have made the audience sit up and take notice because of quirky lyrics. In the long run, meaningful lyrics will always stay longer in the hearts of the audience.
Mollywood Calling
I am very fascinated about Mollywood as they have the perfect blend of art and science of cinema. Sandalwood? Sorry, I didn’t smuggle any... (Laughs)
Albums on cards?
Currently, I am working on an album about Shiva. I can guarantee that it would be a treat to the ears.
