Have you ever heard his music? Familiar, yet elusive. Subtle, yet stirring. Vivek Sagar has an uncanny ability to elevate a film without overshadowing its essence. His compositions feel like a quiet companion to the story, never loud, but always present. Whether it’s the laid-back charm of Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi, the emotional cadence of Brochevarevarura, or the recent soul-stirring track 35 - Chinna Katha Kaadhu, his music doesn’t just touch ears, it lingers in the soul.
A self-taught composer who bypassed the conventional route of film internships, Vivek carved a distinct path through the indie scene, performing with multiple bands before making his cinematic debut with Pelli Choopulu (2016). Since then, his work has become synonymous with rooted yet experimental Telugu film music. In an exclusive conversation with CE at Parnasala Youth Excellence (PYE) Awards 2025, Vivek talks about his journey, musical influences, and why his sound defies formula.
Excerpts
A few words about PYE 2025? What does this recognition mean to you?
I am definitely glad about PYE receiving recognition from them. It definitely means a lot, since they are doing it for the first time, and being part of their list and being accepted makes me really happy. A big thanks to them.
How did your journey in music begin? Can you recall moments that helped shape you as a musician?
My mother played a very important role. She just enjoyed singing, and was a dancer too. So, naturally, I think I had the ability to sing. It started from there. In school, Ramachari sir, our music teacher, identified me quite young, probably when I was in first class. Since then, I was part of every music activity. During engineering, I picked up the guitar and started listening to a lot more music. My elder brother was also a big influence. He used to sing and listen to a lot of world music. So I think these were the main influences.
Where do you find inspiration for new compositions? And who are your musical idol?
Inspiration generally comes from the director. As a musician, I just do what I want to do. Once the director tells me the story, that becomes the main inspiration. If you ask me specifically about musical inspiration, there are many. But it’s not like I sit down and think, ‘I’ll take inspiration from this track’. That doesn’t really happen. Sometimes it even ends up sounding like a copy. So I avoid that. I just listen to a lot of music. It all stays in the subconscious, and it comes out naturally.
You often collaborate with fresh voices and use indie-style instrumentation. Is that a conscious choice?
Yes, I usually work with voices from the indie scene. I didn’t get into film music through the traditional route. I never interned or worked as an assistant composer under anyone here. It happened that way fortunately or unfortunately. My journey started through bands. I was part of multiple bands for eight to nine years. That influence came naturally. I didn’t plan to make indie-sounding music, it’s just part of my musical vocabulary.
Your sound is instantly recognisable, yet you never repeat yourself. Do you intentionally avoid formula, or is it more a response to mainstream fatigue?
I think a lot depends on the audience. I really don’t know if there’s a formula to making music. Every time, every song, every situation feels different, you can always do something new. I’m not really into mainstream. I don’t listen to it much, to be honest. So maybe that’s why my sound ends up being different. I give more value to what I like hearing.
Beyond film, if time and money were no object, what would your dream music project look like?
Definitely, playing with my band is something I’d love to do. In all the bands I’ve played with, we’ve always expressed whatever we were feeling at that time. I started out playing heavy rock and metal. Later, I played Carnatic-western fusion, jazz-pop, and even rock-electronic blends. Recently, we started a new side project. We haven’t named it yet. We had one rule, don’t compose anything in advance. Just show up and jam for 3–4 hours. No confirmation of what we’d play. It was about being in the moment. If the bass guitarist started something, we’d follow it. Or the drummer would begin a groove, and we’d explore it. It was a fantastic, experimental experience. That’s how music should be.
What’s next for you?
I have a couple of films coming up. Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi 2 with Tharun Bhascker is starting soon. I’m also working on a film called Dark Chocolate, and a few others are still in progress.