With music lovers lapping up the song Kanmani in yet-to-be released Malayalam flick Kunthapura, singer Ranjin Raj Varma is on cloud nine and is hopeful of a new innings in Mollywood.
Within a few days of its release on the YouTube, the song has become a hit and the singer, who first shot to fame with the reality show Star Singer, is happy that the catchy melody has struck the right chord with the audiences and the netizens are increasingly surfing it.
Even though Ranjin has sung many numbers in Malayalam films, the singer feels that this will be his first break as an acclaimed playback singer. Kunthapura, a drama film which unravels the tales of the past, has been directed by Joe Eshwar and its music has been done by Vimal T K. The film is scheduled to be released on July 5.
“My earlier works in Malayalam did not get much recognition. Kunthapura is a big-budget movie, with an acclaimed crew. My song is topping the charts and I think it will be a turning point in my life,” Ranjin says.
Ranjin proudly says he is no stranger to Kannadigas. The singer, who needs no introduction to Kannada audiences, has crooned for more than 10 songs in Kannada.
He admits that Kannada music is quite different from Malayalam music.
“I have been trained in carnatic music. For a person like me, the current western influence in Kannada music was a real challenge. However, it’s a life experience for me and I have discovered new variations and modulations in the range of my singing,” Ranjin says.
A native of Palakkad, the singer has been performing on stages since the age of three. “I always dreamt of becoming a playback singer in my childhood days. After I was selected for the reality show, I took singing more seriously. The realty show helped me grab many chances to do stage shows across the world,” he smiles.
Ranjin recalls that his debut song Andendu Nodida in the Kannada movie Sandalwood Guru was a huge hit. “The song made me noticed by everybody in the Kannada film industry. Later, I sung 10 more songs. Two songs in the film Colours in Bengaluru were also hits,” he says.
And he is thankful to James Architect, music director of Sandalwood Guru, for introducing him to the Kannada film industry. The call from James came after he listened to a Album, which Ranjin had done after getting out of the reality show.
Ranjin, while not forgetting the faces that are instrumental in his success, gives due credit to his voice, which made him so popular in the Kannada film industry.
“I have a very bassy voice, which is apt for the songs that have a Western touch. And it gives me a lot of confidence to sing in Kannada language,” he says.
A Malayalam solo number Nira Nila in the film Raavu has also been released on the YouTube. This, along with the two numbers in Kannada, completes his forthcoming projects.
Ranjin, who has already sung five songs in Malayalam, has three assignments in yet-to-be-announced Malayalam films. He also does anchoring for many programmes in TV channels.
As a person who breaths and lives music, Ranjin has set up a music academy - Dhwani -in his home town for training budding talents.