It took eight years of hard work and sleepless nights for music composer Hiphop Tamizha Aadhi to become what he is today. After giving us many chartbusters like Theemai Thaan Vellum (Thani Oruvan, 2015) and Pazhagihkalaam (Ambala, 2015), he has turned a director and actor with the upcoming film Meesaya Murukku.
Aadhi tells City Express, “As a composer and an independent artiste, I have already directed music videos. Though I had wanted to direct a film for a long time, it became a reality only when I met Sundar C. After watching Takkaru Takkaru, a short film on jallikattu, he insisted I act.”
Since Sundar was producing the film, he encouraged Aadhi to join the team so that “he can launch me in a big
way,” smiles Aadhi. “He was even in talks with a leading actress. But I wanted to help new talent, so I went ahead with fresh faces.”
When he pitched the story to Sundar C, the latter agreed immediately to produce the film. “I’m also directing it! I strongly feel that I can do justice to my script than anyone else, and he was supports my decision. As a filmmaker, he has given me space to experiment in his movies and has allowed me to do what I thought was appealing and right,” gushes Aadhi.
The multifaceted artiste says it’s easy for him to write screenplay and dialogues as he has been writing lyrics for rap portions. “Something or the other will keep me occupied. I make sure I write them all in a piece of paper. I grabbed this project only on an experimental basis, but thankfully, it clicked well,” he smiles.
Meesaya Murukku is almost complete and Aadhi has 10 more days left for shooting. “During Ambala’s success meet, Sundar told me that I am his hero. Since he has seen my music band’s growth, he always encourages us in whatever we do,” he grins.
However, he quickly clarifies that independent music will always be close to his heart. “Independent artistes ought to be heard and there are many in our country who need proper financial support. I had a tough time coming up in life; so I want to give opportunities to those who have no film background. That way, the female lead for Meesaya... is Aathmika. I stumbled upon her Facebook profile sometime ago and wanted to cast her,” he shares.
But how does he manage his time — composing music for other films and acting assignments, etc? “What does a starving dog do when you don’t feed him for 20 days and then give him food? That’s my life! For many years, I have struggled for things and now I got what I wanted. I’ll never let go of any opportunity. I keep myself busy and want to prove my worth to others.
I want to inspire people and have plans to introduce many new talents in my future projects. For somebody, who hasn’t had any formal training in music, I’ve come a long way,” he beams.
Meesaya... will also have comedian Vivekh playing Aadhi’s father. “I approached him with the script and he liked it so much. The movie is about love, friendships and showcases the relationship between a father and son. He told me that he found the script quite genuine,” he shares.
As a music director, Aadhi has his hands full with Kaththi Sandai, KV Anand-Vijay Sethupathi’s untitled flick, Imaikaa Nodigal and a project in Telugu titled Dhruva.