Shakthisree Gopalan Interview | Story behind the sound
For singer Shakthisree Gopalan, who recently made her debut as a composer with Test, music is an instinctive response—something that emerges from the mood, the moment, and most importantly, the story. In her collaboration with director Sashikanth for Test, that synergy took on an almost philosophical depth. "I remember one conversation in which he asked, ‘If a drop of water falls, should it fall into the ocean or the desert?’ On the surface, you'd think the desert needs it more, but maybe the drop is meant to become part of the ocean," she reflects. Further, when asked if the director gave her clear instructions about everything, she says, “With Sashi (Sashikanth), he often communicated through visual ideas. It was collaborative. That’s the nature of this work."
In this conversation, we delve into her creative process, the different stages of decision-making that her songs went through, and the many moments of discovery that shaped this soundtrack.
What made you hesitant to take on the first two film offers from Sashikanth, and what changed your mind the third time?
I don’t know why I didn’t compose for the other two films—it just didn’t feel right at the time. The first time Sashi approached me, I loved the story, but I felt someone else’s sound would suit it better. I even suggested other composers. The second time he reached out, I was touring with my band. But as they say, 'third time’s the charm'. When he sent me the story of Test, I read it in one go. I liked it but I still had to ask him if I was the right person for the job. Sashi loves different styles, like Johnny Greenwood’s work. We even discussed alternate ideas—different composers, even bands. But he was clear: “I want the Chennai flavour. It has to feel like Madras."
The story and characters spoke to me, and I started hearing the music. When I told Rahman sir I still didn’t feel ready, he simply said, “Sometimes, you can’t wait to feel ready—you just have to do it.” That helped me finally take the plunge.
How did you determine the genre for each song in Test? Did you have any references?
Even though I had an idea of the kind of music Sashi liked, there were no references or temp tracks—just the script. Initially, we planned for just two songs but the story kept demanding more. ‘Arena’ set the tone—it’s hip hop, but fused with Indian folk sounds like thavil and mridangam. I never imagined I’d be producing a hip-hop track, let alone jamming with Yogi B, which was surreal. I also brought in Yanchan from Toronto, who is an amazing hip-hop producer and a mridangam player. And Venkatanna played thavil. Each song shaped itself—whatever the story needed.
I’m not genre-specific. There’s hip hop in ‘Arena’, but ‘Lullaby’ is soft, easy-listening pop, and ‘Hope’ leans into alternative electronic. Every track is different.
Can you elaborate on the creative process behind the songs?
When I saw the stadium moments, I thought it needed a theme, and that's how 'Arena' came about. If there’s any genre that feels like the voice of the people, it’s hip-hop. It’s immediate, it’s raw, and it gets you hyped. 'Hope' was actually composed with Pradeep Kumar in mind because his voice has a storyteller-like quality. The song is from the perspective of four characters chasing their dreams.
The working title for 'Hope' was 'I Don’t Want to Lose You'. It helped me stay in the mindset of operating from scarcity, which shaped how the song felt. While I initially envisioned Pradeep singing it, Sashi felt my voice suited it better, given the story and the visuals, especially since it was picturised on Kumudha (Nayanthara) and Saravanan (Madhavan).
With 'Lullaby', though, I knew it had to be me. It’s a soft, heartwarming track, and we used it to give space to the two female leads. There’s a scene where they’re on a call, lying to each other—and I found that moment so powerful. Often, women are conditioned to accommodate, to not express discomfort, and to put others first. Like how mothers always eat last—these are deeply ingrained habits. And when you keep doing that, it costs you—you lose pieces of yourself and your dreams. This song was a chance to give their inner world a voice.
Can you give an example of your collaborative process with Sashikanth?
A lot of times, instead of discussing things endlessly, I'd just make something and play it—if it works, it works. One moment that really struck me was a glance between Saravanan and Kumudha. There was so much unsaid in that look—I think I responded deeply to it in the score. When Sashi heard it, he even altered the edit slightly so the emotion could land better. That kind of collaboration—where the score influences the cut and vice versa—was really special.
There was also a scene, a long continuous shot, where I struggled with the pacing. It’s hard to imagine dialogue rhythm without visuals. So, Sashi got two voice actors to perform it. That gave me the exact timing and emotional cues I needed. The film is the director’s vision, and I just needed to know how to colour it. The voice acting really helped me lock in the emotion, even without the footage.