HYDERABAD: Shreshta is overwhelmed at the warm reception to her song Raletti (rendered by Divya S Menon) from Vijay Deverakonda-starrer World Famous Lover. Despite the film’s dismal show at the box office, the song has become a favourite with the masses.
“Raletti gave me a lot of love and appreciation from the movie buffs. Not many knew that I wrote the song overnight and I would like to thank director Kranthi Madhav for believing in my abilities. I came out with a new expression and the song is the representation of love and heartbreak. I ensured the Telangana flavour was intact in it,” the young lyricist begins the conversation.
Journey into the showbiz
Initially, my family was apprehensive about how a girl without a godfather would survive in the industry. After noticing my passion, they allowed me to pursue a career soon after completing my LLB from Osmania University. I started writing devotional songs before pushing myself into the showbiz. I made my film debut as a lyric writer with director Sunil Kumar Reddy’s Oka Romantic Crime Katha (2012).
I used to visit Anjaneyaswamy Temple, Madhura Nagar, regularly and it was there I met the crew of this film, which earned my first single card (all the songs in a film are penned by her). Even for my subsequent films, the support I received from the priests of the temples of Sri Vidya Saraswathi Shani Temple (Wargal) and Shri Jogulamba Temple (Alampur) has been remarkable. They have supported me in my tough times and suggested my name to a few filmmakers.
Fighting depression
Back in 2013, I became a victim of the film industry’s dirty politics and slipped into depression. I went through mental agony and every minute was a struggle. I felt exhausted and demoralised the whole time. There were several lyricists and directors (including women), who ganged up against me. Mind games were in full play and I was bullied. They have always been envious of my success and their inappropriate stares made me feel uncomfortable.
A sense of insecurity and fear had grown around me. They tried to discard me and constantly took chances to exploit me. There is gender discrimination and I realised that talent alone isn’t enough to get some work. So I couldn’t deal with this negativity and took a self-imposed break from films. I went back to Mancherial and I give the credit to my family members, especially my mother, who is also a working woman, for rallying around me to overcome this trauma. I wouldn’t have achieved my dreams had it not been for the support of my family.
Road to fame
After a two-year hiatus, I made a comeback with Nithiin’s Courier Boy Kalyan (2015). But the success of the National Award-winning film Pelli Choopulu (2016) redefined my career and gave me the confidence to write. Since then, I have become a regular lyricist for Vijay Deverakonda’s films and I wholeheartedly thank him and his father Govardhan Rao for backing me through thick and thin. I wrote 55 songs in over 15 films and my writings seamlessly switch from rural earthiness to urban elegance, from riveting romance to painful heartbreaks. Quality and spontaneity are my strengths. Lyrics express emotions and you cannot create them. I am leading a life on my own terms. Films are a medium to convey our emotions and it feels happy if our work reaches many people. I am glad that nobody can contaminate these things.
Still struggling
I am still relentlessly struggling to make a mark and pushing myself really hard to get offers. Lack of encouragement bothers me a lot too. Even after a slew of literary awards from several organisations came by, I am still being snubbed and sidelined in the industry. There is a saying that ‘women are their own worst enemies’. There’s a distinct undercurrent of meanness and some kind of negativity is plaguing our gender in Telugu cinema. Several women who call themselves a feminist and a flag-bearer of girl power, are putting down other women than men. They promote internal sexism and launch a veiled attack. It’s difficult to deal with them. At one point, I had no interest in coping with these things and wanted to quit films. But I have worked hard, endured a lot of pain and scored a few hits to get here. Being a woman, I am still seeking a safe work atmosphere and feeling isolated in the industry.
Conditions apply
I do mix English words in my songs and have always been open to working in multiple movies at once. But I have my reservations writing whimsical lyrics with double entendre. At the same time, I do not insist on listening to the full story before penning a lyric. It’s alright if I was given a scene and asked to write a song. On an average, I take two days to complete a song. I draft my lyrics on my email or store it on notes application on my mobile. I believe that a song needs to have lyrics that a common man can understand and be touched by it. While people think love songs are my forte, I am open to experimenting with a range of lyrics including the mass numbers.
The dirty picture called industry
Back in 2013, I became a victim of the film industry’s dirty politics and slipped into depression. There were several lyric writers and directors (including women), who ganged up against me. Mind games were in full play and I was bullied. They have always been envious of my success
muralikrishna.db@newindianexpress @onlymurali