'Sita Ramam' composer Vishal Chandrasekhar is known for Telugu films like 'Krishna Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha', 'Varudu Kaavalenu', and 'Padi Padi Leche Manasu'.
In this interview, the music director talks about working on 'Sita Ramam', which hits the cinemas on August 5.
When I was a six-year-old kid, my uncle brought home a Bulbul Tarang instrument, which he used to play. When he was away, I started playing it and my mother noticed that I had an inkling for music. She asked my father to buy a keyboard for me. That's how I slowly started playing music at Ayyappa religious events.
Director Hanu narrated the song situations of 'Sita Ramam' on the very day I first met him. I loved the situations and derived all inspiration from the narration.
Template songs are hard for me. My core strength lies in composing organic, situational songs. Hanu's writing is very strong. I don't rely exclusively on the narration. I read the whole script before commencing work.
For a given situation, I conceive 3-4 tunes. As a film keeps developing, the preference of the director for a tune might change.
While composing 'Kanunna Kalyanam', lyricist Sirivennela garu was present in the studio. Lyricist Krishna Kanth's poetic style is practical. Ananth Sriram has got a different style of writing. Since 'Sita Ramam' is a multi-lingual film, I and my team had to work on the composition in multiple languages. In order to ensure uniqueness, we have offered the audience what the listeners have been missing in that particular language. For example, the tune of 'Inthandham' is different from Telugu in Tamil. The chorus that comes in that song in Telugu struck me suddenly and we immediately recorded it.
For the BGM, some 140 musicians from different countries worked. Musical instruments from different countries were used. If we are using a specific German electronic instrument, it was played by a German musician and not an Indian. It's because only a native practitioner can play it authentically. My team comprises my wife, too. She coordinates with the entire team of musicians.
'Sita Ramam' has got no synthetic, plastic sound in it. I did research on the style of music in the 1970s and 1980s. Hindolam ragam was vastly used. And songs not using that ragam used to become hits at that time.
Words are pronounced differently in different languages. I have a basic sense of how words are pronounced and how to make them sound the best in a song.
There are nine songs in total in 'Sita Ramam'. Only three have been released so far. 'Oh Sita..' is my favourite song among the ones released so far. In the second half of the film, there comes a haunting song that can't be categorized as happy, sad or tragic or some other thing.
I might do a film with actor Madhavan next. I like to work with directors who write well.
