1.Tell us about your
Hindi project "Gangs of Wasseypur". Heard you are going to Cannes
with the team... Working with
Anurag Kashyap is amazing. It's a two part film, which spans the time period
from 1960 to 2000, with the backdrop of the coal mafia in Dhanbad. So, I got to
play around a lot with some retro tunes. I've used a lot of live instruments as
well. Our movie is going to the Cannes Film Festival this year, so, I've made
sure that the music appeals to an international audience as well.
2.So, who is your date
on the red carpet? I'll be walking
the red carpet with the cast and director of my film. I would have loved to
take my fiancee, but maybe next year, after we tie the knot.
3.How difficult is it
to score for Telugu, Tamil and Hindi films simultaneously? The taste of the
audience varies in all three languages. In Tamil, the folk element is very
strong, whereas in Telugu films, the audience loves techno beats. In Mumbai, I
find the music mostly bhangra-driven. No matter what the language or genre, I
try to cut a stylish album - something that will be ingrained in the listener's
memory for a long time. For example, in Akshay Kumar's "Joker", the
music is upbeat and peppy and in "Gangs of Wasseypur" it's the
extreme - dark and moody. But nevertheless, it's a challenge and a great
working experience.
4.Item numbers are a
rage in B-Town. "Joker" has one too, picturized on Chitrangada Singh. To be honest,
every number in the album is an item number (laughs). What I mean is, the
complete album is dance-oriented and I've worked a lot on the feel of it. So my
whole treatment is based on an upbeat note. "Joker" is a complete
commercial fare. It's the first time I'll be working on something so mainstream
Bollywood. It is also my first 3D film. The tunes are very Akshay - fun and
peppy. I've gone all out in looping together the commercial elements.
5.Being AR Rahman's
nephew can be quite daunting. Well, initially it was. When I first started my career,
people would refer to me as Rahman's nephew. But a few movies down the line,
they have forgotten that. Today, people talk about me as the composer who
scored hits for films like "Mayakkam Enna" and
"Madrasapattinam".
6.The industry today
is teeming with young composers who are creating a name for themselves with
instant, runaway hits. There is so much good stuff happening in the music
industry these days. The best part is that people in the industry are open to
giving young people a chance and accept contemporary ideas. There is a lot of
variety and no dearth of talent. Look at composers like Amit Trivedi - every
album of his is a gem. I'm a big fan of his. Thankfully, there are others too,
like me, who have managed to create their own space.
7.So what are the
other projects in your kitty? Well I have "Common Man" in Hindi which stars Amitabh Bachchan. Then there's another big
project in Hindi which I have recently signed, but can't talk about right now.
In Telugu, I have "Bommarillu" Bhaskar's next and a few others in the
pipeline.
