It's a very fun project as a composer to work on a movie that has music in its core.
Music is an essential part of any film, but when it comes to Mercury' it actually became a medium of communication.
Music helps many to channelize energy into creating beautiful things and push boundaries.
Karthik hasn't aged or changed since I met him.
I have recorded with a 60-piece orchestra, and it gives me satisfaction to have done an album entirely with acoustic instruments.
There are several forms of oppari, but cinema largely uses only one format.
I was an independent musician for ten years before I became a musician for movies.
Spending a lot of time in London not only gave me inspiration, but also the opportunity to meet in person some great collaborators, who I'd earlier interacted with only remotely.
I was unsure if people would like the music of Kabali' and had even booked tickets to Sydney on the day of its release. I didn't want people to come and throw stones at my house!
I listen to my songs so many times that I tend to lose objectivity. After I hear a tune around 30 times, I keep it aside, and revisit it after a while. Then, it starts sounding fresh again.
'Kolamey' is very special to me as it was created in total isolation and I could reinvent myself and travel back to my older sound.'
I've been a live musician since I started my musical career.
I love Tamil, and needless to say, I love my state.
We grow up with certain cultural references but we need empathy to understand other people.
I have no fears or inhibitions while composing. It's a way of expressing myself.
A movie like Mercury' is a once in a generation opportunity for me. It doesn't come easily to a music director and I am privileged to have gotten this opportunity.
It's so easy to create a controversy.
My biggest inspiration was the music of Slumdog Millionaire.' The music that Rahman tried had such an Indian sound, but that didn't stop it from winning two Oscars.
I am delighted to be joining hands with Colors Tamil for a path breaking show like Singing Stars' and this is an exciting way to mark my debut in the TV space.
So, my first film with Karthik was Pizza,' and that in itself was like a dream. I would call it one of my most favorite scores.
'Mercury' being a silent film needed a strong background score that could give you chills down the spine.