ON A AWARD WINNING - SPRESS

Did you expect to win award after award for a period film like Annamayya, where the emphasis was on classical music?
The awards have really come in as a pleasant surprise. But we had worked hard on the music of Annamayya, and felt that the score definitely deserved an award. It was the Screen-Videocon award which came in first for Annamayya and set the trend. It was followed by the Nandi award and now the National award. I am particularly grateful to producer V Doraswamy Raju, director K Raghavendra Rao, lyricist Veturi and SP Balasubramanium, who put life into the songs with his soulful rendering.

But, like Thyagaraja’s kritis, Annamacharya’s keerthanas are already popular and set to tune by others. What was your contribution to it?
A valid question. Of the 20 lyrics in the film, I have taken half from earlier works, and modified them to suit the film format. The remaining 10 songs have been completely re-composed and have new tunes. I modified the old tunes because I found something lacking in the composition of the original keerthanas. You can sing the original keerthanas for 10 minutes to half an hour. For the film version, they had to be concise. We also added a beat so that the common man too could sing them. We took utmost care to see that they did not turn out to be distorted versions of the original keerthanas, which are very popular among the music lovers.

Which situation in the film did you find difficult when composing music?
The climax song. It is a 15-minute episode, interspersed with dialogue and lyrics. We faced many hardships while executing this particular scene. The dialogue and music were recorded prior to the picturisation. It was shot on Nagarjuna, who played Annamayya, and Suman, who played Lord Balaji. In recording the soundtrack first, we had to face practical difficulties. But the end product was wonderful. Nagarjuna excelled in the scenes as the 90-year-old Annamacharya. I am happy that he has been awarded a Special Jury award by the National awards’ jury.

Do you feel that the film needed a DTS sound system?
Recording on Dolby or DTS system is an added attraction to any film. Unless a film has good story and performances, it cannot be a success on mere technical gimmickery. Avvai Shanmughi would have been a big hit, whether it had Dolby music or not. But, for historical film, such system helps in adding to the quality. When you are showing a war scene or 50 horses running at a breathtaking speed, Dolby or DTS system sound enhances the quality. Since Annamayya is a period film, such sound system helped to give a better quality product. DTS was of great help for its music too.

Did you face any criticism from the pundits for altering the existing tunes or for composing new tunes in Annamayya?
I have not disturbed the existing traditional tunes. I only added a beat which in turn added to the melody. I have not faced any criticism from any quarters.

Today one finds people without any basic knowledge of music composing music for films. What is your opinion about them?
When people, who do not know the ABC of politics are entering politics, what is wrong if people, who do not know the ABC of music, compose music for films?

I am talking about benami music directors.
Except in playback singing, there is a possibility of benami in every area of show-business. Somebody may write the story and dialogue and direct, and somebody else may get the credit. Likewise, some music director, who couldn’t make it, may compose tunes for others to make some money. These songs may click, but the credit will go to the benami composer. Even the heroes employ duplicates in fight sequences. But in playback singing it is not possible. Your voice is only yours. That is the reason why a Ghantasala and now a SPB have sustained in this field for so long.

Do you agree that music directors repeat themselves?
Instead of calling it repetition, you can call it the ‘style’ of that particular music director who has mastered a particular type of tune. When producers approach us, they are insistent that we keep in mind the tune from a previous hit number. So the repetition is not due to lack of innovative skills on the part of the music director, but due to the demands of the filmmakers. According to me, you will find repetitions even in dances, fights and acting. Comparatively, in the music field, there is less repetition. Some kind of variety is always offered from film to film.

Is the present multi-track system a boon or bane?
It is definitely a boon, though I agree that it results in a hike in theatre rent. Earlier, if one out of a 50-member orchestra struck a wrong chord, the entire lot of musicians had to wait till he got his notes right. But now we can make that one man sit separately and take his notation. The rest need not waste their time. This saves the producer considerable time and money. On the other hand, the work of the music director is doubled since he has to spend more time mixing different sections of music into one. But then he is paid for that. The quality of music is much better in a multi-track system.

You are doing few films these days.
If you take 1990-91 as the barometer, then you are right. I want to do only good projects, films that offer me scope to compose melodious music. When one is in the struggling phase, one accepts all kinds of films. After that phase is over, one would like to do something more creative, which is to his liking. I think I have reached that point now.

Even the Telugu film scene has changed. One hears more of melodious music these days than a couple of years ago.
The change is because of the changing taste of the audience. They are demanding melody. But most of the producers and directors, barring of course a few ten, have no sense of music, and demand hits. It is the audience who are showing the way to melody.

You too have joined the bandwagon of those cutting albums?
Yes, I did a Hindi non-film album, Guzare Zamaane for T-Series. The lyrics were written by Sameer. The album had romantic songs, two of which were sung by me.

You have won the prestigious National award for a Telugu film after a long gap of over a decade, and fulfilled your aim. What’s next?
Composing music for more Hindi films. Mahesh Bhatt’s Criminal was the first Hindi film I composed music for. In fact, it was he who named me M.M. Kreem. I feel there is a lot of scope for combining melody and beat in Hindi films these days. If Mahesh Bhatt’s Zakham, for which I am scoring music, becomes a big hit, my wish of doing more Hindi films, will be fulfilled. Composing good music may bring in more offers, but if the film also clicks in a big way at the box-office, it boost one’s reputation. Right now, I am happy that I have got my due recognition for Telugu films through this National award.