NR Raghunanthan’s musical journey started with the good reception to his song Kalli Kaattil from Thenmerku Paruvakaatru. The film bagged three National Awards for Best Feature Film in Tamil, Best Actress (Saranya Ponvannan) and Best Lyricist (Vairamuthu), though none for the composer himself. The fourteen-film-old Raghunanthan says that he has never worked for records.
“If I am destined for a National Award, I’m sure it will reach me. I would rather focus on shaping a song just right and not get distracted by records and awards. The music should appeal to me first if it has to strike a chord with the listeners,” he says.
The composer says Para Para from Neerparavai was his ticket to early fame. “The three versions by GV Prakash, Shreya Ghoshal and Chinmayi were all huge hits with the audience.” Raghunanthan’s penchant for slow folk was evident from the opening track – Kondaadum Manasu – in Sundarapandian. “Eyebrows were raised when I used that tune for a hero introduction song. But it was a deliberate choice. Sasikumar was foraying into action for the first time, so I chose to play it down with the song,” he shares.
Dwelling on his latest Pichuvakaththi, which is set for a May-end release, Raghunanthan says his offerings are in sync with the overall mood of the film. “The director wanted the music to give the audience a feel of being transported to an alien world. So I have come up with a rich mix of folk, melody, a bit of fusion and some elements of jazz. There are some scripts which a composer falls in love instantly and this was one such.”
When asked if it bothers him that he has only worked on 14 films over a span of seven years, Raghunanthan says he doesn’t believe in rushing things. “The audience should associate me with quality. I do not want to do more films at the expense of quality. I only work on one film at a time. I’ve even refused some projects because of this.”
When asked about working on a thriller or a horror film, something he hasn’t done so far, he says “In horror flicks, the BGM is all-important. The challenge will be in bringing the desired effect sans the heavy instruments. You can create the most chilling effect by the mere rattling of trees. I look forward to working on one”
Asked about how much freedom he has in composing for his films, he says, “I do get my space and say, but at the end of the day, it is the team work which matters. One has to protect the interest of the producers. But I’m lucky to not have had any director trying to squeeze in a kuthu number just for commercial reasons. The essence of the film gets totally lost though the song itself may stay with the audience for a long time.”
Source: The New Indian Express