It was AR Rahman's Kehna Hi Kya and Humma that woke up a 12-year-old Sneha Khanwalkar from deep slumber.The young and restless composer, who moved into a 'bigger space' with Khoobsurat, talks to Bombay Times about her latest creations.

How did you contemporise the Rajasthani folk song Engine Ki Sitti for Bollywood?
The tune is beautiful and I did not want to break away from it. I wanted to produce it properly and make the song fun and throbbing. I went to Jaipur and met Ikram Rajasthani, who has written the original. He rewrote it and tried to make it con temporary. We had a great but strange and unlikely rapport. He had not dealt with a young girl and I had not sat down with anyone so senior to discuss a folk song... imagine him and me cracking a song with a hidden meaning! He wrote a new version, he was insisting on the lyrics 'Man dole' whereas I stuck to 'Bum dole'. We brought out the tease that we wanted. It is high on energy and comes quite unexpectedly in the film.

Maa Ka Phone was also talked about for being unusual...
The director wanted an annoying ringtone for Sonam's character that catches the attention of all and puts her in an awkward position. I made the ringtone and then we decided to make a full song out of it. Bal Khade is also experimental but (singer) Sunidhi (Chauhan) added her own feel to it. It is about teasing the groomed, corporate, upright man to ease out. There is also Preet written by Amitabh Verma. The lyrical idea is taken from Mirabai, it's about the emotion of longing. Preet wouldn't have happened without the involvement of (director) Shashank Ghosh and (producer) Rhea Kapoor.

How did you get into music?
I had a short attention span problem while growing up. I wasn't interested in studying but I am intelligent. Even during exams, I would think about how I'd make a music video, probably because of my family background. My mother's family is from the Gwalior gharana. So the musical gene is from my mom's side. I learnt the ground basics while growing up but the experience came from working in the industry.

Did you resist Hindustani classical to get into film music?
I was intimidated by Hindustani classical. It was huge for me... ustadon wali cheez. My parents wanted me to do something music-related, say singing, but I was not interested. I wanted to make my own tunes. I remembered A R Rahman's interludes and pick-ups. Luckily, when I came in, we had the software. I started learning on my computer at home and realised I can do something on my own. Films give you exciting agenda to make music.

What is the most challenging part of being a music director?
To make good songs, do well in figures, win listeners, do the right thing for the film. I still haven't cracked the hit part yet. I don't know how to think in the listeners' direction. Right now, I am thinking about how to fit a song in a film.There's pressure on having an appealing quality in promos before the film is released. The challenge here is how to break the clutter, without compromising on your ideas, to match it to the film.

Who is your inspiration?
I idolise whoever is original. AR Rahman opened my ears to music. When I was very young and we were all returning in a car from a wedding, somebody started playing Humma and Kehna Hi Kya (Bombay). I was sleeping in somebody's lap. I remember waking up with a start when I heard these tunes. That memory, that sound... stayed with me.

Are you now moving to mainstream Hindi films?
Khoobsurat is definitely a different space for me. It is not necessarily turning point but it's a fun point for me. I'd like to take a natural course when it comes to commercial mainstream cinema. I should be able to handle it and not just focus on the popular part.