Ever since he burst on to the scene with Kolaveri (3), in 2011, Anirudh has bcome one of the sought-after composers in Indian cinema. In 2023, he made his Bollywood debut with Jawan, and this year, his slate is filled with films featuring big stars, with Kamal Haasan-starrer Indian 2 being the first of those. In an exclusive interview, the composer opens up to us on the challenge of composing for a Shankar film, how he chose to deal with the pressure of comparisons to A R Rahman’s work in the original film, his learning from Jawan and more...

Any sequel comes with extra expectations. More so if it is that of a cult film like Indian. So, the main challenge was to psychologically let go of such thoughts and enjoy the process. Contrary to popular belief, I find it very difficult to make dance numbers; I take the longest time to make them. Shankar sir’s vision is so huge that we have to match it sonically, which was a wonderful challenge to face.

It was a dream for me to even make music for one film. Being a ’90s kid, I always looked up to Shankar sir. So, when he told me I’d be his music director, it was indeed a special moment. The characteristic that differentiates him is that he already has a clear vision of what every song should speak about, and more so, how every frame of it will look. All the songs had specific themes even before we started composing them. Most of the songs of both Indian 2 and 3 were composed in 2017/18. In fact, all our sessions together were just like two friends jamming in my studio.

Magic can never be recreated; one must create his or her own. From Day 1, it was a conscious decision to not take that pressure to heart and enjoy the process. Every film comes with the pressure of delivering bigger chartbusters than our previous outing. And we enjoy that pressure. It’s that pressure that makes us push the boundary every time. With respect to Indian 2, it was a series of enjoyable jam sessions with Shankar sir. Again, the emphasis was on different genres for different audiences. Fans of the original Indian’s patriotic soundtrack would appreciate Paaraa and Neelorpam. Kadharalz and Comeback Indian, on the other hand, were aimed at dance reel makers.

Whether the film is made in Bombay or here in Chennai, the music comes out of Alwarpet (the Chennai locality where he has his studio). So, the experience with Jawan was similar to that of working on every other film. The takeaway was the happiness of entering a new market with such a big success. I’m ever thankful to SRK sir and Atlee for trusting in me. Working on the film, we learned that larger-than-life films will never go out of fashion. In fact, they will always be the most celebrated.

Many composers and indie artistes work on a Bollywood film. Then, the score is done by someone else. So, that’s a pattern that works there. Here, we still have one composer who lives with the whole film. That said, immediately after Kolaveri, we (he and his team) realised language is never a barrier. And that barrier is being broken more and more every day.

If one is talented, there will be a time that success beckons. But the real game is sustaining. And that is possible only if you update yourself with the times. Maybe I was today’s generation when 3 was released. But now, I know there’s a generation after me, and I make sure to keep myself updated. In fact, I am the eldest on my team. So, getting with the times is pretty organic and enjoyable.

I feel we are blessed to be in an age with so many new composers. Not just now, but from the time we started, there has been an influx of wonderful musicians all around the country. And I listen to everyone. Most of them are my buddies; we even share our softwares and instruments. Comparing eras is a wasteful exercise. As I said at the audio launch of Indian 2, nobody can be the next someone. We should aim to carve our own niche.

- Vettaiyan is a strong, rooted story with Superstar Rajinikanth. Fans can expect an earthy soundscape.

- Devara (starring Jr NTR) is a period seabased tribal film, which is also a new space for us.

- Vidaamuyarchi (starring Ajith Kumar) is a travel-based whodunit set abroad, so the sound of that would be more international.

Jawan was the next big step in my career, which we (he and his team) were patiently waiting for. And I’m ever thankful for the astounding success of the film and its music. Yes, both Jawan and Indian 2 straddle the vigilante space, but the vision of both directors was different, both storytelling-wise and music-wise.