INTERVIEW WITH THE MOST POPULAR MUSIC DIRECTOR IN
KANNADA FILM INDUSTRY WHO CHANGED THE TAAL OF KANNADA
FILM MUSIC WITH HIS TREND SETTING "PREMALOKA".
HE HAS WORKED FOR ABOUT 300 MOVIES.

How did music happen to you? I just use to love music and always wanted to become a music director.

What made you enter this field? In my childhood days, I saw the posters of Hindi movies PARASMANI AND DOSTI. On those posters, music director LAKSHMIKANT PYARELAL'S name was printed in bold letters, I just wondered why I could not achieve it. That gave me a drive. What was there behind that name? Everything that could educate me to enter this field. What aroused curiosity in me was he had become so popular in his first movie itself. PARASMANI was his first and DOSTI was his second. Later I found out that he had worked as an associate with greatest of the music directors of the time, which made him come out with such masterpieces.

How did you proceed?
Keeping Lakshmikant Pyarelalji as an example I started learning music. I learnt western, carnatic and hindustani also.

How did you make an entry?
One of my friends Rajgopal introduced me to M.N. Prasad (director). He gave me a chance to write for TRIVENI, which was my first film, later I wrote for MANGALA and few other movies. Today I have written for about 300 movies and directed music for about 200.

Of late there is a fear that there is no good music in the field. It is only copy of the west, do you agree?
I would not agree with this. There is nothing wrong in taking something from the west as long as it entertains you. Point is you should be able to entertain people.

There is a lot of deterioration in the language used, lyrics are very light today, why?
Today people just want to enjoy. They will understand only simple language, not the pure form. The language we are using, which is sometimes mixed with English, Hindi etc., is appreciated by the masses. We receive many letters and even phone calls. They are happy. There is nothing wrong in this.

Don't you think we are losing our roots by aping the west?
No, I would say we are growing. Any culture should open up and accept that which is nice, then only it will grow. You cannot afford to be isolated in this world.

What motivates you to write a song?
It is the situation.

Don't you feel there is a stress to your creativity as you have to think and write according to the situation?
Yes, I do feel that some times, but not always. In-fact most of the times I enjoy my work.

What is your attitude towards life?
I am against all the inequality that is prevailing in this world. I just want to do whatever little I can to remove that.

Apart from music which other field interests you?
I love to direct plays and movies. I will enter that one day. When, I can't tell.

What is your contribution to Kannada music industry?
I am doing whatever little I can, right now there is a studio under construction with all the facilities available.

Who is your favourite actor?
Richard Burton, Marlyn Munroe, and Dr. Rajkumar in Kannada

Favourite actress?
Savitri.

Given a chance with whom would you like to work?
I would like to work with director K. VISWANATH, I like all his works.

Who is your most like director?
Not one. I like GURU DUTT, SHANTARAM etc.

Which movie do you like most?
I like so many, most liked are Kagaj Ke Phool and Navrang.

What makes you like GURU DUTT so much?
It is because of the reality shown in black and white using just those two colors.

Where do we see you 5 years from now?
Few among the top 10 songs are mine, I want to grow till, all top ten are mine. May be in coming five years, I can get 5 in the top will be mine.

There is a talk that most popular and hit combination of RAVICHANDRAN AND HAMSALEKHA was broken because of ego clash, what do you say?
No, there is no ego clash between us. We are very good friends even today. We had continued for 12 years together. It was too long a period. If we had to introduce some freshness, there was no other choice. So it was only a conscious decision to work separately only to grow more.

Can you tell us something about your wife?
My wife has been a great encouragement to me always. Ours is a love marriage. I married her because of the respect for her talent. She is a play back singer today.

What is your message to our music lovers?
Music is the essence of life. Kannadigas are known for their humbleness and humility. Today we have bombs enough to destroy the world not once but several times. In a situation like this, I feel it is only the goodness that can come to rescue the mankind. So I want them to cherish and to continue to cultivate those qualities.