In an exclusive conversation with idlebrain.com, Kalyani Malik opens on the raison d'être that led him to come up with Sangeetama, choosing Lipsika Bhashyam to sing it, Prabhas’ praise, the road ahead for his music label Umami and more…
Music composer Kalyani Malik is soaking in all the appreciation and positive feedback he’s receiving for Sangeetama, a private song which he had composed and compiled as a tribute to the music personalities who have inspired him in his musical journey. The song was released on YouTube on Thursday.
Through the song, Kalyani paid tributes to the likes of Ameen Sayani, Kishore Kumar, Sirivennela Seetharamasastry, SD Burman, RD Burman, Veturi Sundararama Murthy, Chakravarthy, KV Mahadevan, Mohammed Rafi, Saluri Rajeshwararao, MS Viswanathan, Lata Mangeshkar, Madan Mohan, Jaidev, SP Balasubrahmanyam, Sirkazhi Govindarajan, Ramesh Naidu, Salil Chowdhury, Ghantasala, P Bhanumathi, Sudhir Phadke, Van Shipley and Mandolin Srinivas who are not among us. “I wanted to create my own content without depending on film and other opportunities. I generally do less films but I only know how to make music. So I thought, ‘Why only depend on films? Why not produce your own music?’ The thought triggered me to open the YouTube channel. Films aside, OTT medium has become a new avenue for actors to explore. I thought YouTube is always there and more popular. That’s how Umami Music (music label) took flight. But then I realized you need a video on YouTube, right? I thought about a video on pictures but whose pictures? Initially I considered doing a video on artists like Savitri garu by zooming in on their black and white pictures. Later I was like, ‘Why not music personalities?’ I zeroed in on yesteryear music personalities who are no more among us but left us great treasure. Once I jotted their names down, it took some time to procure their pictures. I’ve used different softwares and converted the pictures to high resolution ones without any scratches. The video also mentions about my favourite works of these personalities,” he tells idlebrain.com in an exclusive conversation.
The most challenging part, Kalyani concedes, was getting the song right. “For films there are directors who judge your work and guide you. Over here, I had to select my own song; I was in self doubt. ‘Is it a right tribute to the legends?’ Such thoughts crossed my mind. I’ve considered carefully, worked hard and came out with Sangeetama. As it is a private song, I felt the need to do it in Tamil and Hindi as well. I’ve approached Madhan Karky for the Tamil song. He immediately agreed to write lyrics without charging a single penny. He is an expensive writer in Tamil but he liked the concept and agreed to work. And Annaiah (MM Keeravani) as well. He told me if he likes the tune, he will pen the Telugu song. I sent the tune to him at 9:30 pm and I got a call at 5:30 am next day, saying the lyrics were finished. He was the one who introduced me to Shagun Sodhi who is one of the finest musicians. She wrote the Hindi lyrics and sang it as well,” Kalyani explains, adding that the names he mentioned in the video are legendary music personalities who’ve given divine music. “I felt the tribute should be soothing; it should be like a cool breeze. Somehow I managed to crack a tune that is soothing.”
The Telugu song has been sung by Lipsika Bhashyam. Her soothing, honeyed voice lent a yearning touch to the melody. On his choice of the singer, Kalyani comments, “In the film Phalana Abbayi Phalana Ammayi, Kanula Chatu Meghama is my favourite song and a total chunk of it was sung by Aabhas Joshi. There’s a solo humming in the beginning of the song and I’ve tried it with many singers but when Lipsika warbled it, I was floored. I felt she had a great voice and was surprised that it wasn’t popular. Later on I couldn’t get a chance to make her sing a full song but she was on my mind. Sangeetama was not a duet song and I felt she would be apt for it and got her on board. She will go places; she will become a top singer.”
Kalyani understands that Sangeetama will penetrate into the listeners slowly and is optimistic that whoever listens to it will like it. “It will stay in their hearts for quite a while,” he avers, adding that people who have listened to it until now have liked it immensely. “Some celebrities are listening to it and are introducing it to others. On Thursday Prabhas heard it and said he liked it. He particularly liked the way it sounded. ‘It was like a meditation’, he confided in me. He is a big fan of the song Em Sandeham Ledu from Oohalu Gusagusalade. I remember him dropping a message one fine night, saying he was listening to it on a loop and it was not going from his mind. Such compliments make you feel happy. Not just from Prabhas, whoever appreciates my music, I take it to my heart. Every appreciation is precious and valuable to me.”
On the road ahead for Umami Music, Kalyani wants to collaborate with many artists and produce new kind of music “which we won’t be hearing in movies because of so many restrictions”. “My target is to produce music which has no restrictions. I don’t know how far I will walk on this road but I want to give my best,” he signs off.
-NAGARAJ GOUD
Kalyani Malik’s latest song #Sangeetama is very mellifluous. Rendered beautifully by Lipika Bhashyam this songs takes us through the memory lane.
This is a tribute by Kalyani Malik to all the music related legends who are not with us anymore.
