“I can’t tell you how happy I am! I am jumping around...” The joy is palpable from the other side of the phone when we catch up with composer-singer-lyricist Sooraj S. Kurup. The duet, Seetha Kalyanam , which he composed for Bejoy Nambiar’s bilingual anthology, Solo , is garnering gushing reviews and Sooraj can’t stop smiling.
“The tracks were released on Monday. Bejoy called me up saying that only my song wasn’t getting a good response. I was extremely disappointed. But then I realised that he was trying to pull my leg. This is the first time that I am getting so much appreciation for my work,” says Sooraj.
A still from upcoming movie 'Solo'
He still can’t believe that he actually worked with Bejoy, director of critically-acclaimed movies. In fact, he thought it was a prank when a friend told him that Bejoy had asked for his contact number. “I knew that Bejoy was bringing in many musicians for Solo . But who would’ve thought I would be among them?” muses an excited Sooraj.
Solo, an anthology of four stories, has songs by 10 other composers and Sooraj has composed for one of the stories, ‘World of Rudra’, which has Dulquer Salmaan playing a soldier. That’s not all. Sooraj has also sung the number and has done the background score too.
Just three films old as a composer in Malayalam film industry, 27-year-old Sooraj believes that Solo was the best opportunity a newcomer like him could have asked for. He has composed for Valleem Thetti Pulleem Thetti, Kochavva Paulo Ayyappa Coelho (one song) and Alamara and has also composed the background score for Valleem.., and Ann Maria Kalippilaanu .
“Apparently Bejoy had liked the tracks from Valleem… and that’s why he wanted me to do a song for Solo . The situation required a Tamil song. Bejoy emphasised on a particular feel for the song and wanted the words ‘Seetha kalyanam’ in the lyrics,” Sooraj says, without revealing the storyline. Renuka Arun has crooned the number with him. The song has lyrics in English, written by Sooraj himself, and in Tamil, penned by Sangeeth Raveendran.
The 27-year-old says that he had not taken composing seriously till he finished his graduation. Although he used to take part in music competitions at school youth festivals and was trained in mridangam, his interest was in filmmaking. “My mother, Satheedevi, used to take me and my younger brother, Dheeraj, to school youth festivals. I made music only for myself. While pursuing an undergraduate degree in communicative English and journalism from CMS College, I used to make short films and scored music for those works.”
Punarjani , a short film on substance abuse, which he directed, was screened at several academic institutions. He also assisted director K.B. Venu in August Club .
“There came a point when I had to choose between studies and music. Just two days prior to the beginning of my MBA classes, I told my father that I wanted to study audio engineering. My parents were unhappy, but they relented. So, I moved to Chennai to learn audio engineering from Stephen Devassy’s institution, Muzik Lounge,” he says.
In Chennai, he worked in ads, re-recording sessions and other small ventures. He decided to take the plunge into films with Rishi Sivakumar’s Valleem…, starring Kunchacko Boban and Shamili in lead roles . “I have known Rishi for many years. We used to talk about doing a movie together and that materialised in Valleem...” he says.
Although the film didn’t do well, the tracks were appreciated. The folk flavour, quirky lyrics and brilliant orchestration gave the songs top position on the music charts. “I generally prefer to work with alternative rock genre. But the milieu of Valleem… was such that I had to give a different flavour. The inspiration came from my home town, Chambakkara in Kottayam district, its people, the folk and ritualistic songs...,” he says.
Impressed by his work, Kunchacko Boban wanted him to compose a track for his home production, Kochavva Paulo... . “In fact when I told him that I wanted Shankar Mahadevan to sing the song, Vaanam mele , he had no objection. I don’t have a godfather in the industry, but there have been people like Chackochan, Shaan Rahman and Prashant Pillai who’ve always encouraged and supported me,” he says.
Background score too is Sooraj’s forte, rather he enjoys it more than composing.
On his stints as lyricist and singer, he says, “I am not a wordsmith, but I write when I think it suits the situation. I was lucky to write a song for Prashant Pillai in Sakhavu . As for singing, I will sing only those songs that are in my comfort zone.”
Acting also happened in between, in Sakhavu , as a “last minute replacement.” Meanwhile he is making his debut in Kollywood as a composer with Vandi .
Before signing off, he shares his dreams with us, “I want to buy the latest music gadgets... I also want to see A.R. Rahman in concert, live!”
Tracks of Solo
In addition to Sooraj’s song, ‘World of Rudra’ has tracks by Prashant Pillai, Masala Coffee and Filter Coffee. Prashant has composed the song Roshomon for the Malayalam and Tamil versions. Masala Coffee has come out with two versions of their hit number, Aalayal Thara Venam . “Besides the original version that we had composed, Bejoy wanted an acoustic version of the song,” says Varun Sunil of Masala Coffee. Filter Coffee, comprising flautist Shriram and percussionist Swarupa, has scored a Hindi track. “Every story has a set of four songs and we are releasing each set one by one,” says Bejoy. The movie is expected to release next month.
