Karthik Raaja’s first musical memory is of listening to Mozart and Bach on a stereo at home. “I was probably four or five, but the memory still makes me smile. It triggered my love for Western classical music and set the tone for my future interests,” says the unusually reticent composer.
“I usually keep my mouth shut, except with friends. For them, I’m just Karthik who loves music and movies and has frank opinions. People might mistake my silence for attitude but…” he trails off. “I’ve never really spoken about my work, but now I know it’s necessary,” he adds.
For someone who started with a bang, with evocative scores for movies such as Ullasam , Dum Dum Dum and the Hindi Grahan , Karthik hasn’t taken on too much work, preferring to do things he likes. He learns music through online modules and tries his best to rise above the label of being the ‘scion of a musical family’.
His latest project, Sagaptham , starring Vijayakanth’s son Shanmugapandian, is an action film, a fitting launch for a star son. It’s set in a village and abroad, and Karthik says the music suits the commercial project.
Karthik watches a lot of movies. “I watch English and Korean films… especially Marvel’s Avengers series, thanks to my kids Yatheeswar and Jayeshwar,” he says. How easy is it for him to adapt his Western music and movie sensibilities to the demands of Kollywood? “A movie made here must be a Tamil movie. I’ve worked a lot with dad, so that makes it easy to strike a balance.
I’ve seen him fill gaps and cover bloopers with his music. I’ve seen how a movie looks before he’s worked his magic and after. But that doesn’t mean that whatever one does will work. No one can ever confidently say ‘I’ll give a hit’.” Karthik says true artists don’t really crave public approval. “They just keep playing. Likewise, failure does not bring me down. I just look at newer avenues.”
He found one such when he worked on a short film recently. The Yellow Festival , made by Kamal Sethu (who directed Roadside Ambanis ) “ was the kind of movie I was looking to work in. After a long time, I felt great,” he says.
Other favourite moments include Dum Dum Dum, the haunting ‘Kannil Daagam’ from Achamundu Achamundu , and ‘Kaasu Mela’ from Kaadhala Kaadhala . “It was fun recording that song. I was surprised by the degree of its popularity,” he recalls.
Karthik is excited about Kadai Enn 6 . “A couple of songs are close to my heart. I’ve tried something different.” “Lyrics matter,” he says. “People still talk about ‘Un Perai Sonnale’ from Dum… I’m fond of working with Na. Muthukumar, Pa. Vijay, Viveka, Snehan, Kabilan…”
The other thing he wants to do is release a non-film album. “The platform doesn’t matter, as long as it’s music,” he says.
Which is why he still teams up with his father. They recently worked on the background score of Shamitabh and a couple of other movies. “For lack of a better word, it is ‘interesting’ to work with him. When we work together, his opinion matters. And, after all these years, though he is my father, I just can’t shake off the feeling that I am in the presence of a genius,” he laughs.
