Suddala Ashok Teja's songs are simple and transparent, like him. They break the wall between writer and the listener and touch the heart. He talks about the power of a song, “When Tansen sang… the lamps lit up, the clouds burst. A song has the quality to melt people and move them. If a person can understand the rhyme, rhythm and makes an attempt to write he will definitely succeed. Why do you think the Vedas, mantras, the invocations when pronounced in a particular manner seem as if the Gods are ready to descend?”
The lyricist talks of his latest work, “My work is diverse, whether it is Inumulo Hridayam Molichane in Robot or Veyyi Veyyi Debbaki Debba (written by his father and re-worked by him in Rajanna ) that inspires people without weapons to revolt. There is also a duet that goes Lachmamma Lachmamma Ladaayi Le, Nee Lafzu Champa Meedha Thadaayi Le . In Kshetram I have written a devotional number on Lord Vishnu. I'm not categorised but if there is a certain kind of song that needs only me they call me. I do have a special stamp which works as a bonus. They don't give me songs that are embarrassing to write and sing. I've written over 1700 songs in 17 years in movies alone.”
Ashok Teja was a lyricist and a poet before turning into a cinema lyricist. He had written 2000 songs and many of his books were published before he entered the industry. What made him get into movies? He quips, “My nephew Uttej, a character artiste was instrumental in me joining the film world. I came here on my own interest. I wanted to write on society and also cinema. If you write for the public in an auditorium, it has its limitations, and will reach only a few hundreds and thousands. But here in films, even before you blink it reaches six crore people. That is the power of cinema.”
He further recollects the foundation laid by his father, a freedom fighter and how he motivated him to write and express his feelings when they were leading a hand to mouth existence. “I was in Standard IV and had written a song on our national flag. My father was so impressed, he asked the few kids around me to clap. When I went to Delhi to receive the national award for the song I wrote for Tagore , the room reverberated with thundering applause but all I could remember was my father smiling and asking the kids to clap. It was a joyous moment and I wished my father was alive to see me receive the honour. Once he stopped me from writing and said that this was the time I need to read books and encompass as much knowledge I can from literary figures, writing can come later. He struggled hard, his lyrics reflect pain and poverty and I promised myself that I too would write some day and those writings would lift me completely out of penury. I'm a happy man now. I write a few songs for money and a few for desire.”
Ashok Teja has now established a foundation in memory of his father that encourages people to write inspiring and revolutionary welfare songs. Ask him how he wishes to be remembered by the people, he says as a man whose songs helped in safeguarding human relations and fondly recollects how Eamcet students still tell him that they listen to his inspiration song while preparing for the D Day.
