SEL is a name to reckon with in the music industry. The three – Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy – have worked on several landmark projects and continue to do so; they’re currently working on the tunes of Rock On!! 2 . A key member of the trio, Ehsaan Noorani, who will be in Chennai tomorrow to conduct a music class followed by a performance at the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music, tells us about music and life in a quick telephonic chat…
Your connect with Chennai…
I used to come here often with Shankar and Loy to work on string orchestration for our albums. We’ve also performed at a couple of concerts at IIT-Madras. But we’re now busy with our film projects in Mumbai and this doesn’t give us much time to travel. I’m visiting Chennai after a while and looking forward to it.
You have several chartbusters to your credit. How have your managed to remain successful for such a long time in Bollywood?
Yes, it has been twenty years now! It’s our passion for music that has held us together and enabled us to come up with refreshing tunes. Just like everybody else, we do have our differences, but ultimately we gel as a team. Each one pursues independent projects and interests, and this experience adds value to our film compositions.
What was it like to work on Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam …
The project was special. Working withKamal Haasan made all the difference. Besides being a great actor, he’s well-versed in music and is clear about what he wants.
Are you disappointed about not working on Vishwaroopam 2 ?
We’d love to work with Kamal Haasan again in the future when the opportunity arises.
Before you accept a film in the south, do you make it a point to understand the trends and work accordingly?
I’ve not really been following the trends here, because I’m busy with my own projects and prefer to create a distinct sound. In fact, during Vishwaroopam , Kamal never told us what kind of music is popular or what works best in the Tamil industry.
What would you like to focus on while interacting with students during your forthcoming visit?
I would like to talk to them about how to carve a space in the music world. It’s not easy to succeed in this industry; you need the right temperament and attitude. I want them to be aware of the ground realities and equip themselves well to face them.
