MUMBAI: Amazon Music India presents a special deep dive into the world of Anirudh Ravishander with their IP The Universe of, an immersive journey into the musical realm of one of India’s most celebrated composers. Renowned for his groundbreaking work in Indian cinema, Anirudh takes fans through his chaotic yet exhilarating world, which he commands with spontaneity and instinct.
Anirudh humorously admits that his unique musical process may be considered a “producer and director’s nightmare,” yet he acknowledges that this delightful chaotic approach has worked wonders for him. Reflecting on his journey, Anirudh recalls how his first memory of music came from watching Yanni perform live at the Taj Mahal. As a young child, captivated by this visual and audio spectacle, he began experimenting with his toy keyboard, attempting to recreate the melodies he heard on TV. This initial spark ignited his passion, leading him to compose music as early as 6th or 7th grade. Even today, he occasionally revisits those early creations when working on new projects.
Anirudh’s breakthrough came to the spotlight with the unexpected success of Why This Kolaveri Di, a song that went viral globally, turning him into a household name. He candidly reflects that this success was purely accidental—a leaked version of the song took the world by storm, reaching even the high-ranking political offices. However, Anirudh soon realised that fame is often fleeting, and what truly matters is what you create after the initial success. This humbling experience taught him to constantly evolve, staying updated with new sounds and trends.
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Anirudh’s deep passion for popular music and his ability to make it relatable to the masses fuels his creativity. He frequently tests his songs on unexpected audiences, like backup dancers or film distribution executives, to gauge their appeal. In his studio, they also play a game of predicting upcoming music trends, preparing for a genre before they hit the market. In Anirudh’s words, the rise of social media and streaming platforms has eliminated language barriers, allowing music to connect with global audiences instantly.
Speaking of his journey in music, Anirudh shares, “When I was a kid, you know, like, all parents get their kids the toy keyboard. Right? So you just, like, keep tapping on that. I started trying to make my own music very early, and to be honest, I still use a couple of tunes I made back then in my films now. When there’s a deadline or no ideas are coming, you’re like, Why don’t you open the bank from 2002 or 2003? The production may be ancient, but you never know—you may get some melody lines from that which you can actually use.” He further adds “From day one, what we realised is that we’re not going to try to do something revolutionary in music. I love popular music, and what actually drives me is figuring out how to make my music relatable to the layman. It’s not about reinventing the wheel, but about connecting with people through what they love. I also make sure to update myself on what the world is listening to, and in our studio, we have this little game where we guess what the next big genre is going to be. We practise that genre before it even hits the market, so we can be ahead of the curve.”
Anirudh is currently juggling between multiple projects, including films for Rajinikanth, Ajith, and Shah Rukh Khan. Anirudh humorously comments on his hefty workload, with 50 songs due in the next 10 months. Despite the chaos, he remains enthusiastic about the future and eager to discover new frontiers in music.
Watch Anirudh’s universe on Amazon Music India to experience his stories and the sounds that have defined his remarkable career on the Amazon Music App & Youtube.
