Musical Konnect: In North, music composers don't get their due credit; Says Devi Sri Prasad

Devi Sri Prasad, known as rockstar DSP, is one of the most celebrated artists across the globe. While his latest songs Daakko Daakko, Saami Saami, and Srivalli from Pushpa are ruling the charts, DSP, in a tête-à-tête with Pinkvilla opened up about all things music. His honest views on remakes and music composers not getting their due credit took the cake.

In 20 years, he has worked on over 100 films. DSP is very clear about what and how he wants his music to be. Decoding on his idea of composing music for Pushpa and others films, Devi shares, "For any film the path of music is always found within the script. The music, the BG is hidden under the skin of the script. Once I hear the subject including the dialogue versions, I first create a graph of all the songs I have to work on. I understand the character and the whole backdrop of the film. Every song has to be tailor-made. So I have to always look at 2 perspectives- It has to fit in universally to the film and at the same time, the songs themselves have to be good stand-alone. Only then you will listen to the song more often. That's the basic I follow and kind my calculation to make music for a film." 

The peppy number 'Oo Antava Oo Oo Antava' featuring Samantha in Pushpa is fire. The music, the beats, right from the start gets addictive. Sharing a story on what behind creating music for Oo Antava, Devi shared, "I first composed JaaggoJaggo, and then Srivellis, Saami Saami....all the songs became chartbusters and then Allu Arjun said that since we have blockbuster audio in hand, so you should not take pressure more on item song but I said, let's see what different I can do. Oo Antava..Oo Oo Antava, the word was given by the writer Chandrabose. So he gave me the word and I compared it with my earlier item songs that are full of energy. So I decided to give it a try and why can't an item song be so sensual and soothing. That's how the idea started within me. The best part about the song is it has the same line. It keeps repeating and has only 4 notes. I then sent this tune to Sukumar and before sending I told him, "I'm sending you the tune for the item song which will make you say 'what the hell' can this be for an item song." I was so confident about the song that I told him that it will not be a blockbuster or just a hit but a trendsetter. After my tune, Sukumar and Chandrabose decided to the song and came up with a subject. That's how then song turned into."

"I consider myself as a part of the audience and as long as you are a part of the audience, you can easily relate to what they want. What has greatly helped me are my live shows. I'm known down South for singing and also dancing on stage. So when my audience gets along and dances with me, I get that energy and idea about what they love. When you keep observing and doing it for the people, it becomes a practice and automatically gets the vibe that what will work and what not with the audience," DSP further added.

Devi who has sung a Hindi song 'Daddy Mummy' for the 2015 film Bhaag Johnny, says music is like a spiritual process for him.  "I'm always in a music mode and more because I'm devotee of Ilaiyaraaja, Michael Jackson and the great my guru mandolin Srinivas and the combination of these 3 has really made me a little different I guess. They drive me throughout my journey." 

You name it and DSP has worked for every biggie in the South Indian film industry. However, working with superstar Rajinikanth is one dream he is looking forward to. 

"Rajinikanth sir...he is one I want to work for. Right from the start of my career, I have got a chance to compose for all the big Telugu and Tamil actors. You name and it and I have composed for all. I would really want to work with Rajinikanth sir and I wish my dream comes true, and another who I'd love to compose for is Shah Rukh Khan."

Up next, DSP has Pawan Kalyan's film with Harish Shankar. Sharing deets on it, DSP said "We have already started working on it and have finished a couple of songs. Pawan Kalyan sir is very about the songs and I think they will start the shoot soon. It is going to have a very energetic, melody audio. After Gabbar Singh, we are the same combo working together and people have a lot of expectations on that. This is again a very enjoyable subject, character." 

Even in Telugu and Tamil when they wanted remakes of old songs, I had turned down the film.

Devi Sri Prasad, music composer

Asked if the Hindi music film industry has lost the charm amidst the remakes, DSP, sharing his view on the same, said, "I'm not really a great lover of remixes and remakes. of course, it's a principle of mine that I don't remake songs. Even in Telugu and Tamil when they wanted remakes of old songs, I had turned down the film. I just don't do remixes that's one of my biggest principal of work. But again, remaking my own song from one language to another is something I would want to do just to make the song reach a wider audience." 

Being his honest best on what needs to change about the music business, "Rockstar DSP" says, "Composing music for a film, from my point of view, is like getting into the skin of the subject. It is just like how an actor or director does. Music composers job is also one of the most important jobs for a film. That's what we have learnt from the legends like RD Burman sir AR Rahman sir and such people. Down South, it is still the tradition, one music director doing the whole film, the songs and the BG. But in the North, every song is done by a different composer and nobody knows who is composing. Sometimes I feel sad that the song might be a hit but you don't know the name of the composer and it makes me extremely sad. The composer really goes through a lot of hard work for that one catchy song and music is not something that you can just wake up one day and do it. Music is an emotion so you have to live with music all through your life to make one hit song. So when someone is dedicating life, I think the due credit has to go to the music composer. I wish this system comes back that every film has only one music composer. If one person is working on it, he is accountable for the entire jukebox."