Renowned music composer Sam CS is riding high on recent successes, especially with his hit Telugu film KA and the much-anticipated Pushpa 2. In an exclusive interview with CE, he reflects on his journey, inspirations, and the challenges of creating music that resonates across the masses at a pan-India level.
Reflecting on the recent success of KA, Sam shares his excitement, saying, “I liked that script from day one. I’m really happy with how the audience received the movie.” The standout track, ‘Mass Jathara’, particularly, has caught the public’s imagination. “I’ve done mass songs before in Tamil and Malayalam, but this was my first foray into Telugu mass music,” he explains. “I knew the Telugu audience enjoys powerful rhythms and catchy hooks, so I made sure the song had both. I’m thrilled they embraced it,” he adds.
When selecting projects, Sam stresses on the importance of screenplay. “I love reading scripts,” he reveals, adding, “Pushpa 2 was a rare exception. It was the first movie where I didn’t read the script before starting work because I joined after the edit.” Despite the unique circumstances, his work on the film has been extensive. “I scored music for the entire movie. Although they kept some of Devi Sri Prasad’s music, around 90 per cent of the background score is mine, including the climax fight.”
Working alongside another composer, especially in a film as anticipated as Pushpa 2, posed its challenges. “This is DSP’s movie. The production needed to wrap things up quickly, so they brought me in,” he explains. However, he saw this as an opportunity rather than a constraint. “I am a pakka fan. I see myself as audience. I scored the film from the audience’s perspective. Pushpa 2 is a huge project, and I’m excited to be part of it.”
Discussing his career, Sam also touches upon the sometimes-overlooked efforts behind his compositions. “There are many films where I put in a lot of effort, but they went unnoticed. Saani Kaayidham is one example that stands out. When a tune gets rejected, I don’t see it as a failure.
For instance, the emotional theme I composed for Rocketry, Madhavan’s directorial, was turned down. I later used it in Kaithi for the emotional father-daughter scenes, it became a hit and the music got attention. I always find a positive way to repurpose my music.” Speaking of Kaithi, Sam reveals that he is in talks to work in the sequel to the Karthi-starrer. “Lokesh Kanagaraj called me last month. He said that we will begin to compose music soon. Hopefully, I am the music director.”
Sam also mentions that he draws inspiration from legendary composers. “Ilaiyaraaja sir is my guru, and I follow his principles in all my work. These days, I listen to Hans Zimmer and John Williams. Their music is my energy source,” he shares.
His innovative use of instruments has also garnered attention. “Indian audiences love our ethnic instruments like the flute and violin. However, they also expect international quality. So, I combine western orchestral styles with our traditional sounds. For Pushpa 2, I used pipe instruments. I created a voice using AI and converted that to an instrumental. It has a fresh sound. Hopefully, people will enjoy the music,” he explains.
Looking ahead, Sam’s schedule is packed with promising projects. “I’m getting a lot of work offers from Telugu cinema and will be signing new projects this week. In Hindi, I’m working on an animated film titled Ahobal. There’s also a film with Kiran Abbavaram, along with two more projects lined up in Malayalam and Tamil.”
Comments