Kalyani Malik’s tribute to legends, from Mohammed Rafi to SP Balasubrahmanyam

Composer Kalyani Malik’s tribute to music legends, from Mohammed Rafi to SP Balasubrahmanyam, with lyrics by MM Keeravani, Madan Karky and Shagun Sodhi

Music composer Kalyani Malik recently unveiled three songs, one each in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil, as a tribute to composers, singers and lyricists who shaped his interest in music. The independent music videos published on his YouTube channel Umami Music, have lyrics by MM Keeravaani (Telugu), Madan Karky (Tamil) and Shagun Sodhi (Hindi). “The music I grew up listening to shaped my interest and encouraged me to be a composer. This initiative is my way of celebrating legends who are no longer with us,” says Kalyani Malik. 

The composer, known for his compositions for Telugu films such as Aithe, Ala Modalaindi, Ashta Chamma, Oohalu Gusagusalade, Phalana Ammayi Phalana Abbayi among others, began working on the idea of a tribute to music legends a year ago, after launching Umami Music channel. The channel, he explains, aims to directly connect with listeners and explore music outside the realm of cinema.

The video for the three songs, of four-minute duration each, presents images of 23 composers, singers and lyricists. The Telugu song ‘Sangeetama’ is sung by Lipsika Bhashyam, the Tamil song ‘En Vaanilae’ by Padmalatha, while the Hindi version ‘Sukoon Hai’ is rendered by Shagun Sodhi.

When Kalyani Malik began listing out musicians who had inspired him since childhood, it ended up being quite long. “It was tough to list everyone, so I chose those who are not among us today,” he says.

The composer is forthright when he says he wants to put out a video supporting the songs at a minimal budget. The video has photographs of the legends with a mention of some of Kalyani Malik’s favourite albums and compositions of theirs.

For Telugu, Kalyani Malik had approached a few lyricists but when things did not progress further, he turned to his elder brother and Academy Award winner MM Keeravaani. “Annayya wrote the lyrics within a day. He also suggested Shagun Sodhi for the Hindi version, since he had known her father (Surinder Sodhi) during the making of the Hindi film Special 26.”

For Tamil lyrics, Kalyani Malik contacted Madan Karky, since the two had been part of the Baahubali team. Impressed by the idea and the music, Madan wrote the lyrics overnight and did not charge a fee.