Thaman S: Rhythm comes easily to me

In a freewheeling conversation, Thaman S discusses the evolution of his music and how he has come full circle composing for director Shankar’s new film starring Ram Charan

Nearly two decades after he debuted as an actor in director Shankar’s Boys, Thaman is composing music for the director’s next film starring Ram Charan. 

Thaman, who has hit a purple patch and is winning appreciation for his chartbuster compositions for star-studded Telugu films, says in a lighter vein, “Rahman sir told me on April 1, last year, that Shankar sir wants me to compose for his new film; I thought it was a joke.” One of the busiest composers today, Thaman took time out for this interview on the sidelines of donating the special edition of ‘The Sportstar’ to a government school in Hyderabad.

When the ensemble cast of Boys required an actor who knew to play the drums, Rahman suggested Thaman who was part of his team. Since then, Thaman had been in touch with Shankar and recalls how the director would ask him to get off the stage when others danced, “he would ask me to not spoil it. I was a bad dancer.”

Thaman had been nervous about composing for Shankar’s film. “But he made it easy for me and we completed five songs, there is one more to go.” The director told him that this was the fastest music composition for any of his films.

Talking of quick compositions, Thaman reveals that ‘Butta Bomma’ of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo was composed in 15 minutes. There are other films for which it took months to arrive at the music and sound. He cites the example of Bheemla Nayak. Thaman was at sea for six months, experimenting with beats. “Once the title Bheemla Nayak was locked, it somehow fell in place.” The brief was “to sound like a good music band that got lost in the jungles.”

He did away with the regular pallavi-charanam format and let the rhythmic beats flow. “I started as a drummer, so rhythm comes to me easily and I blend in different percussions.” Thaman used a range of instruments for the film, including Persian drums. 

Soon, Thaman will head to London to work with the philharmonic orchestra for the background score of Sarkaru Vaari Paata starring Mahesh Babu.