Angamaly brass bands to Bulgarian orchestra: How Malayalam cinema composers are scoring high

His latest release, the Telugu science fiction drama, Oke Oka Jeevitham has garnered high praise from both audience and critics.

Jakes credits Ayyappanum Koshiyum for opening a lot of doors and giving him the freedom to choose what he wants. However, he says time is still an issue in Malayalam cinema as schedules are often tight for composers. Yet, when he does get the time and the right project, it is proper brainstorming and research that is key to creating a soundscape that fits the nature of the story. “For Ayyappanum Koshiyum, we spent a considerable amount of time in Attappady researching the local folk music, and that was when we met Nanjiyamma”, he says. A native of Attappady, Nanjiyamma went on to win the National Film Award for Best Playback Singer for the song ‘Kalakatha’.

Jakes adds that the appreciation, especially from Attappady, for Ayyappanum Koshiyum’s score has made him want to bring more of Kerala’s rich folk music into cinema. He is currently working on Vilayathu Buddha, a Prithviraj-starrer set in Marayoor, which has a distinctive Tamil culture although it’s in Kerala; Jakes is trying to incorporate Marayoor’s unique musical culture into the score.

In search of novelty

Prashant Pillai
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“When I started out in 2009, you usually had to have established connections in the industry to enter it. I feel like that[culture] has changed a lot, and talent is getting recognised for what it is,” says Prashant. He made his debut in Nayakan (2010), which itself was the debut movie of Lijo, who found a perfect partner in Prashant to score his eccentric storytelling.

They have worked together for all but one of Lijo’s movies, and has set the trend for what can be achieved when a maverick filmmaker collaborates with a composer not bound by conventions. “Initially, most people did not understand what I was trying to do. However, Amen (2013) changed that. It showed that we could have a completely non-native musical soundscape for a very native story,” says Prashant, who is glad to have avoided the beaten path and paved way for something new in Malayalam cinema.

‘Engu Ninnu Vanna Devadhoothan’ song from Amen (2013)

From the fantastically quirky soundtrack of the magical realist Amen to the rustic brass band score that captures the soul of Angamaly town in Angamaly Diaries (2017), he has been on a constant search for novelty. Apart from Lijo, he is also the go-to composer for Siddharth Bharathan and Bollywood filmmaker Bejoy Nambiar — directors with their own unique storytelling styles, and exactly what Prashant looks out for.

Jallikattu (2019) was the last movie he scored for Lijo

Although he has worked on several musically rich movies, Ee.Ma.Yau (2018) is his most satisfying work despite the score being used only towards the end of the movie and at the beginning. “When I sat to watch it for the first time with Lijo, I could not finish watching as I was overwhelmed by emotion. In fact, I did not watch those portions for which I had composed the music,” says Prashant, whose upcoming projects are Siddharth’s Chathuram and Djinn. He is also excited for Lijo’s next, scheduled to begin after the Mammootty-starrer Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam.

Finding the motifs

Sushin Shyam
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Mahesh Narayanan’s magnum opus Malik(2021) had everything that an epic period movie could ask for: fascinating story, superbly written script, exceptional production quality, brilliant cinematography and magnificent performances.

However, even with so many technical highs, Sushin Shyam’s lush and poignant score stood out. Yet, Sushin says he is not someone who can come up with a composition instantly like other professional musicians do. His largely solitary process of starting with something as basic as trying to find the right mood or riff, he says, helps him bring something new to every project.

Sushin’s best works and where to watch them

Kismath (2016) – YouTube

Ezra (2017) – Disney+Hotstar

Kumbalangi Nights (2019) – YouTube or Amazon Prime

Malik (2021) – Amazon Prime

Bheeshma Parvam (2022) – Disney+Hotstar

In Malik, this process resulted in the melancholic theme of Suleiman (Fahadh’s character) played in the stunning opening shot of the movie introducing the character. Meanwhile, in Amal Neerad’s Mammootty-starrer Bheeshma Parvam(2022), it helped create the joyful song ‘Parudeesa’ that laid the foundation for the entire soundtrack of the blockbuster movie, including Michael’s (Mammootty’s character) majestic trumpet-based theme. “Composing that song helped me find the whole vibe of the movie. The trumpet solo became Michael’s theme and the humming melody ended up being the theme of Michael’s family. You can get a stem or a musical motif from that initial theme or song, which you can use to create the whole soundtrack,” explains Sushin.

However, Kumbalangi Nights(2019) remains close to his heart. Not only did he win a Kerala State Film Award but he was also able to score for it at his own pace and all by himself, mostly working from his home studio. The gorgeous ‘Cherathukal’ penned by Anwar Ali and crooned by Sithara Krishnakumar was the first piece of music he composed for the movie. “It was born out of an experience I had when visiting the production space in Kumbalangi. I hummed and recorded a tune it into my phone, and it eventually became the opening guitar riff of the song,” adds Sushin. His next is Jithu Madhavan’s Romancham starring Soubin Shahir and Arjun Ashokan.

‘Cherathukal’ song from Kumbalangi Nights

A director’s composer

Justin Varghese
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

From a keyboardist in a church choir to composing one of the most haunting scores — for Dileesh Pothan’s Joji(2021) starring Fahadh Faasil — in Malayalam cinema’s recent history, Justin Varghese has come a long way. “Although I got to work with a Bulgarian orchestra, I never thought it would get any special appreciation,” says Justin. However, when the movie released, critics and viewers were unanimous in their praise of the eerie orchestral theme that was perfect for a plot inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

“Since it was a direct OTT release for a potential international audience, Dileesh and Shyam Pushkaran (writer) asked me to compose something that would sound ‘international’. I had always wanted to work with musicians abroad, and this was the perfect opportunity,” Justin says. Four for Music, the Bulgarian orchestra that played and recorded Justin’s brilliant composition, had the facility to live-stream the recording session, so that he and he could suggest any changes instantly. “It was an amazing experience,” he adds.

Remix of Tulu folk song ‘Ollulleru’ from Ajagajantharam

Justin’s best works and where to watch them

Thaneer Mathan Dinangal (2019) – JioCinema

Joji (2021) – Amazon Prime

Ajagajantharam (2021) – SonyLiv

Dear Friend (2022) – Netflix

Oru Thekkan Thallu Case (2022) – In theatres now

Justin, who debuted with Althaf Salim’s Njandukalude Naatil Oridavela (2017), had more than six releases since December 2021, each showcasing a different soundscape, starting with Tinu Pappachan’s intense action drama Ajagajantharam featuring Justin’s pulsating score and a superbly arranged remix of the famous Tulu folk song ‘Ollulleru’. “Tinu wanted a score that was completely devoid of any melody. Therefore, I improvised a lot with various sounds,” he says. This was followed by Gireesh A.D.’s coming-of-age comedy Super Sharanya (2022) that had the super-peppy ‘Ashubha Mangalakaari’ song. However, for Vineeth Kumar’s slice-of-life drama Dear Friend(2022) starring Tovino Thomas, Justin weaved an exquisitely subtle soundtrack. “I rarely read the script and very much depend on the director’s or scriptwriter’s narration of the story to capture the right mood. Although subtlety is not my strength, Vineeth wanted something really light, and it fortunately came out well,” he adds. Meanwhile, Justin’s latest release Oru Thekkan Thallu Case (2022) features a highly rustic score and songs, two of which Justin himself sang, that superbly sets the tone of the period drama set in a 1980s Southern Kerala coastal village.

‘Yentharu’ sung by Justin from Oru Thekkan Thallu Case (2022)