Visually-challenged music composer Afzal Yusuff is pleased to win the Kerala State Special Jury award for his compositions in the Mammooty starrer 'Immanuel' and 'God for Sale'.
"Awards are always a sort of encouragement. It is a nice feeling when your efforts are appreciated," he told PTI.
'Immanuel', directed by Lal Jose, released last year, was a blockbuster. Yusuff did the background score and music for both movies.
"I got the award for music direction. Doing background score is challenging because I am visually challenged," he said.
"It takes time as each scene has to be explained. The director explains how the movie and scenes pan out and then a narrator sits with me and details the visuals while I key in the score with technicians keeping track," he said.
"It is not easy, but then you feel you have achieved something after it is over and others appreciate it," he said.
The 36-year-old, who made his film debut in 2008, is looking forward to the release of Fahad Fazil-starrer 'Cartoon'.
He has tuned two songs in the movie directed by debutant Shahid Arafat.
'Mazhayil nirayum puzhapole' from the recently released Malayalam film 'Parankimala', tuned by me, has registered over 18 lakh hits on youtube," he said.
The duet, rendered by Najim Arshad and Mridula Warrier, is a remake of the 1981 critically acclaimed movie by late director Bharathan.
"I also did the background score in 'Parankimala'."
"I am not looking for sympathy. It is talent that counts. You cannot survive in this industry on sympathy," says Yusuff, citing Stevie Wonder, the legendary US singer as an inspiration.
"Look at his achievements. So many Grammy awards. He is an inspiration to all of us."
A former keyboard programmer for ational-award-winning music composer Bijibal, Yusuff has tuned the music for upcoming movie 'Ee Yathrayil' directed by Prashant Parameswaran.
"It is an academic film. But the lyrics are by veteran Yusuf Ali Kecheri," he said.
Another project is a Jairam-Asif Ali starrer directed by Benny Thomas. The script is by the hit-duo of Siby K Thomas and Udayakrishnan.
Adept at handling all genres of music, Yusuff, who made his entry into the industry through the movie 'Chandranillukku Vazhi', said his forte is melodies.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}