'Thoongaavanam' will see Kamal Haasan in a high-energy, racy, action-packed role says music director Ghibran

Music director Ghibran came into the limelight in the Tamil film industry with Vaagai Sooda Vaa and the rest as they say is history. Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan calls Ghibran brilliant while ace singer S P Balasubrahmanyam requested him to give him an opportunity to sing for him! The 35-year-old music director may just have ten Tamil film albums to his credit but four of those are Kamal Haasan films. The down-to-earth Ghibran talks to dna about his music, Kamal Haasan and his career in the Tamil film industry.

How did you develop an interest in music?
I don’t come from a music background. One day I saw Yanni’s performance on TV when I was about 7 or 8 years old and that triggered my interests in music. Then I won a singing competition in our colony in Coimbatore and started singing classes. My family went through a bad time and we shifted to Chennai after my 10th standard and I had to start working. I learnt how to play the piano and completed grade eight and post that I started composing jingles. I set up my home studio in 2000 (which apparently was the first one in Chennai) and worked full-time on this. I even bought a house with my earnings.

You then went to Singapore to study music.
Yes, I decided to go to Singapore to study music but the minimum qualification was 12th standard. So at the age of 25, I did my 12th standard exams and passed with 80 per cent! I sold my house to fund my studies. When I came back to Chennai after my course, I found that all my clients had moved on. Sarkunam and I were friends and his Kalavani had become a hit. He then roped me in for Vaagai Sooda Vaa.

You won a lot of awards for Vaagai Sooda Vaa (VSV) but you didn’t sign on any other film for a year.
I was being offered a lot of films but they were all village-based subjects like VSV. I didn’t want to get typecast because I think your strength can also become your weakness. I was waiting to do a film that would show another dimension of my music and that’s when Vathikuchi came along. It was really different from VSV. Though the movie may not have done well at the box office, the music was widely appreciated.

Did the Kuttipuli controversy put you off the Tamil film industry?
I wasn’t aware at all what the director of the film, Muthiah, had changed in terms of the music or background score. Raja sir and Rahman’s songs had been used to replace my music in several parts of the film. It was only after the film’s release I was made aware and I was really upset about the criticism I received.

Considering you aren’t from the film industry, did you understand how the film industry works after this controversy?
I still don’t know how the film industry works! (Laughs) I made a few mistakes in the selection of films early on in my career. I realised that I should work with people I am comfortable with. I selected projects by logic but they backfired. I think going by intuition works best for me and I take a call after meeting the director and listening to the story. It’s about how passionate people are. As for me otherwise, I’m not a party person or attend too many events in the film industry. I prefer going to a local tea shop and having a chai.

How did you feel when you got the first call from Kamal Haasan?
I got a call from his office when I was really feeling low. At the point, I was contemplating on what to do but quitting the film industry was not on my mind. When I got the call, I thought that maybe that was God’s way of telling me that I should continue in the Tamil film industry.

I was actually quite nervous the first time I met him.  After the first few meetings, I was more comfortable and he made me feel comfortable as well. I was signed on by him for Vishwaroopam 2 and I never knew that I would be doing Uthama Villain. He told me that later.

You’ve done four films with Kamal Haasan now. What’s the equation you share with him?
In an interview of his, Kamal Haasan had stated that he liked working with me because he considers me as a learned person. I feel the same way about him. While he talks to you about music, for instance, he’ll draw inferences from Tamil literature, classical music to Broadway and more. Though I am definitely not as learned as he is, I do understand his thought process and can connect the dots. I think that’s why I share a good equation with him.

Tell us about Thoongaavanam.
The audience will see Kamal Haasan in a high-energy, racy, action-packed role in this film. There is only one song in this film and it’s sung by him with lyrics by Vairamuthu. 

Are you not looking at doing mass commercial films in Tamil?
I would love to! People somehow think I’m this serious person but I’m not. I’m goofy, fun-loving and can be stupid. (Laughs) I definitely want to commercial films in Tamil. I did Run Raja Run and Jil in Telugu and they were very successful. Currently, I am working on a Vikram film and one more small film in Tamil. I am in talks for some projects in Telugu as well.

Your wife is a scientist. What feedback does she give you about your music?
The only advice she constantly gives me is to select good films. (Laughs)