Music director Ajay Arasada has been in the industry for over a decade, but in recent years he has made the most of his career with films like AAY, Save The Tigers, Vikkatakavi, and Gurtukostunnayi. In a brief interview, he speaks to us about his career, background, and how he made it big in the OTT world.
From an IT job to music direction
Ajay says art and music have always been part of his family. He is from Visakhapatnam and worked at TCS for seven years before entering films. While working, he also contributed to two movies. "Devi Sri Prasad has been my biggest inspiration, and I credit my mother and wife for supporting my career. My friend Sri Charan introduced me to the film industry, and I started my career as a keyboard programmer for Goodachari," reveals Ajay.
What kind of music is your forte?
Ajay says he wants to work across all genres and believes every story deserves music, as it can elevate the depth of emotions. "If I get a mass film, I will deliver the music that the makers want. I am focused on giving each project what it needs rather than following one fixed style," says Ajay.
How do you select your singers?
"Every singer charges differently, but I always choose the right voice for a song and do not get into the dynamics. I want my songs to have lasting value, and I still remember how a producer once rejected my idea when I wanted to make Anurag Kulkarni sing for one of my films, but today, the same producer cannot afford him".
Ajay Arasada
How different is it to compose for OTT and feature films?
Ajay says music is best experienced in theatres and there is no match for it. "A lot of the sound quality and effort gets reduced when content reaches OTT platforms. But my best work came for Zee 5's Vikatakavi, and I always feel if the same background score was showcased as a film, it would have made a lot of difference," says Ajay.
What is the use of AI in today's music?
Ajay says AI can be a useful tool for musicians and technicians, but it cannot replace a music director. "No matter how advanced the technology becomes, emotions, creativity, and human experiences cannot be generated through prompts alone. AI may help in creating reference tracks or speeding up certain processes, but the soul of music will always come from human imagination,". says Ajay.
What is your biggest career high to date?
Apart from scoring music for films and OTT shows, I have worked closely with Pawan Kalyan Garu on his party albums. "I recently met Pawan Kalyan after composing music for Jana Sena-related content. I still cannot forget the day when I spent an hour with him. Pawan sir discussed future collaborations and wished me for my work," reveals Ajay.
Working with modern-day directors...
Ajay says young directors in today's times explain scenes well but fail to explain the core concept of a song. "I feel understanding the idea behind a scene is essential for both composers and lyricists. But there are also a few directors who are creative and give you the entire script before you start composing".
Any incidents in his career that left a mark?
Ajay says he sometimes did not receive proper recognition for his work. "For films like AAY and Save The Tigers, the credit was mistakenly given to others, and from then onwards I made sure to credit every member of his team, and that is the way to go forward," adds Ajay.
On completing a decade in the industry...
Ajay says though he has completed nearly a decade in the industry, the pandemic affected several years of his growth. However, the journey has given him confidence. "I believe I can compose music for any kind of film, including big commercial entertainers, and am waiting for the right opportunity to prove my mettle," adds Ajay.
