BW: How did you enter the industry?

Harris Jayaraj: The industry is not new to me. My father S.M. Jayakumar is a very popular guitarist and now he has turned an evangelist. Right from my childhood, AVM Studios, Vauhini Studios, Vijaya Gardens were familiar places to me as they were close to my school and I would visit them even during holidays with my father. I had the experience of watching many music composers and the way they recorded. I started my career as a keyboard player when I was twelve and twelve years later I became a composer. The industry was familiar but the only difference was that I took the baton of music composer for the first time when I was twenty four for Minnale. I never thought I would become a music composer; it was experimental. Earlier I had opportunities but I was too young. However later when I was a bit older Gautham came to me with this offer and I thought the time was right.

How was your life before movies?

I was very happy. Between 1987 and 2000, I was in a studio and a very busy musician in India and across the globe and played under more than twenty five music directors in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Bengali and Oriya. I was a confident young musician and my aim was global. I finished my music degrees and took a holiday from work to finish the exams.

Experiences on some of the music directors that you have worked with?

My biggest plus point is that I have worked with different music directors. It was a very interesting learning curve for me. I have worked with music directors from Shankar Ganesh to Yuvan Shankar Raja. It is nice working with senior composers and also budding composers. Playing the keyboard for first-time composers is a good experience. My first film was in Kannada with Joseph Krishna. This was in 1987 when I was just 12 and I played the guitar for him. Later, I transformed myself into a synthesizer programmer. In 1989, I started playing keyboards and worked on gospel albums and devotional songs.

Mr. Rajkoti, the popular Telugu composer was my guru in the industry. I worked for over nine years with him and learnt commercial music. I learnt a lot from him like completing a film in three days, the speed, the tight synchronization, post-production, staying alert, commercial elements etc. From some composers, I learnt ‘from-the-heart’ music which comes from deep within the heart, especially from Housuf Bachchan. In Malayalam, I have worked for music directors like Suresh and Shyam. Working style in Malayalam is different. You are given notes and light soft music but Telugu is very different and commercial. I gelled with both the worlds and handled them successfully. I used to be in different studios everyday. I have worked with Vidya Sagar, Yuvan Shankar Raja, A R Rahman, Sirpi, Bala Bharathi, and Bose. Everyone has their own style; working for them was tougher than composing on my own. While composing my music I am free to do what I want but it cannot happen with others as I have to perform to their taste. It was a good experience and I learnt how they handled things. I also got to understand what they had not attempted and the scope of what I could do. Those twelve to thirteen years were fantastic. I still feel happy when I recall those days. When I meet them now, we talk about those days.

I had some thumb rules when it came to choosing films. I wanted to create my own brand like how the directors have done for themselves. By brand, I don’t mean that people should categorize my music or the films that I would work for. The faith and opinion of the audience about me is important for commercial success. I created a template and started working and choosing films carefully within that. I choose just three out of the thirty films that I am offered with. It’s not necessary that these three are the best films but to me they must be exclusive. If it’s a commercial film it must be a cut above; if its romance, it must be outstanding. My other strength is my team spirit and the technicians I work with. I also expect my producers to be more patient and believe in the project and technicians.

On Ayan and K V Anand

Ayan is a complete family entertainer. I am looking at this film after Saamy, Anniyan and so on. I have always preferred to do romance and lightweight subjects. I like happy films. When I heard the script of Ayan, it reminded me of Saamy, a fast-paced film where you can sip your cool drink, eat popcorn and let the time whiz past. The script was thrilling and fun. It may be unbelievable but this is the first script I have listened to for two and a half hours. Usually, I ask the director to brush me through the essence of the film which would hardly take about half an hour. However for Ayan, the director narrated it to me scene by scene, and I never felt bored even at one place. I had just then completed Dhaam Dhoom and Vaaranam Aayiram. In KV’s first film Kana Kandein, I liked the intellectual touch. My wife Suma also liked the film and I was happy to be associated with Anand in Ayan. I never expected it to be such a big blockbuster and I thank the Almighty and KV Anand.

What kind of music do you personally like?

I like soothing music. I like Western Classical a lot and devotional songs with good lyrical value and world music albums. I like French singer Anna Theresa.

Which are your favorite songs?

Many. I like 1942, Chariots of Fire. I especially like to listen to sound tracks from motion pictures. When you watch the movies the music appears only in the third stage - dialogues, effects and then music. I don’t watch the films but listen. I also like Choudhery’s background scores and Rajkoti’s work.

We have never heard you sing? When will we?

That’s a surprise I want to keep. I am training and have to practice to the level I strive for. When I start singing it should be my 100%

Would you want to work with heroes, like Rajinikanth or Kamalhassan?

Many things have to come together. It’s not that if you work in the films of some heroes, it will satisfy everyone. It calls for the right kind of team. If I have to work with Rajini, I need the right director with whom I can work, a kind of director who will make me gel with the others in the team. Yes, I would like to work with a particular actor and in a different genre but the key factor is who is handling the show. Otherwise the marriage will go completely wrong.

What are your feelings upon receiving Kalaimaamani?

I never expected it and was very happy since it signifies good recognition. I am receiving this after seven years in the industry. Awards make me happy but the happiness lasts just a couple of days. It’s forgotten after the second day of announcement. It’s like cutting a birthday cake, everybody sings Happy Birthday and the next day there’s no talk about it. Awards are like that but cutting the cake is a good thing. It’s a pat on my back.

Could you tell us about your world tour?

That’s a very big and long process. What I am planning is big and I want to ensure it is hassle free because lots of things are involved like the sponsors across the globe. We plan to connect America, Canada, Australia and the Far East. So any goof up will be a problem.

What are your future projects?

I am working in Aadhavan for KS Ravikumar and a Telugu film with Bommarillu Baskar followed by a couple of Hindi films. One is a light romantic film and the other is a very big film but both are still under process.

What is your hobby?

Giving interviews is a hobby. When I sit between four walls of the studio, I sit silently. Only now I speak. And music, music, music-it’s a huge ocean. Checking out technology, surfing the net and updating my gizmos keep me very busy.

What are your goals?

Now my fans, family and friends have asked me to move to Bollywood as they want to hear my tracks in Hindi. So far I did not think about it nor had the interest but I respect their opinion. I need a change and by God’s grace, I will be doing Bollywood films this year. Let’s see how it goes after two years.