When Sai Abhyankkar churned out a catchy tune during a random composing session, little did he imagine that it would turn him into an internet sensation. Son of ace playback singers Tippu and Harini, Abhyankkar has become the talk of the town ever since his maiden single, Katchi Sera, dropped on YouTube. The peppy number, directed by Ken Royson, has already crossed 36 million views and shows no signs of slowing down.
“It all happened during a casual composing session. I have this practice of composing sequences daily. One week, I ended up composing seven-eight tracks in just eight days. And the lyrics for one of the tracks penned by Adesh Krishna perfectly complemented my tunes. That’s how we decided to go ahead with Katchi Sera. We just wanted a song that sounded aesthetic and rooted, had its acoustics in place and was catchy and groovy to listen to.”
The peppy number is a heady fusion of folk and jazz music. “It was quite a feat melding different genres of music but they somehow seamlessly blended into the song. I experimented with the creative process as I wanted to pack in myriad elements. I wanted to ensure that the listeners did not get bored.”
Did he seek the input of his singer parents while composing the song? “They had no idea what I was working on. I was clear in my head that I would show them only the final product. So, a month ahead of the release, I showed Katchi Sera to them and they were quite impressed by my work. It was like waiting for the judgement day.”
He adds, “They have always been quite supportive of my musical career. It is a huge blessing to grow up in a musically inclined family. My musical sojourn began at the age of six. After 10th grade, I was homeschooled and that move came as a major shot in the arm in pursuing my passion for music.”
One of the first people to hear the song was none other than actor Dhanush. “I didn’t expect him to look at the nuances of the song so deeply. He liked the song, and said, “You are cute, but you should be a performer. That’s very important.”
What has also caught the attention of many is the captivating steps performed by Abhyankkar along with the leading lady of the song, Samyuktha Vishwanathan. Abhyankkar says that facing the arc lights for the first time was a daunting task.
“I am quite reticent and have always steered clear of the camera. Needless to say, I was a bundle of nerves during the shooting as I had to perform in front of legions of people. I think I did a decent job considering it was a brand new process. Once I decided to face the camera, I wanted the spirit of the song to reflect in my performance and I gave it my best.”
Quiz Abhyankkar if he expected Katchi Sera to become such a massive hit and pat comes the reply. “Not at all! It’s god’s blessing. We wanted the views to hit a certain number and had numerous ideas for the promotion in our kitty. However, the song ended up promoting itself.”
Meanwhile, Abhyankkar has moved on to his upcoming projects, in which he will be seen in a completely different avatar.
You can contact the writer over email at sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com and follow her on X @psangeetha2112