Darbuka Siva on staying indie at heart, world music influences, and his first live concert as a film composer

For this concert, the soundscape will, of course, include all my popular film songs, but we’ll be presenting them in fresh, intriguing new renditions. I come from a strong world-music and indie background, and that influence has always shaped my approach to film music. Even when I started composing for films, those global influences were evident. I don’t really think like a traditional film composer. At heart, I still see myself as an indie, world-music musician who happens to be making songs for films.

Listening back to my work now, I can clearly trace where different influences come from, and I thought it would be exciting to share that with the audience; not just the film songs themselves, but the roots that inspired them. Music from around the world has always fascinated me, be it Brazilian and Arabic sounds or African rhythms. These styles have profoundly shaped my musical identity.

The idea is to take the audience on a journey across the globe through sound, while keeping it familiar. They’ll hear songs they already love—Maruvaarthai, Visiri, Hey Nijame, Mudhal Nee—but reimagined through a global lens. It won’t feel alien; it will feel like a journey that naturally brings them back to these songs.

I want it to be an experience, something immersive and exploratory. People will come expecting songs they already know, but they’ll also discover new musical styles, collaborations, and influences that might inspire them to explore music in entirely new ways long after the concert ends.

It was actually quite easy, and a lot of that depends on who the director is. You can’t really make a blanket statement and say that working with a director is difficult; it entirely depends on the individual. When the right collaboration clicks, it can be brilliant. Ultimately, it’s about communication and speaking the same creative language. In filmmaking, problems often arise when the director and the composer don’t connect on an emotional level, because at its core, it’s all about emotion, understanding what we’re trying to express and finding the most compelling way to convey it through music.

Once that understanding is in place, the collaboration becomes a cakewalk. With Prasath (Murugesan), the director of Kidaari, we spoke the same language creatively. We were always aligned on the emotion we were aiming for, and, more importantly, on how to avoid the clichéd ways of expressing it. Instead of defaulting to familiar formulas, we constantly asked ourselves, ‘what’s the most exciting and honest way to communicate this emotion?’

We both naturally gravitate towards that approach, which made working together very easy. Prasad understood exactly what I bring to the table as a composer, and we fed off each other creatively. He inspired me with his visual ideas, and in turn, I helped open up new possibilities for his visuals through the music. It was a genuinely healthy and rewarding collaboration, and at no point did I feel any discomfort. In fact, it was a wonderful experience working with him.

The director, Dayal (Padmanabhan), is a real visionary. I wasn’t very familiar with his work before, although he’s done some brilliant films in both Tamil and Kannada. His sensibility towards music and visuals, the way he approaches songs, and even how he chooses singers is very unconventional. Everything is thought through afresh, from the compositions to how music is used in the score. It’s been a brilliant experience so far, and I’m really looking forward to the film. It has a compelling narrative and explores themes that feel very relevant right now.

The other project is with Umapathy Ramaiah, and it’s a sharp, intelligent satire, a genre I’ve never worked in as a composer before, which makes it especially exciting. The film is packed with music, with around four or five songs, and features energetic, high-impact soundscapes. It sits at the opposite end of the spectrum and has been enormous fun to work on. The film itself is very funny, but there’s also a lot more going on beneath the surface.

When Thambi Ramaiah (who has penned the story and dialogues) narrated the script to me, we spoke about how thin the line is when it comes to satire. To do it well, you need real insight and depth. It’s not just about mockery; there has to be substance. That’s what sets it apart, much like the work of someone like Sacha Baron Cohen. Thambi Ramaiah sir is extremely knowledgeable and an intelligent, well-read writer, so even though the film is a satire, it’s layered with meaning. Audiences who enjoy peeling back those layers will find it rewarding. There are a couple of other projects I’ve signed that haven’t been announced yet.

I’ve signed a film that will be made in both Malayalam and Tamil, which may be my next Malayalam project, especially since the songs in Dominic were well received. I’ll be performing those songs at the concert as well.

I absolutely love acting. In fact, if you asked me to choose between music, directing, composing, performing, and acting, I’d say acting feels the most liberating to me. I’m someone who believes in just being present in the moment.

With direction, there are so many responsibilities to manage. With composing, there’s always the pressure of making sure the song works. Even while performing, I’m constantly thinking about whether the band is playing well and whether I’m in the right zone. Acting, on the other hand, feels wonderful because I have nothing else to worry about; I can just become the character.That’s why I genuinely enjoy acting; it gives me a freedom that none of the other things I do quite offer. The only limitation is timing and whether an interesting role comes my way. If the character excites me and I can find the time, I’ll definitely do it.

I find writing far more exciting because you’re completely in your own space. You imagine these rich narratives, the actors you want to cast, the locations you’ll shoot in, and how brilliantly a scene will play out in your head. That phase is incredibly stimulating. Once the writing is done and you move into execution, that’s when it can start to feel a bit like a drill.

Over time, though, I’ve developed my own way of making even that stage enjoyable. A long while ago, I decided I wouldn’t do anything that isn’t fun, as there’s simply no point. I started making music, films, and performing live purely because I enjoy it. I’m constantly checking in with myself and asking, “Am I enjoying this?” If not, I try to figure out what I can do to make it enjoyable. If there’s no answer, I let it go.

I apply the same approach to acting as well. I find ways to enjoy the process, and once I do that, everything becomes easier. On that note, I’ll also be starting work on the film I’m directing next year. It’s been in the works for a while. We had to adjust schedules due to actor availability and production changes, and I got caught up with other projects, but now it’s happening.

Music has played an incredibly integral role in shaping me—not just as an artiste, but as a person. My entire approach to art has been influenced by music. Even my understanding of my own heart and emotions has been guided by it. I consider myself very fortunate that early in my career, I was exposed to a wide variety of musical styles.

When I first started out, around 19 or 20, when I was in college, I had the opportunity to meet and learn from musicians playing different styles— South American, Spanish, African, and more. Spending time with them and understanding their cultures and musical traditions made me far more open and receptive to other cultures and art forms. That openness shaped my outlook and my psyche, and it continues to influence me today.

The same curiosity applies to films. I didn’t limit myself to Tamil or Indian cinema; I actively sought out films from other cultures, like Senegalese, Brazilian, and beyond. I was fascinated not just by the stories themselves, but by the social and political contexts they emerged from and how those contexts shaped the characters’ lives. What struck me was that the basic human emotions are universal, even if the circumstances differ.

Even now, I continue to explore music and films from across the world. In many ways, what I’ve done with music- embracing diversity, exploring cultures, learning from them—is exactly what I’m doing with cinema. It’s almost like a blueprint that carries across all my creative endeavours.

Even before that, Zahrra (his other band), I should say, because that was the starting point, when Tanvi (Shah) and I got together. We were exploring music from all around the world. Zahrra was my first band with Tanvi, and we performed our very first show at the Museum Theatre. That’s why it feels so special to start my journey again with a performance at the same venue. I’m incredibly excited that Tanvi Shah will also be featured—it’s a very special and emotional moment for both of us.

Honestly, I’m not someone who likes having an instrument’s name attached to me, as if I own that instrument, unless you’re someone like Mandolin Srinivas who can ‘own’ the instrument. But somehow, it just happened for me. Around 2002, I was playing with a lot of DJs, and that was also the time when Tanvi and I started Zahrra together.

There were many Sivas in the industry even back then. So, at one of the shows, someone asked me, “Are you going to go by just Siva? People won’t know which Siva this is.” I said, “No, no, let it just be Siva.”

Then that person asked, “What’s your favourite instrument?” I said, “Darbuka.” I had no idea that they were going to put it on the invitation.

When I saw it, it said “Darbuka Siva”,  and somehow that name just stuck. People almost forgot “Siva” and started calling me “Darbuka”. So I had to become “Darbuka” to distinguish myself. In retrospect, I’m actually glad about it. That name has helped shape me into the person I am today, so I’m grateful for it.

For me, the starting point of my music is always an emotion. I’ve never really started with anything else. When I sit down to make a song, the emotion comes first, and that emotion is often shaped by what I’m hearing around me.

Even with my indie stuff, for example, my latest single, Hey Mama, came from a very specific emotion. The idea behind it was this— given the situation we all find ourselves in right now, I feel like we should stop taking everything so seriously and just have fun. That’s the mindset I wanted to convey because, with so much toxicity online, people are constantly irritated or frustrated, and social media has almost become a punching bag for venting. I wanted to make a song that says, “Don’t take everything so seriously; just enjoy yourself.”

I especially wanted this one to resonate with kids. Right now, whenever I go into a dance class, a music class, or see kids on reality show competitions, there’s so much pressure on them to perform perfectly. The message seems to be that you can only be yourself if you succeed or win. That’s too much for children. Kids need the freedom to just be themselves, to explore and enjoy what they love doing, without feeling the pressure to be the best.

So, in a way, this song is a tribute to children—an encouragement to just have fun and follow what they enjoy. And that’s how all my songs begin— from an emotion. That emotion is my inspiration for everything I create.

I suppose there isn’t a strict rule, but there’s this conscious pressure in our minds because of how social media is shaping music nowadays. That whole idea of “what’s working” or,  though I don’t like using the word “what’s trending”, trying to dictate the way music is made-maybe that’s not very healthy.

How are we supposed to hear new styles and forms if everyone is just following the same trends? Everything ends up sounding the same—the patterns, the shapes, everything. If artistes could just stick to their own identity, that would be amazing. Then we’d get to hear so many new narratives and fresh forms of music.

I think it would be great for audiences to see the process of how a song begins and how it develops into the final product—the journey of a song. Each song has a very different starting point. Some might begin with a simple string instrument and gradually build into a full, orchestral piece. Others might start with just a single phrase or word and evolve into a complete song in a completely different way. I think it would be really interesting for people to understand and witness how a song takes shape.

Wow, this is quite a tough question; I didn’t see it coming. So much of who I am is intertwined with my art. If you strip all of that away, what remains is simply someone who wishes for everyone to be happy and at peace in their minds, someone who hopes that people take care of themselves and the world around them. What’s left is a desire for people to be content, without conflict, and to be kind and considerate to one another. I’d like to think that I try to be kind and compassionate; that is my foremost priority. And not just towards people, but towards all creatures. I care deeply about animals and nature, and I genuinely believe that we should all nurture and protect them.

I’m planning quite a lot of indie music at the moment, which is something I haven’t really had the chance to do since I got into film music. Starting with the Hey Mama track, there will be plenty of indie releases coming up, along with some exciting collaborations with other artistes and performers.

I’m also looking forward to live performances now that I’ve started performing on stage. I’m so excited to bring all my influences to life in front of an audience—it’s a huge source of inspiration for me. Of course, film music will continue as well.

Darbuka, because no matter where I go, I always carry my darbuka.

Joy

Improvisation

Nimir

Western classical music—maybe that’s not really my forte. When I watch Western classical musicians perform, I’m amazed. Seeing them play pieces by Bach or Beethoven, I wonder how they can memorise such long compositions and perform them so flawlessly.

Groovy

It mostly depends on my mood. If I want to have fun, I listen to Bruno Mars. If I’m in a moody phase, I listen to The Weeknd. And if I’m feeling slightly funky, I listen to Tom Misch. I also listen to a lot of Hindustani Dhrupad, as it’s very transcendent.