When music composer Achu Rajamani was approached to score the music for Vaa Thala, a peppy number dedicated to one of the most beloved cricketers in the country, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he took up the offer instantly.
“I mean, who isn’t a fan of Dhoni? There were a lot of speculations about whether he would continue in the IPL or not. So, the makers wanted a song that would celebrate his career in the IPL and also capture his entire cricketing journey.”
Achu adds, “Moreover, he is a beloved icon of Chennai and means a lot to the people of Tamil Nadu. We wanted to include every piece of content possible where we could thank him and celebrate him.”
Vaa Thala is the Dhoni anthem for the 2024 Indian Premier League. Interestingly, Achu himself is an ardent follower of the gentleman’s game.
When asked if he weaved in some of his personal experiences as well into the song, the Month of Madhu composer says, “I am not a mass hero to draw references from my life. So, I roped in lyricist Gana Sallu. Initially, when I was composing the song, the word,‘Vaa Thala’, came to mind, and we retained it in the song. The instrumentation, too, was quite simple.”
The song, which is also out in Telugu, Kannada and Hindi, is now being played between overs during TV telecasts even as the IPL fever reaches a feverish peak. “Since Dhoni is a pan-India star, we thought the song would work for everyone.”
Achu comes from a lineage of musicians, and it was only natural that he would pursue a career in music. “Since childhood, I’ve been learning a lot of music — Hindustani, Carnatic, and Western. A musician’s son or daughter will have some music in them, right? I am blessed that I’ve got the ability and the freedom to do something that is stress-free.”
When asked who has played a crucial role in his musical journey, he replies, “I would say everyone. Because I’ve learned something from every single person in my life — my grandparents (Malayalam cinema composer BA Chidambaranath is his grandfather), parents, and gurus, including MM Keeravani mama. I was limited to four genres while growing up. Technology gave us a platform to learn more. So, I would say computers are also my guru.”
Talking about the challenges of composing in today’s times, he says, “I’m talking on behalf of a few composers I know. There are very few directors who say they need a lot of detailing for a song. A majority of the time, a director’s song requirement spans only three to three-and-a-half-minutes since the attention span is low. Even for the radio, we have to cut the opening background music. So that remains a challenge,” says Achu, who has many singles and films in his kitty.
The song is now streaming on YouTube.
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