Where Carnatic meets opera and everything in between

Anjana Rajagopalan doesn’t believe in binaries. Not when it comes to music, identity, or the idea of success. The Chennai-based composer, producer, singer, conductor, and self-taught sound engineer is unafraid to sit at the intersections. With a deep grounding in Carnatic music, Western classical, playback, opera, and orchestral work, Anjana has emerged as one of the few young artistes in the country whose practice is as fluid as it is rooted. “To define is to limit,” she tells us, “and I’d rather keep exploring.”

Anjana Rajagopalan on scoring Mayakoothu

Her recent work includes collaborations with AR Rahman, Debashish Bhattacharya, and an ensemble of musicians from across Australia and India, as part of a cultural exchange programme between KM Music Conservatory and Queensland Conservatorium. She also served as music producer for the UAE’s first all-women Firdaus Orchestra, a landmark moment in reclaiming space for women in the region’s music scene. But what excites her most is a new vocal aesthetic she’s developing, fusing the precision of Carnatic with the timbre of Western classical singing.

She speaks to us about her approach to scoring for the flim Mayakoothu directed by AR Raghavendran, releasing next month.

Excerpts:

You’ve traversed genres from Carnatic to opera to film music. How did it all begin?

I started with Carnatic music as a child, but I was equally drawn to my parents’ love for Western pop, ABBA, Boney M, all of that. I taught myself guitar and began composing in school. During college, I got into playback singing and orchestral arrangements. Over time, I explored Western classical music, joined the MMA choir, and even trained in opera. From collaborating with legends like Amjad Ali Khan to composing Indo-Polish music, it’s been an ever-evolving journey of curiosity and sound.

You’ve worked with legends like Debashish Bhattacharya and AR Rahman. What were those experiences like?

Debashish ji was incredibly warm and encouraging, down-to-earth despite being a Grammy winner. Rahman sir is very sweet and down-to-earth. What struck me most was his liberal, playful approach to music, no rigid rules, just feeling and mood. When we worked together on a project with Amjad Ali Khan ji, he told me, “Don’t stick to the grammar too much.” That really resonated with me. He also cracks the silliest jokes, like mispronouncing noir as “Nair”! He’s genuine, fun, and doesn’t take himself too seriously.

What drew you to Mayakoothu?

It was the writing, it had a very unique storyline and a strong psychological core centered on an artist’s journey, to be more precise, how vulnerability can warp your mind. The surreal elements and how they were portrayed gave me a rich emotional and sonic landscape to explore.

Describe the musical identity of this film.

It’s a direct reflection of my global influences as a composer and singer. Each of the five tracks has a different cultural and sonic signature, drawing from diverse genres and emotional cues. It’s definitely a fresh sound for Tamil cinema.

Where did you draw inspiration from?

Personal experiences always inform my work. There’s an oppari track in the film that’s tied closely to a community represented on screen, and I used other regional sounds to underline socio-economic contexts. But I also layered in global influences—sounds you wouldn’t typically associate with this setting.

How did you approach composing themes for specific characters or emotions?

Each main character has a genre and a sound identity. These identities recur across the film and even start blending towards the climax. For one character, a hitman played by Sai Dheena, I had to strike a tricky balance between dark, anxious, and comically offbeat. That was one of the most complex cues to write.

Did you work with a live orchestra or electronic instrumentation for this project?

Both, but mostly electronic. Budget-wise, this was a shoestring project, so I had to get creative. I programmed orchestral textures and used live recordings strategically.

How do you hope the audience feels when they hear your score in the film?

I want them to feel the emotional arc of the characters without being distracted by the music itself. The score should feel like an invisible but vital current, elevating the narrative. That’s the approach I take with every film I do. And for the audiophiles out there, I hope they enjoy dissecting the technical layers too!

How has this film challenged or changed you as a composer?

Working with such a tight budget forced me to push every limit, technically, emotionally, and creatively. I had to learn new skills on the go. For example, a flamenco-inspired track, was built entirely from open-ended recording sessions with Matt Bacon. I also experimented with folk percussion instruments I had only read about, like parai and chatti, and learned they’re pitch-adjusted using heat. At home, we used an iron box to replicate the traditional bonfire tuning method!

What’s next for you?

I’m working on a very exciting Bollywood project with director Shaad Ali. It’s a very different vibe, equally beautiful, and I’m getting to experiment with a whole new sonic palette.

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