Mickey J Meyer breaks silence on 'HIT 3' music criticism: “I take risks, not everyone gets that”

HIT: The Third Case might be scoring big at the box office, but not everyone is singing praises for its music. Amid growing chatter about the background score of the Nani and Srinidhi Shetty-starrer, composer Mickey J Meyer has addressed the criticism head-on in a candid post on X (formerly Twitter), defending his creative choices and slamming what he calls a dated way of judging film scores.

Music director Mickey J Meyer responds to the backlash surrounding his score for HIT 3, calling out ‘outdated mindsets’ and defending his creative risk-taking

Mickey, known for his melodic compositions in films like Happy Days and Leader, revealed that he’d faced similar feedback nearly two decades ago. “A very senior technician complained when he heard Happy Days score. He said, ‘What is this garbage—just one guitar, one piano here and there?’” he wrote, adding that minimalism was often misunderstood as a lack of substance.

Drawing parallels between then and now, Mickey said the backlash to HIT 3 feels familiar. “It’s a strange feeling. I feel great things coming my way! Criticism will always be there,” he wrote, but also took a dig at some harsh reviews, saying, “The choice of words some reviewers are using inadvertently portrays themselves in a poor light.”

Mickey, however, was clear: his score wasn’t meant to be traditional. Director Sailesh Kolanu, he said, specifically asked for a restrained background score, steering away from the bombastic highs usually associated with action thrillers. “Scene elevation is by far the easiest part of a score,” Mickey wrote. “Sailesh did not want over-the-top music. It took me a while to understand his vision.”

He added that he was not ‘defending’ his work but merely offering perspective. “I am of a different mindset. I take risks—which pay off, maybe not always. But make no mistake, the score in HIT 3 is successful in supporting the movie, just not in ways some people are used to.” Despite the noise, Mickey signed off with gratitude to his fans, the Telugu audience and ‘the almighty’, vowing to continue making music on his own terms. “Tollywood has always been my niche,” he wrote. “You’ll stop hearing my music the day I decide I’m done. Until then—I try my best!”