Renowned music composer Ravi Basrur recently made headlines with his bold assertion that dedicating several years to mastering music is unnecessary and, in his words, “rubbish.” The acclaimed composer of the upcoming film “Singham Again” argues that compressing the learning timeline facilitated his meteoric rise as an independent artist in multiple film industries.
Reflecting on his upbringing and personal journey in music, Basrur detailed how a pivotal family conflict led to his separation from his brother and ultimately ignited his passion. He recalls a particularly challenging period when he was left to run an orchestra after being abruptly separated from his sibling due to family issues. “My brother was removed from an orchestra. After our separation, I decided to start one on my own,” Basrur recalled. Faced with the task of learning how to play the keyboard in a short span, he reveals, “Back then, I learned rhythm patterns while some individuals offered my team double the money to desert me. I had only 12 days to grasp the process of playing the keyboard.” This personal deadline became a turning point that inspired Basrur to develop a 12-day music training course.
At the heart of Basrur’s philosophy is a contempt for the lengthy traditional music education processes. He argues, “Why waste five to eight years learning music? It’s all rubbish. If you enroll in guitar classes, you might spend an hour per week—that’s about 48 hours a year. You could have condensed that into fewer days if you dedicated yourself to learning intensely.” His accelerated approach to music education is passionately imparted to his current batch of approximately 45 students who learn the craft within a 12-day period. “What they choose to do with the training afterward is entirely up to them,” he emphasizes, underscoring the vital role of perseverance and practice in distinguishing an artist in the competitive music landscape.
Basrur’s journey is testament to his belief in practice over prolonged formal education.
. Prior to his emergence as a noted composer with Prashanth Neel’s “Ugramm” in 2014, Basrur worked on a staggering 140 films, albeit as a producer. It was this extensive exposure that offered him nuanced insights into establishing oneself as a solo artist. “I am ever grateful to Salman Khan for staking his trust in me with ‘Antim’ (2021) and later ‘Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’ (2023),” Basrur reflects, as his next major project, “Singham Again”, looms on the horizon with a November 1 release date.
For “Singham Again,” directed by Rohit Shetty, Basrur was handpicked to craft the film’s title track. Shetty commissioned him to create music that matched the cinematic grandeur associated with his franchise. “They were impressed with my work and later asked me to score additional numbers for the film. Ultimately, I was engaged to work on the entire film’s score. We are composing distinct musical motifs for each character, including a theme for Arjun Kapoor’s portrayal of Raavan. We’ve reimagined music from previous films, incorporating contemporary trends to enhance the score,” Basrur explained. When asked what excites him most about this project, he expressed gratitude for the chance to compose for numerous stars associated with the film, “including Deepika Padukone.”
Basrur firmly believes that regardless of the industry, a musician’s success hinges on crafting captivating melodies. “Understanding the character fully simplifies creating a compelling melody,” he emphasizes. “It’s often the musician, more than the editor, who immerses themselves in a film’s footage repeatedly to locate the perfect sound that complements the onscreen action. Music is an intriguing form of art that requires passionate dedication,” he concludes.
“Singham Again,” the eagerly anticipated third installment in Shetty’s dynamic franchise led by Ajay Devgn, will align with the Diwali festivities on its November 1 release, adding to the excitement with its star-studded cast that includes Akshay Kumar and Ranveer Singh.
