Y ugabharathi calls his 15 years in Kollywood an unforgettable journey, albeit with its share of challenges. Having written over 1,300 film songs, the soft-spoken lyricist owes much of his success to the launch he was offered by director Lingusamy. If ‘Pallanguzhiyin Vattam Paarthen Ottrai Naanayam’ ( Aanandham ) announced his arrival, ‘Kadhal Pisase’ in Run and ‘Kanaa Kandaenadi’ in Parthiban Kanavu signalled the emergence of a budding talent.
“Those songs entered every household. I was a constant in Vidyasagar’s compositions, and even now, a lot of the hits that one associates with Imman have been written by me. When good composers offer you the space to explore your creative side, it shows in the work too.”
He credits much of his success to his decision to keep his lyrics simple. “For instance, in the hit song ‘Un Mela Oru Kannu’ from Rajini Murugan , it was director Ponram’s wish to keep the gaana flavour. I was able to integrate that into the lyrics and it turned out to be a hit. It helps when directors have a pulse on the audience.”
Keeping a clean slate too has helped Yugabharathi grow in his work. “I am open to new ideas, but I have kept one rule for myself... that I won’t write songs with double meaning. That’s what I decided to do based on the feedback I’ve got from my listeners.”
Has he encountered any challenges in his career? “Each song presents itself with its fair share of challenges, as they’re all written to cater to an individual’s taste. For instance, if you’re writing a song for a big name, there are several factors that need to be kept in mind. But I just look at it as a part of team work. I do my share to bring in the success.”
k.v. vasudevan
