Humbled at twin honour, aim to create Indo-Arabic musical confluence: M Jayachandran

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Awards are not new to ace music composer M Jayachandran. But when he was adjudged best music director and also won the honour for the best background score at the 51st Kerala State Film Awards, it was definitely a special achievement.

Jayachandran told TNIE that he was humbled as no other music director has had a chance to win these two coveted honours in a single edition of the state film awards. “If at all I had a chance to win an award this year, I thought it would be for background score. But the twin honour has really surprised me,” he said.

“The background score of Sufiyum Sujathayum is connected to my musical soul as I could undertake a exhaustive journey through Sufi and Arabic musical genres. I want to dedicate this award to the memory of the movie’s director Shanavas whom we fondly call Shanu. He had entrusted me to instil life into the movie through the backgrond score,” he remembered.

Jaychandran said Shanavas gave him full freedom which is essentially what an artist or musician needs. “It is because of his support that even during the raging pandemic we could arrange artists from as far as Istanbul.” He said Sufiyum Sujathayum taught him that any limitation can be overcome if there is a will.

On winning the honour for best music director for the song ‘Vathikkalu Vellaripravu..’ Jayachandran said it was usually unlikely that a commercially successful song could fetch its composer an award. “But it happened in the case of Sufiyum Sujathayum and I am truly honoured at the ‘double dhamaka’,” he added.Jayachandran said newcomer Nithya Mammen bagging the award for best female playback singer for ‘Vaathikkalu Vellaripravu’ also brought him immense joy.

“Everyone suggested that the song should be given to established singers like Shreya Ghoshal. But I was sure Nithya was the right person,” he said. “I had experimented with Arabic and Sufi music in the background score of movies like Gaddama. But never could I explore its varied facets till ‘Sufiyum Sujathayum’ My dream is to create an Indo-Arabic musical confluence in symphonic proportions,” he said.