Ghibran on the art of BGM
Ghibran says that this unusual attempt was deliberate as he felt there was no scope for songs in the movie
By : thinkal v menon
Update: 2015-11-21 23:20 GMT
Buoyed by the box office success and critical reception to Thoongavanam, music director Ghibran is on a high, even though he’s keeping his fingers crossed about the response to its Telugu version Cheekati Rajyam. An adaptation of the French flick Sleepless Night, the movie has been receiving praise for its engaging background score which kept the audience hooked, for more than two hours, sans a song. Ghibran says that this unusual attempt was deliberate as he felt there was no scope for songs in the movie, when he listened to the script.
He explains, “I always believe that music for a film should be composed based on its genre or mood. We weren’t apprehensive about not incorporating songs in Thoongavanam, as the story moves at jet speed. Moreover, Kamal sir had the idea about the usage of sound effects and editing pattern in each scene, which made me confident and convinced about pulling it off with only a BGM.” However, the real challenge for Ghibran was to recreate the ambience of a pub, as he is averse to drinking and pubbing. “The last time I had been to a pub was 15 years ago,” he laughs, and adds, “That was when I played the keyboard for a New Year’s event in the city. So, I had to research a little to ensure that the music adheres to the film’s mood and sequences.”
The musician feels that there will be many films in the future, which will experiment with various layers of sound design. According to him, the change is happening slowly and he considers it a welcome trend. “I think audiences these days are keen on observing the technical aspects of the film. I was a little surprised and delighted when my work in Uttama Villain was seriously introspected and raved about,” he says.
He also adds, “The international recognition I got recently for the movie was heartening, given the amount of hard work I put into it. There are many who are attracted to the unconventional style of filmmaking — without songs, as it acts as a hindrance to narration in many cases. A few years down the line, there will be movies where the duration of songs would be very less, and the background score will be separate from songs, like in Hollywood.”
Ghibran says he always tries to push the boundaries, and had he not collaborated with Kamal, it could have taken him at least 10 years to come up with the experimentation he attempted — “He always encourages and insists I learn something new; it is as important as breathing to live.”
So, what keeps him going? He says it’s a sudden instinct and composing is never a planned affair — “There are days when I feel a complete blank. But something then strikes me abruptly. For me, prayers play an important role and I lead a disciplined life. I’m someone who loves solitude and likes an ordinary life.”
Ghibran, who is all praise for his contemporaries in the industry, says Santhosh Narayanan is someone with whom he shares a close bond. A huge fan of animation films, it is his dream to compose music for a full-fledged animation flick, something he hopes will happen sooner or later.
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