The extraordinary talents of Osho Venkat

The 18-year-old Osho Venkat is a Chennai-based musical virtuoso who plays the piano and sings Carnatic music with equal felicity.

His first source of inspiration was his father, and Osho began learning how to play the piano at the tender age of four under master Geeridharan, unknowingly kick-starting what would go on to be a promising career.

Over the years, as his love for music grew and he began paying more attention to it, he had his family’s support at every step of the way. Eventually, the young musician, intent on devoting all his time to his passion, abandoned his academic pursuits after class ten and started studying music at the Trinity College of Music instead.

Since then, he’s grabbed every opportunity that’s come his way — be it a jingle, an advertisement, or a song. And he’s already worked on 55 albums in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

For the last few years, he’s been working with professionals like S.S. Thaman, Achu Rajamani, Dharan Kumar, Kural Arasaan and Kumaran, to name a few.

“Thaman sir has been a great support,” Osho says of the man who introduced him to the film industry at the age of 13, adding, “I learnt how to make cinematic music from him, and it has been very special for me to get to know the Tamil and Telugu music industries.”

Some of the movies he’s worked on so far include Sketch, Appatakkar, Aanum Theeyavan, Acham Illai Acham Illai, and Ivan Thandhiran in Tamil; Tholi Prema, Bhagamathee, Mahanubhavudu, Chal Mohan Ranga, and Goutham Nanda in Telugu; and Mona Darling in Hindi, for which he played the keyboard.

The young musician, who is determined to make a name for himself as a music composer in the future, has a message for budding talents — “Stay focused on your dream. Take whatever risks you need to and do things your own way.”