The music washes over like summer rain falling over a parched land — cool, fresh and soothing. It is complimented by some stunning visuals that transport you back to a time when stolen glances and unspoken words left a sweet ache in your heart. Chilla, a romantic musing directed by Umesh Krisshnan, with lines penned by Suman Nair and music composed by Balagopal R., has hit all the right notes since its release amassing close to half a billion views on YouTube. Starring actors Sreeram Ramachandran and Parvathy R. Krishna, the song features Sreeram as someone completely smitten by Parvathy — a case of love at first sight. The song is sung by Nikhil Mathew and Kamalaja Rajagopal.
Heart throb Sreeram, popular through his TV serial Kasthooriman, has already acted in three other music albums with Chilla marking his fourth appearance. “I make sure that whatever project I take up — be it a serial, film or a music video — has something different about the presentation,” he begins, adding that it was Balagopal and his wife who approached him with the offer to act in the video. “I was initially apprehensive, but after listening to the song, all the doubts I had harbored flew out of my mind. The concept of love at first sight was so beautifully presented that I fell in love with the song at the first sound!”
Chilla
Indeed, the poignancy and ache of first love is beautifully captured through the frames picturised on the lead pair. Perhaps what resonated with the viewers would be the portrayal of unprofessed love that has led to many a heartbreak and lifelong longing.
A quick question: Did Sreeram face any such case of unprofessed love for real? He laughs and answers, “I married my junior. We were very good friends who, at one point, realised that we loved each other. In fact, looking back, I never even proposed to my wife.” So, is not Sreeram’s popularity a huge factor that has notched up the views for the song? He agrees, “All my earlier music videos have not gained as much popularity as this one. Undoubtedly, my popularity through the serial has helped a lot in the success of this music album.”
Director Umesh, while agreeing that Sreeram’s celeb status did enhance his work, says, “As a director, what appealed to me was Sreeram’s ability to grasp the situations very fast and react accordingly. He also has a very good screen presence. Both the lead actors are very talented and the same can be said about the rest of the cast and crew.” Umesh had earlier directed a short film, but this is his first music album.
Coming back to Sreeram, he looks forward to being a part of music albums in future. “Music has always got a timeless value. I grew up listening to music videos on MTV and V Channel and even now, when I hear some classics or remix versions, nostalgia washes over me. Any music video with a relatable storyline will always stand the test of time.”
