Anirudh Ravichander: Hit Machine

THE MAN WHO had us hooked to Kolaveri di, the instant viral hit featuring actor Dhanush, at just 21 years old, has come of age. Anirudh Ravichander, the Tamil film industry’s young hit machine, is the only music director who routinely gets top billing alongside its most bankable stars. When his boyish face appeared alongside Rajinikanth’s in the first-look poster of Jailer, the superstar’s latest which has clocked over `600 crore at the global box office, it was a fitting tribute to a background score that is as much a protagonist in the film. This is Anirudh’s third collaboration with Rajinikanth, after Petta (2019) and Darbar (2020). Close on the heels of Jailer’s runaway success comes another big leap for the young composer— his Bollywood debut (although he did compose and sing a song for David, 2013), and it is as big as it gets. Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming film with Atlee, Jawan, features rousing and modern music by Anirudh—from a dance track with his trademark trendsetting beats to a romantic number starring Nayanthara and Khan. “Love you to the moon [because it can be seen only at night] and back, Beta. Will miss our Vampire nights!!” Khan posted in reply to Anirudh’s announcement of the music preview of the film on X. Anirudh, in a statement about working on Jawan, said, “Vandha edam holds a special place in my heart as it marks the first track I composed for the film. It’s also my first time composing for Shah Rukh Khan, who is synonymous with featuring in iconic songs of our generation, and I was determined to do justice to his stardom.”

All of 32, Anirudh has consistently delivered hit after superhit since he broke into the scene over a decade ago. Coming from a film family—his grandfather SV Ramanan was a filmmaker and his father Ravi Raghavendra is an actor—and being related to Rajinikanth surely gave Anirudh a foothold, but his reputation as Mr Dependable in an industry brimming with talent is what has made him the most sought-after music director today. From elevating many a middling film with absolute bangers to introducing elements of electronic synth-pop, koothu, and metal to big-name productions, Anirudh has fast-tracked his career simply by being fast, efficient, and in tune with the times. He reportedly commands `10 crore in fees per film—and going by the success of his projects of late, he seems to be more than earning his crores. In the past couple of years alone, Anirudh has composed for some of the industry’s biggest hits—Master (2021, starring Vijay), Don (2022, starring Sivakarthikeyan), Beast (2022, starring Vijay), Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal (2022, starring Vijay Sethupathi) and Vikram (2022, starring Kamal Haasan). He has other big projects lined up, including Haasan’s sequel to Indian, Vijay’s Leo and Ajith’s Vidaa Muyarchi. Anirudh’s Telugu industry outing since 2018 has already yielded several hits—Agnyaathavaasi (2018), Gang Leader (2019), Jersey (2022), and he has also reportedly signed films starring popular actors Junior NTR and Vijay Devarakonda.

A prolific composer with 50-plus films under his belt, a pianist, and a true rockstar who likes to sing and perform, Anirudh is a rare talent who has been able to capture the imagination of young audiences by constantly working on the quality of his music. His background scores have become a lot better, and when he sings, his voice carries with it the conviction of someone who wants to hook you to his music. In an industry shaped by the legendary AR Rahman and Ilaiyaraja, Anirudh already occupies a place of prominence and respect that has evaded other composers before him. His voice, too, has made its mark, and he has no qualms about singing for other composers, including Rahman and Ghibran.

In an early interview, Anirudh cited Michael Jackson among his top musical inspirations, ahead of Coldplay and Maroon 5. He is rightly deferential to Rahman and Ilaiyaraja, who shaped the crossover music style that he, too, has used to great effect, giving it a new, edgier feel. While he hasn’t talked about his plans in Bollywood after Jawan, there seem to be no limits to the success of the Midas of the keyboard.

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