90 per cent of ‘Pushpa 2’ background music is mine: Music composer Sam CS

Renowned music composer Sam CS is riding high on recent successes, especially with his hit Telugu film KA and the much-anticipated Pushpa 2. In an exclusive interview with CE, he reflects on his journey, inspirations, and the challenges of creating music that resonates across the masses at a pan-India level.

Reflecting on the recent success of KA, Sam shares his excitement, saying, “I liked that script from day one. I’m really happy with how the audience received the movie.” The standout track, ‘Mass Jathara’, particularly, has caught the public’s imagination. “I’ve done mass songs before in Tamil and Malayalam, but this was my first foray into Telugu mass music,” he explains. “I knew the Telugu audience enjoys powerful rhythms and catchy hooks, so I made sure the song had both. I’m thrilled they embraced it,” he adds.

When selecting projects, Sam stresses on the importance of screenplay. “I love reading scripts,” he reveals, adding, “Pushpa 2 was a rare exception. It was the first movie where I didn’t read the script before starting work because I joined after the edit.” Despite the unique circumstances, his work on the film has been extensive. “I scored music for the entire movie. Although they kept some of Devi Sri Prasad’s music, around 90 per cent of the background score is mine, including the climax fight.”

Working alongside another composer, especially in a film as anticipated as Pushpa 2, posed its challenges. “This is DSP’s movie. The production needed to wrap things up quickly, so they brought me in,” he explains. However, he saw this as an opportunity rather than a constraint. “I am a pakka fan. I see myself as audience. I scored the film from the audience’s perspective. Pushpa 2 is a huge project, and I’m excited to be part of it.”

Discussing his career, Sam also touches upon the sometimes-overlooked efforts behind his compositions. “There are many films where I put in a lot of effort, but they went unnoticed. Saani Kaayidham is one example that stands out. When a tune gets rejected, I don’t see it as a failure.