Anirudh Ravichander
Cover story for JFW’s Club Class magazine (Print)
Excerpts from the article below—
Artistic and audacious for someone as young as him, he swept thousands off their feet. Having created compositions that are sheer magic, he soars high with dedication and his love for music. Anirudh Ravichander talks to Vidhya Anand about life as he knows it and the future that awaits him.
Destiny always has a lot more in store than what is usually anticipated. This charming young man’s life is no exception. Filled with energy, he is undaunted and a winner in his league. The fame and fandom he has acquired have not inflated his ego even in the smallest way imaginable. The subsequent successes that have come his way have however made him chase even bigger dreams.
When Passion meets Profession
What began as a hobby has landed him where he is now. Like narrating a beautiful story, he traces the path that led him here. It is incredible to look back and realize that it all just happened. However, when it did, he took control and went in pursuit of it
in earnest. “When I was three, I started learning the Western classical piano, but just as a hobby. During school, things changed. The band craze was on and drove me further. I was part of a Carnatic fusion band, which was when my interest in music grew. It was when I was 12 or 13 that I started composing songs every day. Now when I listen to those early attempts at composing, I realize that the songs were really bad and unintentionally funny, but everybody has a starting point and that was mine,” he says.
Adept and Humble
A hint of modesty kicks in when we ask him if he has any advice to offer budding artists. “I don’t think I am old enough or experienced enough to tell anybody anything right now!” he laughs. “I am enjoying the moment; I could not have asked for a better life. To have gotten so much so early, I think it is a blessing. You should not waste that; instead, keep raising the bar higher.” For anybody in the limelight, pressure mounts and it is necessary to sustain the heights attained. Anirudh concedes that it leads to the compulsion to perform better. The expectation people have gives the push required to keep going, and not just moving further but with class and new ideas.
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Music to Anirudh is an experience. According to him, the magic lies in giving attention to every composition. It is one thing producing a hit song for an album, while it is another when every single song in the album triumphs.
