UA Exclusive| Swanand Kirkire: If you want to be a lyricist, you have to keep the child within you alive all the time

Swanand Kirkire, who is an Indian lyricist, playback singer, writer, assistant director, actor and dialogue writer, both in television and Hindi films has composed the music of Kajol and Riddhi Sen starrer Helicopter Eela.

UrbanAsian got a chance to interview the talented Swanand Kirkire who spoke about working with Pradeep Sarkar in Helicopter Eela and about his thought about rap’s being included in songs.

Read it all here:

What was the process like for composing songs for Helicopter Eela? Was it any different from any other films?

The process is the same for every movie. The director comes to you with the movie. So you have to understand the story, what the director wants. I am collaborating with Pradeep Sarkar and Amit Trivedi after a long time. I have done their everyone film except for Mardaani. So working with them is very easy and interesting. They completely trust you.

I have done many films and in those films first, the movie is made and then the songs are composed. But in Helicopter Eela all three songs were composed before the movie was shot.

While writing down the lyrics of Mummy Ki Parchai or Yaadon Ki Almari, did you go through any of your childhood memories?

Definitely, you go through your childhood memories. If you want to be a lyricist, you have to keep the child within you alive all the time. Indian man will always be under his mom’s shadow even after getting old. A mother never feels that her kid has grown up. For her, he/she will always be her little kid. Besides the images, nothing changes.

While writing Mummy Ki Parchai, what was the brief given to you by the director?

He only told me that there is a boy who sings this song for his mom, regarding her life. So I thought what song should be written. Then it struck me that we all are always in our mom’s shadow. In our entire life, we are surrounded by our mother. Then I sat with my friend and discussed what happens in youngster’s life nowadays. Then we spoke and then I thought of a fun song that came to my mind.

Nowadays in every song, a Rap is added. So what is your say about this?

I feel that things happen according to the trend. And everything that happens according to the current trend is correct. Rap is a way of expression in its own self.

Is this a director’s choice or lyricist’s?

I only work in those movies where the movie’s director tell me what to do. I don’t work with music directors. I feel that the director needs to trust you, which is very important. Music and lyrics are two different things which work hand in hand.