DSP interview: “Big Telugu heroes keep asking me for something like ‘Radha Gaja’ from Veeram”
‘Rockstar’ Devi Sri Prasad recently made a big splash with the theatrical premiere of his recent US concert tour, where he covered 7 cities in famous arenas in which international stars had performed before. It is said to have had the highest budget for an Indian show. Such a theatrical premiere for a concert show is a first-of-a-kind attempt in the world and naturally, DSP was all charged up while talking to Kaushik LM, about this attempt and what coaxed him to come up with something like this.
“I wanted to create a stage-like atmosphere in a movie theater with high-end Dolby Atmos sound effects. No one has tried this before. During concerts, only the audience who are in attendance at the concert will get the complete experience while the ones seeing it later on TV at home can’t feel the real experience. I wanted to recreate that feeling of being live at the concert. We filmed all my concerts with 10 to 12 cameras and used multi-directional sound recording. At the recent premiere in the theater, where we screened edited footage running for an hour, people were turning around and wondering where the sound was coming from. It was that real. The full experience can be felt only in well-equipped Dolby Atmos theaters but the shows will be aired on TV too. Viewers can experience the shows, based on their personal interest.”
DSP adds more about all the accolades he received for this endeavor …
“Chiranjeevi sir, Prabhu Deva master and Allu Arjun were among those in attendance. They told me that they actually forgot being in a movie theater. It was like being at the concert. The audience sang along, shouted, whistled and it was a very live feeling. I didn’t expect such a response at the premiere, which was held at the Dolby Atmos screen of the Prasad Multiplex in Hyderabad.
Prabhu Deva master called the next morning again and said that he was inspired seeing this and wanted to try something new. Chiranjeevi sir also called and spoke a lot. During a recent recording in Mumbai, Shankar Mahadevan also called to appreciate me saying that he had heard about the premiere and he inquired about the technology that we used.”
Coming soon to Chennai …
“Since the premiere was very successful, distributors are now demanding shows, at least in Atmos screens for a limited time. We are planning the release and a show will be held soon in Chennai too. My industry friends in Chennai are very excited and preparations are going on.”
Proceeds from ticket sales to help the visually challenged and hearing impaired kids …
“We also had limited public entries at the premiere. I am getting lots of phone calls for more shows. State-wide release is being planned and we are also planning multi city tours to places like Madurai and Coimbatore for shows. In the US, I had exclusive shows for my Tamil and Telugu songs. And since some of my Telugu songs are also popular in TN and some of my tunes have become popular in both Tamil and Telugu, I am sure that Tamil people will also enjoy these shows.
In such future screenings, the proceeds from ticket sales will go to charity, helping the visually challenged and hearing impaired children. The idea is that they should also listen to music and see dance performances in the future. 
It is a long-term project and I am just getting started. By the coming Children’s Day, we plan to achieve something concrete. But there are time constraints, with my numerous film commitments. But such attempts give me the energy and enthusiasm to try out something new.”
Now coming to DSP’s upcoming film assignments …
“My next release, Janatha Garage will have 6 tracks. It is an experimental attempt with a mix of all types of songs. I have had a good combo with Koratala Siva before, and his films are commercial as well as sensible.
For Chiranjeevi sir’s Kathilanthodu, I have done 2 songs done so far and they will be shot soon. It will be a January release. I also have an Allu Arjun film and a Sukumar film to keep me occupied.”
You are nearing 75 films as a composer. How do you face the challenge of delivering fresh music in film after film?
“Generally, music eases people’s tension but for me, music is my work and I completely enjoy it. My dad used to say that I should 
wholeheartedly appreciate work done by other creators without any ego and jealousy. I appreciate and enjoy other’s work and by doing so, my mind is clear and free of any bad feelings. It is an uncertain life that we lead and there is no permanent success/failure. One should just keep working. This attitude keeps me happy and successful in my work. And I had a great guru in the form of Mandolin Srinivas Anna and it helps my life a lot.”
What next?
“I have plans in independent music, through music videos, albums and singles. That’s my passion, but there are time constraints which I have to manage. I have to act in a film too (laughs) and story discussions are going on with Sukumar and team. I will have to finish my other commitments and then begin. Recently, my dad’s death was a huge setback but I kept working as that was my dad’s wish always.”
Finally, your songs in Telugu seem to be fresher compared to your somewhat repetitive, template music in Tamil films. Any comments?
“There is no template music as such. It is just based on personal perception and opinion, and there is nothing wrong in feeling so. In Telugu, they ask for stuff like what I did in Tamil films such as Kandasamy, Manmadhan Ambu and Singam. Leading heroes like Pawan Kalyan and NTR actually keep asking for something like ‘Radha Gaja’ from Veeram. The other side is always greener (laughs).
I do more volume of films in Telugu and hence there is scope for more variety and freshness in my music. In Tamil, my films are all big star flicks in the commercial mass zone where only dance numbers generally stand out. I actually fight with directors to include melodies.
I actually liked my work in Bramman, which was something different from my usual commercial mass films. But the film didn’t work. So, guess I need to do more films in Tamil so that I can explore more. I have to do some romance films (laughs).”
Best wishes for all your upcoming attempts, Rockstar DSP …
Interviewed by Kaushik LM