Rama Jogayya Sastry is one of the most celebrated lyricists for Telugu films of current era. His simple usage of Telugu words along with classicism as well as trendiness made him to the top league of lyric writers. Apart from lyric writing, he also has penchant for singing and appeared in few cameos in films like King and Kamal Hassan’s Cheekati Rajyam. His latest release Sardaar Gabbar Singh is making a huge buzz all over. Here is an iQlik exclusive chitchat with the ace lyricist:
Hello Rama Jogayya Sastry garu..
Hi..
Congratulations on the success of your latest SGS album. How was it working with Pawan Kalyan & DSP?
(Smiles) Thank you. I share a great rapport with DSP and it would take days to describe our bondage. Coming to Pawan Kalyan, though I had limited interaction with him he congratulated me for the SGS title song and Aadevadanna Eedevadanna song when he visited the sets. Both of them are two different yet special persons I've ever met.
Please share about your valuable experience with legendary Sirivenela Sitarama Sastry garu..
I consider myself to be the luckiest person on this planet for travelling with him. In fact, I became one of their family members! He is like a father figure to me. I must admit that he never taught me anything explicitly but he showered enormous love towards me. I learnt how to lead life in the right sense and live happily through him. He is like a walking example for how to show commitment towards work and sincerity. Just by observing such people we learn lot about life! Most importantly, he was the one who instilled confidence in my work when I was having low confidence in myself.
What was the motivation behind your award winning song Sada Siva for Khaleja?
When the music sittings for the film were going on, Trivikram garu started off explaining the song’s situation in great passion and vigor to me and composer Mani Sharma garu. Mani was so inspired by the end of it, he made an extempore tune and it got approved. The entire credit for the brilliance of the song goes to Trivikram garu and his knowledge in things. He is a visionary with great knowledge in versatile aspects. Trivikram garu wanted me to give a folk tinge to the song and I did that.
Favorite authors or lyricists in Telugu that you always look upto...
I strongly believe that we need to take the good from every person. I recently happened to hear a song penned by Goreti Venakanna on YouTube and it was a moving composition on the poverty in country. Right from legendary Athreya, Sri Sri to the latest lyricists, I have some admiration for every lyricist. I admire Bhaskarabhatla for his ability to pen mass numbers and Chandrabose for his unique contribution.
Any preferences for song genres you want to work for?
Well, a lyricist should be flexible enough to pen any sort of song with effortless ease. I am quite confident in that regard and love to pen songs in every single genre and situation Telugu film industry offers me!
You have an interesting association with Universal Hero Kamal Hassan. Please tell us about it!
I could meet Kamal Hassan because of Devi Sri Prasad. He was composing music for Kamal’s film Manmadha Baanam and I happened to write the song Neelakaasam in the flick. Kamal was there during the song recording and he appreciated the song for its nativity despite being a Tamil dubbing film. Days passed by and during the work for Vishwaroopam he himself remembered and contacted me through DSP. Vennelakanti garu happened to write the dialogues and I wrote the songs! However, for Uthama Villain he said that the songs in Telugu version were as good as the original. He tried to convince me to write dialogues for the film but I couldn’t take up the challenge. I need to achieve alot in my existing realm of lyric writing first. I must confess I am a huge fan of Kamal Hassan and watched his films Dance Master and Swathi Muthyam several times. I am truly blessed to have worked with him.
How about your working experience with Mega family?
I unfortunately couldn’t work with Chiranjeevi garu till now. However, I penned all the promotional songs for his political activities. Hope I get a chance to work for his 150th film. Otherwise. I happened to write for Ram Charan’s first film Chirutha as well. I also share a good rapport with Stylish Star Allu Arjun and Pawan Kalyan's SGS just got released.
Do you find writing for dubbing films to be a daunting task?
Initially dubbing film songs had the non-Telugu flavor which hampered the song’s beauty. Most of the lyricists had many limitations such as lip sync and metering for writing a dubbing song. But my preference is to write Telugu dubbing songs with 100% nativity!
You did a remarkable job for the Telugu dubbing version of national award winning film Bajirao Mastani. Will you take up such mythological or historical films in Telugu?
I would love to take up such challenge. I am most comfortable in Telugu but not Sanskrit! Coming to Bajirao Mastani, I was given complete freedom to work and I just had to work for a couple of days more than the usual but it is a delight to work for such themes.
Do you plan to enter into acting or singing at any point in your career apart from lyric writing?
I act in cameos just by special request of the directors. My one and only passion is lyric writing. I happened to sing songs like Adaragottu in Dookudu, Utthama Villain’s Villu Paata, and Door Number along with Geetha Madhuri in Oopiri but that is because I love to sing.
Upcoming movies?
I am working with Trivikram for Nithiin’s A Aa, Jr.NTR’s Janata Garage and as a single card lyricist for a Kannada-Telugu bilingual Jaguar featuring Deve Gowda’s grandson. The Telugu version of Kannada film Jessie will be written by me. Naga Chaitanya’s Premam, SJ Suryah’s upcoming film, Sai Dharam Tej’s Supreme, Venkatesh-Maruthi's Babu Bangaram, Gopichand’s Oxygen and Niharika Konidela’s Oka Manasu!
Okay.. Thank you and wish you the best for the future projects!
Thanks a lot!