Dream come true
SAVITHA GAUTAM
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Playback singer Devan on his new role as composer for ‘Bale Pandiya’ and much more.
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Music is his mission: Devan Ekambaram
Devan Ekambaram is all charged and has reason to be. For, here’s a successful playback singer who’s been around for over 10 years, sung many hit numbers in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada and is gearing up for a new challenge – as compos
er. The young singer is busy tuning songs for ‘Bale Pandiya’, a film being directed by his buddy, graphic designer Siddharth Chandrashekar.
As you strike up a conversation with Devan, you are amazed at his razor-sharp memory. He recalls every detail of our very first meeting in 1998 at the launch of his first non-film album with SPB Charan, ‘Kamban Oru Kannilae.’ “Yeah, I do have a knack of remembering faces and dates,” he laughs.
The smooth-voiced singer, who has come a long way since his ‘Oh Maria’ days (his first song for ‘Kadhalar Dhinam,’ A.R. Rahman, 1999), is excited about his foray into composing. “Composing is something I’ve always dreamt of. With ‘Bale Pandiya,’ that dream is fulfilled. I’ve composed six songs, and sung one. The music blends reggae, pop, folk and hip hop… to suit the mood of the film, which is a thriller with a comic twist.”
How did he bag this project? “Actually I’ve known Siddharth for 10 years. While discussing this project, he asked me to suggest a composer for his debut vehicle. I immediately said I was ready for the job. That set the ball rolling.” The film is slated for August while the music is expected to hit the stands by July-end.
Tough task
For this engineering dropout from New Jersey, music was his only mission. “Music has kept me alive. When I see my friends in the U.S. and how their lives have shaped up, I am glad I took that decision to come to India and make a career in music,” says Devan. Hailing from a family which is academics-oriented (his dad is a Ph.D in electrical engineering), it was not easy for him to chase his dream. “But I did. My parents were initially sceptical. But they came round when they realised I was serious about music.”
A chance meeting with Rahman turned Devan’s fortunes. “He heard my performance at the Screen Awards in 1998. I then got a call from his office asking me if I could sing for him. That’s how ‘Oh Maria’ happened. To work with Rahman was an amazing experience.” He adds, “The song that really shot me to fame was ‘Ore Nyabagam’ (‘Minnalae’). Believe me, even today college goers tell me they love that song. And these guys must have been just 9 or 10 when the song hit the scene!”
‘Smiyai..’ from ‘Kandukondaen Kandukondaen’ was another super winner. “What an incredible session I had with Rahman! It was my first solo for a hero.” The 30-something counts ‘Macarena,’ ‘Manjal Pookaal’ and ‘Ichitha’ among his other favourite numbers. “I guess luck played a large part in my story. Those were the days when people still bought cassettes and CDs. Of course, the phenomenon called Rahman had happened for aspiring singers like me.”
Devan re-connected with Rahman thanks to the reality show, ‘Mission Ustad’ for which he worked with Naresh Iyer and Vasundhra Das. It was a competition that involved the U.N. and was shot in Mumbai. “I met him after seven years. That’s when he called me to do some vocal arranging for the re-recording of ‘Jodhaa Akbar!’”
His quest to try out something new led him to acting. “I did small roles in films such as ‘Parthiban Kanavu’ and ‘Jayam Kondan.’ But I am happier behind the mike than in front of the camera.”
His favourites
Growing up on George Michael (“An incredible song writer and one of the best solo artists in the past three decades with unbelievable tone”), Bobby McFerrin (“He has done some humanly impossible feats with his voice”), Michael Jackson, Queen, Simon & Garfunkel, Hall & Oates and Metallica, not to forget MSV, Yesudas and Ilaiyaraja, Devan’s all-time favourite however remains “Balu uncle (SPB). His vocal range and power are truly unmatched.”
A self-confessed Tamil film buff (“Weekends in New Jersey were spent watching six to seven Tamil films back to back.”), he loves to watch ‘Server Sundaram’ again and again. “What a superb performance by Nagesh!”
Right now, Devan is busy conducting choirs, arranging violin sections for concerts and singing, including for ‘Bale Pandiya.’ “I believe in the now and present. The future will reveal itself like it always has,” he says with optimism.
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