I learnt by creating my own BGMs: Arun Muraleedharan

Arun Muraleedharan got the right debut vehicle for composing film songs, through the movie 'Happy Wedding', which captured a youthful flavour.
Just like the film, the songs too were equally a hit online. The music aficionado, who has also composed for the upcoming Asif Ali-starrer 'Adventures of Omanakuttan', speaks about his musical journey.
I began with short films...
After college, my friends and I used to while away time composing songs, and one such was an album titled Neelambari in 2009. We just wanted to entertain family and friends back then. Meanwhile, I was also composing background scores for many short films and ads. I have composed the background score for around 24 short films so far. One of them was Whyga released in the year 2010, which dealt with child abuse. It received around 20 lakh views online and became a sensation. People started contacting us and without even knowing it, I started becoming serious in composing music.
Rajesh Adoor, who was the associate director of Blade, a short film I worked for, was also part of Happy Wedding, and he suggested my name for the film. However, Adventures of Omanakuttan was my first film project.
Composing for Happy Wedding...
Happy Wedding had a vibrant and young undertone, just as in Premam. However, we did not want to replicate the same kind of feel for the songs, and hence I took my own time to compose. The response that I got for my songs was overwhelming. I think because it was more timely and situational, the youth liked it. Shaan Rahman and Deepak Dev sent me a message after listening to the songs. I couldn���t contain my happiness.
Both Vijay Yesudas and Vineeth Sreenivasan were supportive and used to give me apt suggestions to make the song even better. After listening to the track Kalyana Penne, Vijay had told me that he has not sung such a song, as it was high pitched. Despite that, he finished recording it within half an hour.
Vineeth is a grounded person. Though he was preoccupied with the post production of his venture Jacobinte Swargarajyam, he was very cool and also made the required improvisations in the song.
Songs in Adventures of Omanakuttan will be different���
I have composed four songs for the film and they will be
quite unlike my Happy Wedding compositions.
One is a romantic track sung by Haricharan, penned by Hari Narayanan again. Another is kind of a montage song. There is also a title track and a rock song. The film is awaiting its release in November. I have to say that Asif Ali���s constant support to the entire crew made it all the more different.
My inspiration���
The songs of AR Rahman and Ilayaraja have been my all-time favourites. Each song of theirs is distinct from the other. I have been an ardent follower of music composer Sharreth right from his songs in Kshanakathu. There is so much to learn from the maestros that I often listen to their compositions, remove the background score and add my own version. That���s how I learn stuff.
My upcoming projects���
My next project will be 'Tick Tock', a time travel movie, which has actor Tovino Thomas in the lead role. I will also be composing songs for a Marathi film.