Anirudh Ravichander radiates the same energy that electrifies his concerts. He speaks of music not as a profession but as a pulse, a passion, a rhythm that drives his days and fuels his nights. With an infectious sweet smile and a charming poise, he reflects on the joy of seeing his songs climb charts and capture hearts, yet his focus remains firmly rooted on the craft: creating music that resonates and excites millions. For him, every hit is not just a milestone but a promise to keep pushing boundaries, to keep composing with love, and to keep the stage alive with sound. From his breakout hit “Why This Kolaveri Di” to blockbuster soundtracks that have become cultural touchstones, Anirudh has carved a space few can rival. His collaborations span icons, proving his versatility across generations and genres. Beyond the studio, his live concerts are spectacles of sound and spirit, drawing massive crowds and cementing his reputation as a performer who can command arenas. With awards, chart-toppers, and a global fanbase, Anirudh stands today not just as a composer but as a phenomenon, a voice of contemporary music with a reach that’s global. We caught up with the singing sensation, Anirudh Ravichander in Bengaluru for an exclusive tete-a-tete before the launch of his latest venture Loca Loka, as he let the secrets out on what drives him to keep giving back-to-back hit songs.

Almost every film you compose music for turns out to be a hit. How do you consistently deliver and have that Midas touch with everything you touch? What’s the process that you follow?
We have been following the same process since our school days. We are a band of eight guys. We have been jamming since school and college and it’s the same team that still works with me on a daily basis. It’s a group effort. We don’t work under any pressure to create a hit album or a hit film, or the pressure of any success. We enjoy the process of making music every day and the byproduct is that they turn out to be hits. It makes us happy that people like our music, because we really enjoy making it. We are working harder with every song. Our songs are becoming back-to-back hits and that keeps us going to keep getting better. Everytime something worked we felt like putting in extra effort. We were conscious about it and that’s why we have been rocking it for 15 years now. The audience has taken us so far.

You are composing music for India’s most anticipated reunion project, the magnum opus featuring Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth. Individually, their films already carry huge expectations. Now that Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan are coming together with a reunion after 46 years, do you feel extra pressure? How did you approach that project?
It’s a very special moment for us to be a part of such a huge project. It’s like setting an example that two of the country’s biggest stars are coming together and creating something so phenomenal. We feel very privileged to be a part of this project. The process is still the same. It’s like how we treat all our projects. We go about enjoying what we are doing. How much ever we enjoy the making of it, it always translates into people enjoying and loving it. We don’t take too much pressure whenever we are working and composing. We have passed that stage ten years back, when there was maybe a slight pressure. But, not anymore. Now, we love it and it’s all fun.

Being the son of an actor and classical dancer and nephew in law of a superstar, you would have been surrounded by creativity and talent from your childhood. You had your own band, learnt piano, did sound engineering and what not. Any special memory from the making of Why this Kolaveri di?
Before the first song release, I was still an undergraduate student and I did have a few doubts about myself. I used to wonder whether the film industry would treat me well, or if I could sustain in the industry. Luckily the first song, Kolaveri di went through the roof and overnight my life changed. I was recognised everywhere. But more than that my aim was to not be a one-hit wonder. There are many artists who come and give one big hit and then they’re gone. No one hears about them after that. We were very clear in our minds from the very beginning that sustaining in the industry is important. We worked towards it and we wanted to make sure that we put in extra hard work and effort in every new album we worked on. So, alongside enjoying the process of making music, we also put in our everything. We knew that if we do hard work, sit late nights and put in all our efforts we will get the longevity we deserve in the industry. And luckily, it’s been 15 years now and we are still rocking.

Yes, and everytime you come out with something new it’s a hit.
Thank you so much. I think the timing has been right for us. We are grateful. It’s a team effort. I’m here sitting with you now, but, it’s a whole team, hundreds of musicians who work on every album. When we jam together, they may come up with something new and we work on it collectively. It’s their inputs and it’s always a team effort.

You know what’s the best part about you Anirudh?
What?

I feel the best part about you besides of course your music, is that the success has not gone to your head. You’re still the same. You’re always so calm and composed. How do you manage to maintain this calm demeanour always in the middle of all the chaos in the world around you? Do you meditate?
I do meditate. But, I know for sure that success is not forever in this industry. Nothing is permanent. So, you have to just make hay while the sun shines. And we have to keep working harder every single time to make it bigger. There maybe sometimes deep inside that internal pressure that oh my god we have to deliver, but because we enjoy the process of making music every day, it doesn’t hit us that hard. I would credit this to our entire team that works so hard behind the scenes every single day. Since it’s the same set of friends we have had since school, there’s no ego hassles or ego clashes. If they don’t like something that I’m making, they just tell me directly, it’s not working. And I take it very positively too and rework on it. The healthy criticism works in our favour.

How did you set benchmarks for yourself every time?
We worked on it mentally and psychologically also besides putting in all our efforts. In the past, if any of our guitar sessions were for two hours, we increased it to six hours of practice sessions. We always strived for perfection. But at the end of the day, we made sure we were enjoying every single moment, so it did not feel like work. And that’s how we automatically got the results we wanted.

Your Powerhouse song has such a cool peppy vibe to it. Everyone loves it. It has been such a massive hit. Can you recall something from the making of it?
The person who wrote the lyrics and sang it with me is Arivu. He’s a very popular independent artist. What I recall from the making of it is how crazy we were. His sessions with me are always over the roof. If there was a CCTV footage of us, you’ll go mad laughing at it. We go nuts when we are together.

Tell us about the making of Aaya Sher, the high-energy intro song from the 2026 film The Paradise, which has gone so viral.
I just want to thank everyone for making the song so viral. Lot of the credit goes to the lyricist, Kasarla Shyam and the other singers Jangi Reddy and Arjun Chandy. Folk singers Addula Jangireddy and Akunoori Devaiah have given the song an earthy tone that contrasts sharply with the polished sound underneath. Also, the director Srikanth Odela is a crazy guy. I’m a crazy guy as well, so when both the crazies come together something great happens. And then obviously actor Nani’s screen presence, the dance and choreography added that extra magic to the whole song and all of it came together beautifully. I’m so glad everyone loved it.

You’ve spent a lot of time with Rajinikanth. Would you like to recall some moments with Thalaivar?
Every moment with him is always so special. I have grown up watching his films. Everytime I meet him I learn a new thing. I have learnt that one should not take success to his head and one should always stay grounded. Also, one should respect his elders. His energy and his urge to keep reinventing himself even at this age after achieving everything is what makes him truly great. You take a leaf out of the book and we also try and emulate that.

There is a special bond between you and Superstar Rajini. He’s treating you like his own son. You keep on making music or all his films. Is it his choice or is it by default that Anirudh has to do music for all his films?
It is the director’s call. I’m very happy about it. I first started with him for the action-thriller 2019 Petta movie and then I wanted to improve and make it better than all his earlier films. If I put in hard work and effort I will keep getting more work with him.

A lot of producers and film makers approach you for making music for their films. There may be times when you’re extremely tied up and not able to take up a certain project. How do you say no?
I relate well to most of the directors and we fit well with our ideologies. We have to know exactly what their vision is. To create that kind of visual, we have to make something that they haven’t even thought of. I feel that is the job of a music director. We are all close friends with all the directors. They know that in the next six months there will be an album with a background score. So, they actually know my timings. I don’t know how to say no and I usually don’t say no. It’s a very tight situation. We try and work around it.

Your fans have given you immense love wherever you go. Would you like to say something for them?
In these 15 years, the audience has given us a huge space. We are here because of them. Not only in Tamil Nadu or south, our fans continue to shower us with so much love all over India. We perform concerts all over the world and the love we get everywhere is unmatched. The reason why they love us so much is our music. It connects with them. I want to continue making good music and never let go of the music that has kept me alive in these 15 years. Their love is a huge encouragement and motivation.

Your combination with director Nelson Dilipkumar, who also directed Jailer with Rajinikanth, has always delivered hit songs and promos. Can you tell us about the behind-the-scenes experience of the promo?
The promos that Nelson and I did were not scripted. It was not planned. It was a proper reality show. It would be like that every day. Nelson and I are that type. It’ll be like that with us boys. It’s always a happy and positive environment. The two of us will shoot in the car. Then he’ll leave and we’ll decide what to do next. I would tell Nelson or Raghavan something and they would tell me their idea and then it would all be decided on the spot.

Is there a breaking point when you’re working collaboratively? Are there times when you get stuck with your creativity?
It happens sometimes, but it doesn’t stay too long. It could be maximum for a few hours that’s it and then I come out of it. I compose every day, sometimes I may get stuck in between one or two lines. Then I get out of it automatically. I trust my process and I’m used to it. It’s been 15 years so we know by now how to make it all work.

Your friend Lokesh is now acting as a hero. When are we going to see Anirudh on screen too?
I told Lokesh I’m happy for him that he’s acting. But I want to continue making music alone. That is where my passion and interest lie. I strongly believe that the love that the audience has showered on me in the last 15 years, not only in Tamil Nadu or the south of India, but all across the country wherever we go, is unmatched. The reason they love us so much is because of our music. I want to keep giving them good music and do another round of great music for another 15 years. I can act in my own music videos. I don’t have the capacity to act in a commercial film. I like to do what I’m best at doing, which is music.

Tell us how did the three of you meet and how was Loca Loka born?
Loca Loka was Harsha’s vision. He started it first as he has many years of F&B experience. He asked Rana Daggubati to join him first and then they both asked me to partner with them on this project. I like to try and do different things besides music. The whole world is trying to explore healthier spirits. It’s been three years in the making. We thought it was the right time to start an Indian tequila brand. We started in the US. The brand was made in Mexico, then went to Singapore and Philippines, then started in Delhi and Mumbai and now we are launching in Bangalore. Chennai has a different mindset since generations, but now everybody is more open. It’s an old school thought which is slowly changing. All over the world, a lot of international artists, have their own brands, so I thought why not start my own. When I started to sing for other music directors, they said you should not sing for others. That’s when I wanted to actually sing for others. Change is always constant, so why not?

What are your other business interests?
I have also started my own record label called Albuquerque Records.

Rapid Fire

1. Is there a drink you drink for your vocal cords? What do you do to work on your vocal cords everyday?
There’s nothing like that. There’s nothing that we follow. Because I make music everyday, I keep singing. I drink only hot water with my food every day.

2. Studio or stage, where’s your happy place?
Stage. I’m there in my studio everyday so it’s like home. But stage, is what makes me really happy. I have been part of a band from my college days. All our concerts and shows all over the world have been crazy. We did Bangalore and Hyderabad shows recently and they were both crazy.

3. One artist you dream of collaborating with internationally?
There are many artists. I collaborate with many artists and lyricists for every film. The list keeps changing and as a musician and a person in the creative field, the more number of people you collaborate with, the more you learn from every collaboration. So, it’s tough to name one artist.

4. How do you handle all the crazy fan following?
All those are like blessings of God. We didn’t come to this music industry where we will reach such a high pedestal where people have kept us. The best way is that we oblige them with just a photo or an autograph, as that’s all that they want from us. It’s not just 2 or 3 years it’s been 15 years now. We have to be kind with them and keep giving them good music.

5. Everytime you hang out with friends or family, do they ask you to sing a song?
No (he laughs), they tell me please don’t sing, because we are bored of listening to it all the time.

6. Are you most creative in the morning or at night?
I used to be a night person. Now, I sleep by 2 am. So, I would say that I have not become an evening person. I start working in the evening and work through the night till around 2 am.

7. What do you think when you hear rumour about yourself?
I have been hearing rumours about myself for the past 15 years. It’s a part and parcel of being in the limelight. Some news may be correct and some may be totally irrelevant. It’s all fun. For the past couple of years there have been no rumours about me as I have been continuously working.