Do lyrics play a big role in creating a good melody?
Noorani: Lyrics don’t really play a role in creating a good melody, but they do enhance a good melody. In [a] sense, if you have a good melody but terrible lyrics, it will fall flat. Luckily, all the lyricists we’ve worked [with], even [on] My Name is Khan, have lifted the melody many steps up. Where do you draw inspiration from for your tunes? Mahadevan: Inspiration comes from various sources. When you’re composing melodies for a film, it comes primarily from the script and the director — what he wants and what are the types of music he listens to and what satisfies him. We read the mind of the director and work according to it for, at the end of the day, he is the captain of the ship. Which of your more than 50 films was your easiest composition? Noorani: The film that we really nailed was Dil Chahta Hai, because the creativity flowed in a very different way. We composed all the songs in two days, with the lyrics and everything done. But, we do face a lot of challenges too. Like Kabh
