"Only Yogaraj Bhat sir could make a word like 'Bevarsi' sound endearing and fun," says Vasuki Vaibhav about his recent collaboration

Harikathe Alla Girikathe has been reaping good praise from all corners post the theatrical release. The film comes as a genuine comedy that features the ever-dependable Rishab Shetty and a talented ensemble cast and is perfectly assisted by Vasuki Vaibhav's soundtrack. The delightful album features five tracks, each distinct in terms of both tone and context, and the composer has employed an eclectic set of artists to help him in the cause. Be it actor Sharan Hriday lending his unique vocals for the Bawarachi track or Tamil singer Pradeep Kumar rendering a soulful song that highlights the film's emotional core, there's a lot to celebrate in the case of the music of Harikathe Alla Girikathe.

"We had a lot of fun putting this album together. I happened to come on board a bit late, in that the visuals were already shot and that often gets tricky but it all turned out great because the two directors, Karan Ananth and Anirudh Mahesh, had clarity about what they wanted with this film. It was like a fun classroom session everytime we all caught up to work on the music and you can sense that it the film. And to keep things interesting, we have tried different things and rendered a unique album.

I have also scored the background music for the film and I feel doing that for a comedy, especially, is a tough ask. Because unlike in an emotional or a dramatic film, you will have to be mindful of both the comedic and silent bits in a scene. It just comes down to the director and the conviction behind the idea," says Vasuki.

One of the more popular tracks from Harikathe Alla Girikathe is Bevarsi Mansa which features the composer’s vocals and the lyrics of Yogaraj Bhat. Bhat’s perspective, especially as a lyricist and wordsmith, is easily one of the most idiosyncratic in the Kannada Film Industry and Bevarsi Mansa’s main charm perhaps stems from just that. The term Bevarsi isn’t the most sophisticated one in the Kannada language and most filmmakers have refrained from using it. But, as Vasuki Vaibhav explains, Yogaraj Bhat manages to imbue a sense of sweetness with the term and lends a whole new meaning to the song.

“I feel if anyone could make the word Bevarsi sound endearing and sweet, it is Yogaraj Bhat sir. He never crosses the line or makes it sound crude. And no one else could write lyrics that carry that element of tease and frivolity, and also fill it with depth and meaning,” adds Vasuki Vaibhav.

Many would know that Vasuki is a highly credible lyricist and has penned a number of memorable songs in films like Sarkari Hi. Pra. Shaale, French Biriyani, and Ninna Sanihake. One would assume that with him being the complete package of a lyricist, composer, and singer, he would be naturally inclined to bear the entire burden of conceiving a film's music album. But, contrary to that, Vasuki Vaibhav prefers to work with other lyricists so that he is able to lend a unique perspective as a composer and also be time-efficient.

"In general, I would say that I am a slow lyricist. Sure, there are occasions when the flow of words is great and I am able to churn out song lyrics within no time but if that doesn't happen, I end up taking a lot of time. And it's interesting because I wrote the lyrics for all the songs in Ninna Sanihake which was composed by Raghu Dixit sir, and since I was writing for another composer, I was able to put it all together in a really quick time. But if I were to also compose music for the lyrics I have written myself, I don't know, the process is much longer. So, I have realized that there is a sense of freedom when, as a composer, I am working with other lyricists. And my job is quite time-bound so one can't have the luxury of taking their own sweet time to work on the lyrics - that said, the lyricist in me is always proactive and I end up making a small contribution in one way or the other," he adds.