Su From So music director Sumedh K: I invested my paycheck on my music

Danks Anthem, the first song from Su from So – a peppy dance number written by actor-filmmaker Raj B Shetty (of Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana and Toby fame) that featured the lead cast of the film busting quite a few hook steps while tipsy and celebrating a wedding. The song was an instant hit and when Raj then began speaking about the film he’d produced and kept under wraps until he was ready to release it in theatres, one thing he repeatedly spoke about was the new, young talent he was introducing in Kannada cinema as music director.

Independent musician Sumedh K was all of 18 and juggling academics with his passion for music when he was onboarded by Raj for Su From so. His work on the film has received widespread appreciation and while the youngster admits to having soaked in all the love when Su From So released, he says that he also realizes the importance of detaching himself from all of that. “It’s not healthy to stay on one thing that you’ve done; hence it is important to detach,” he told Picchar Planet.

Also read: Su from So movie review: JP Thuminad’s delightful comedy has its heart and soul in the right place 

Su From So is Sumedh’s first major paycheck as a composer and the youngster says that he’s used most of it to reinvest on his music, whether it is equipment or software. “Going forward, I have to improve on what I have already achieved, so I need the resources to do that,” he reasons, adding, “Most of these are one-time investments and I figured it is better to do it as early as possible.”

Also read: Su From So: Can Raj B Shetty and co deliver 2025’s first Kannada Rs 100 cr film? 

Sumedh’s initiation into music began as a tabla player, way back in 2014 and the 3-4 years he spent learning the percussion instrument gave him a solid foundation in discipline required to learn everything else he’s picked up along the way. “I’ve also learnt basic Carnatic music, Hindustani vocals, each for 2-3 years, which gave me a lot of different influences,” he says.

Sumedh on independent music vis a vis film composition

The challenge in composing for Su From So, says Sumedh, came in understanding the boundaries within which he could operate. Film music, he reckons, is about serving another art piece and supporting a visual medium through music. This also means that he can never go out of context, unlike independent music, which gives him all the freedom in the world to develop his canvas.

Even then, the young composer says that he had a lot of space to experiment with the compositions, because he realized that the team had approached him because they liked his style of music, which is very different from mainstream stuff. “They also wanted something that sounds wild, which works for the genre,” he says.

Su From So, which released in theatres in its Kannada original version on July 25, is not only the highest grossing Sandalwood film of the year, but is also getting closer to the magical Rs 100 crore figure. The film is also in theatres in Kerala and AP and Telangana with Malayalam and Telugu dubbed versions, with the former also doing decent business in the region.

FAQs

Q: Who is on the cast of Su From So?
A: JP Thuminad, Shaneel Gautham, Sandhya Arekere, Mime Ramadas, Deepak Rai Panaje and Prakash Thuminad lead the cast of Su from So, while Raj B Shetty also has a pivotal role.

Q: What does Su From So mean?

A: The title of the Kannada movie Su From So is a short form of Sulochana from Someshwar, the spirit that is believed to have possessed the protagonist in the film. Director JP Thuminad felt that Sulochane From Someshwar would be too long a title and shortened it.

Q: What is the budget of Su From So and its box office collection?

A: According to Raj B Shetty, Su From So's total budget, including promotions and release was around Rs 5.5 cr to Rs 6 cr, and had, reportedly, registered a net collection of Rs 67.85 crore in its third week at the box office.