Will Telugu Producers Find Anirudh’s Alternate in Abhyankkar?

Music plays a major role in building hype before a film’s release. A single chartbuster can completely change a movie’s fate, no matter its scale. These days, opening numbers depend as much on songs as on a star’s presence.

At the same time, audience taste in music has evolved. They now expect fresh sounds and trendier compositions. To keep up, producers are on the lookout for new and talented composers who can deliver viral music. Many are even turning to musicians from other states for that reason.

Among them, Anirudh Ravichander has become a huge favorite among Telugu audiences. His Tamil chartbusters gave him a cult following, and now fans are urging Telugu producers to bring him onboard. With demand soaring, Anirudh’s remuneration has gone up, and producers still don’t mind paying, given how much value his music adds to their films.

But as his schedule fills up, filmmakers are already eyeing his possible alternative, Sai Abhyankkar, a young composer from Tamil cinema. Son of veteran singers Tillu and Harini, Sai first made waves with his independent albums, which went viral even before his feature debut.

His first film, Dude, starring Pradeep Ranganathan and directed by Keerthiswaran, released last Friday and quickly drew attention. The album became a hit, and his background score earned strong praise from both Tamil and Telugu listeners.

With several projects already lined up, including the much-talked-about Allu Arjun–Atlee film, Sai Abhyankkar is being seen as Tamil cinema’s next big composer, and possibly a strong alternative to Anirudh. Given his growing popularity, lower remuneration and dedication, Telugu filmmakers might soon look to Sai as the next go-to music director.