''I’m a very independent and self-motivated individual,'' says lyricist Purna Chary

Purna Chary came to Hyderabad in 2014 to be a songwriter. The young talent made his debut with Rahul Ravindran’s Ala Ela in 2015, and in a matter of four years, he has become one of the leading songwriters in the Telugu film industry. The songs were written by him for Ala Ela, and Joru garnered critical and widespread acclaim. Since then, Purna Chary has emerged as one of the prominent lyricists of Tollywood, with his work in films such as Brand Babu, Madhanam, Premam, Thirpparaa Meesam, Madhanam, Savaari and to name a few having been appreciated all around. His latest hit Undipova Nuvvial from Savaari sits pretty at the top of the charts.

He is one of the few lyricists who put his thoughts down on paper in an artistic manner. His songs are poetic pieces with a musical overlay. He brings a musician’s knowledge of his work. In an exclusive interaction with ETimes, Purna Chary shared some experiences of his professional life and related aspects. Here’re the excerpts:

This happened unknowingly. I born and brought in a village near Warangal. I had to walk 3 miles a day to reach my school. While going to school with my friends, I used to compose songs and set them to my own words. My friends had enjoyed listening to my songs and always appreciated me. That’s how it all began. And it was my only connection with Telugu literature. Over the years, I have realised that I have a knack for something that is lyrically interesting. It took me some time to actually realise that I am fond of writing.

I would say that the most complex song I ever had was when I was tasked with writing for Ala Ela because it was my first film. As far as I am concerned, I take every song as a challenge so that it can help me to write better. The song Agarothula from Premam composed by Gopi Sunder set a new benchmark in the music industry. This song brought me the most overwhelming feedback of my life. I got calls and messages from all over: friends, relatives, parents, well-wishers and celebrities. Altogether, it was an incredible experience, even though they were challenging.

Having written hundreds of songs since my debut Ala Ela, it would be impossible for me to pick up my best; I tend to be hard on myself. I would say whatever I’ve written down is my favourite. Every time I think I’ve written the ultimate. It’s impossible to tell there are many songs I wrote at some point that are very important to me, for different reasons. One of the most significant ones, however, is the song Agarothula from Premam. Most recently I’ve written Undipova Nuvvila in Savaari which was a huge hit when it came up under the spotlight. Thipparaa Meesam, Bhale Manchi Chowka Beram and Savaari are some of my favourites.

I’m a very independent and self-motivated individual. I get self-motivated and collect my courage to move ahead in life. I am passionate about this work, and my passion motivates me to think creatively and produce results. And I believe this self-motivation and passion for writing made me a good lyricist for the industry. Like I said, friends hold a special place in my heart. I was surrounded by real friends and genuine people who could serve as my pillars in overcoming whatever life throws at me. They always encourage me to continue doing what I was already doing.

I love nature because everything that I see around me inspires characters, objects, and the setting of the lyrics themselves. Most of my ideas came from the environment, which is a huge source of inspiration for me. Personally, I grew up in the countryside. I already told you I was born in a village, and I have spent the majority of my life in the remote areas. Having a connection with nature is beneficial for my writings. For me, it all begins with space where I spend most of my day writing, which is my home because space must be comfortable and convenient to work in, and conducive to the task of writing. As far as composing lyrics is concerned, I’m deeply inspired by Veturi Sundararama Murthy and Sirivennela Sitaramasastri. Their creations connect to the heart straightway.

I’m now part of many projects, which also include five upcoming projects in Telugu cinema. The list consists of T Nagendar’s Vittalwadi, Uriki Uttarana, Abhiram M’s Ee Kathalo Paathralu Kalpitam, A K Jampanna’s Rechipodam Brother and Commitment. Within a short period, Purna Chary has started working with almost all the leading music directors of Telugu cinema like Gopi Sundar, JB, Harshavardhan Rameshwar, Manikanth Kadri, Bheems Ceciroleo and Suresh Bobbili.