“Music is as deep as the ocean and as wide. The more you learn, the more you discover,” observes music director Chetan Rao in the early stages of his career.
For a movie to succeed, it’s not just the acting that matters, but also the contributions of the technical team behind the scenes. If the actors on screen are captivating, they must be complemented by the work of the camera, music, and background score. Heartwarming songs can often be found alongside energetic tracks, and this perfect balance has helped Chetan Rao, a talented young Kannada music director, capture attention with his compositions.
Chetan Rao, a proud Kannadiga from Bengaluru, completed his engineering degree at RV College but chose to pursue a career in music. He studied music at Middlesex University in Chennai and is also a trained singer, having learned Hindustani music under the guidance of his guru, Sangita Katti.
In the past, Chetan had the opportunity to work as an assistant music director to Oscar-winning Indian composer A.R. Rahman. Currently, he is active as the lead singer in Sempre Libera, Rahman’s opera band. He is also making his mark as a freelance music director and singer in both the Kannada and Hindi film industries.
Chetan Rao composed two songs for Anurag Kashyap and Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga’s Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Monsoon Shootout, which was released on December 15, 2017. The film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews.
Back home in Kannada cinema, Chetan worked as the background music director for Dixit Shetty’s film KTM. His latest song, Sarvaswa, is set to release in Kannada and Hindi on September 20. The song’s lyrics are penned by Arjun Kishore Chandra, who also directed the track. Arjun had previously written the lyrics for the hit song Ninna Gungalli.
Regarding his current projects, Chetan is composing music for an untitled film starring Nirup Bhandari. He is also directing music for two more Kannada films, including Sita Circle Sri Krishnan Mane, which is slated for release later this year.
Beyond films, Chetan has performed across the globe, including in the United States, Dubai, and the UK. He is one of the founders and directors of Origin East Music, an audio production company. His music portfolio also includes work on short films, documentaries, and jingles for brands like Twitter, Himalaya, and Ponds.
