Penbugs
In Conversation With

He is an engineer, a lyricist and a short film maker

We really wanted to inspire people of this age because many of us wanted to do something else but they ended up in doing a 9-5 job. People are scared of the failure, they are not taking risks which they really have to at this age. However, many of us have butt load of reasons to pile up for not following our hearts. May be our financial status, people around us, our education even more. But we thought of picking someone to have a conversation regarding inspiring youngsters, he/she should be someone who have been through these hurdles, who is clearing the obstacles in his/her way just to reach his passion, just to do justice to the art he/she worships and no other person’s name struck us other than him and he is Vignesh Jeyapal.

In conversation with Vignesh Jeyapal

His native is Kumbakonam, He did his schooling and under graduation in Chennai and now he is working in Bangalore. He is a software engineer. His passion is film making and lyrics writing. He is working really hard to reach his goal and the best thing is, he didn’t quit his IT job. He has written many songs for short films and independent music. He is working to release a short film as well. We asked him few questions which would boost people like us who really needs some motivation to think ahead and there is nothing wrong in following our dream.

1. You are like everyone else who did engineering for the sake of getting a secured job. But have you thought that you will be a lyricist while you were studying? Have you worked towards it?

Yes, I did engineering for a secured job to fulfil my commitments. Film-making was what all I wanted. Lyrics came as a doorway to this magnanimous industry. I won the first prize in a writing competition when I was in B.E. 3rd year. With that reference, a friend of my college senior referred me to his composer friend and that’s how it all began. I got my first album as a lyricist in the same year. Getting as many people to know your talent and wish really helps.

2. When did you really want to become a short film director and a lyricist?

I started writing simple and senseless short and funny stories when I was 9. When I was 11, I watched this film Rocky, starring Sylvester Stallone. It made me look deep into the aspects of film-making and understand the nuances of it. Then, I decided that I want to become a film-maker one day. My writing habit continued. The short film contest in a TV channel back then, which popularized the concept of short films among people, motivated me in trying my luck with short films. When I was 18, I completed my first short film. It was so amateur that I never wanted to release it. But the learning was so memorable. After 7 years, now I’m ready with my new short-film to be posted online. All the credits to the tireless team I’ve got. We trust and respect each other in our ups and downs.

3. What do you find the most challenging about being a lyricist?

I am not established and famous yet to answer this. But, all that matter in this industry is to give a hit. You don’t matter to anyone until you give one. To give a hit, you need an opportunity. To get an opportunity, you need to make people listen to your work. To make people listen to you, you really need to be quirky and catchy. You have to do it over and over until you get that one, ”HIT” and even more after that.

4. Where do you see yourself in the next ten years?

“Hollywood”.

5. What do you want to say to people who are studying engineering just for the sake of their parents and society?

It’s not advice. It’s just a summary of the learning from my mistakes. When you do something, give your best. Whether you do it willingly or unwillingly, you have got something to do, try to be honest to it. If your passion and profession are different, that is where you learn the art of balancing in life. If you are so honest to your passion, you can break through all the shackles one day. Rather than complaining about what you don’t have, utilise wisely what you have.

6. How was your first songwriting experience?

I was so tensed. Until then, I was writing only for myself. It was enough for me to satisfy myself before. For the first time, I had to convince someone else. And that’s when I started to think of what the audience wants.

7. Why do you want to pursue your work and do your passion at the same time?

Work feeds me. Passion feeds my soul.

8. What is the piece of idea that makes you go forward?

If it isn’t me who could believe that I can do it, then who else is.

9. What is the future of youngsters who wants to write songs? Do you think they have a future only in movies or there are other sources too?

The spectrum of the entertainment media has grown so wider than we could ever imagine. Youngsters are creating opportunities for themselves in many different and creative ways and are successful too.

10. How to sell yourself? How did you make people know that you can write songs?

Build a brand for yourself. One best and easy way to do it is to utilize social media wisely. I have a National record in my name for having written the most number of songs in a short-film (6 songs in a short-film of duration 14 minutes). Make people know of your accomplishments without boasting about them whenever and however possible. However small it is, promote yourself with your works, every now and then. For instance, I regularly post quirky hykoos in Facebook in the tag of #ChummaKavidhai. I have got a number of opportunities because of it. That’s my brand. Likes don’t matter. Perseverance does.

Thanks for your time to know about this “yet to be successful and yet to be a famous guy”. I hesitated initially to take up this, but I convinced myself that for sure, I’m going to be successful one day. So, there is no need to feel low about myself now. Trust in your dream. Worship your art. It will take you places. The entertainment industry is a matter of teamwork. You can’t do it all alone. Thanks to my team. We’ll be famous sooner someday.

This is Vignesh Jeyapal’s facebook page https://www.facebook.com/vignesh.jeypal

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