The man who will make Hrithik and Kareena dance to his tunes!

He looks like Saif Ali Khan.

That's the first thought that strikes you when you see Rahul Sharma.

The son of the legendary santoor maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, the 20-something Rahul is now making his own musical debut as composer for Yash Chopra's romantic film directed by Kunal Kohli and starring Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukherji and Kareena Kapoor.

Yash Raj Films banner. Anand Bakshi writing the lyrics. Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik to give voice to his compositions. Rahul seems to have hit it off big from thw word go.

Dr Rajiv Vijayakar met the musician:

You have begun with one of the topmost banners in the film industry. How did it happen?

I had assisted dad and Pt Hariprasadji when they were scoring Yashji's Chandni, Lamhe, Parampara and Darr. The Chopras are like family.

In fact, several years ago, Yashji had approached me for a film.

At that point I did not have the time off from my classical work. Recently, Adi (Aditya Chopra) approached me again and asked me if I was interested. I took the opportunity since I was.

You have recorded two songs with Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik. Why not Lataji, who is a regular with Yash Chopra?

Lataji will definitely be singing in the film.

How does being a classical musician differ from composing for films?

Well, you do not have to be trained in classical music to be a composer in films -- the results can be excellent even otherwise. Still, a base in classical music can give you an edge as a composer, because it lets you have a fresh approach.

Over the decades, our great composers have done it all. And when I am composing or recording, I am constantly aware of this fact.

I have to think "Kya bachaa hai?" (What is left to compose?) Here is where a classical base can help you be fresh, in composition and orchestration. Our ragas have time cycles and moods, and their knowledge can be of invaluable help in composing a song for a situation.

On the other hand, one has to consciously forget that one is a classical musician, because to compose a film song you cannot be bound by a raga or its classical aaroha and avroha.

Today there is a lot of hype about fusion -- real or spurious. But don't you think that our film music has always been fusion?

Yes, it has. Film music IS fusion. The hype is there only when a classical musician experiments in fusion. And a lot of the supposed fusion isn't fusion at all!

What role will films play in your future career?

Given the time, I would love to do a film or two a year. My priority will be my concerts and classical music. My father has spent his entire life in promoting and establishing the santoor.

It is his dream that I follow in his footsteps, and my own inclination.

You began pretty late as a classical composer. Why so?

Frankly, I did not know whether I wanted to do classical music at all.

My mother was not very keen about my entering the world of music. She wanted me to pursue academics. It was when I was in std VIII or IX that that I actually took up music seriously. Earlier, I thought riyaaz was so boring.

Then while in college, I got to spend a lot more time with dad, to learn and practise and travel with him. Gradually, I realised that I wanted to be in the same profession.

That's all fine. But while the santoor can be taught, you cannot be trained to compose. When did you realise that you could compose a song?

Well, composing is my first love. I realised I had the knack at a very early age. At one point, all I wanted to be was a composer. I had composed the tunes of Kabhi main kahoon in Lamhe and the title song of Sahibaan. So dad had told me to develop a strong base by learning at least one instrument. The santoor was the obvious choice.

Do you compose on the santoor?

Yes, most of the time. But I also work on the keyboard.

Apart from santoor and film music, what have you been exposed to musically?

Well, my natural inclination is towards both Indian and Western music. I like pop, rock, world music, new age music -- every kind of music that appeals to the ears.

Classical musicians are no longer the traditionally-clad tribe which looks down upon Madonna. In fact, they are flexible and try out various experiments. My own album, Sweet Romance, which was released by Navras a few years ago, was a kind of fusion music.

And yet the composer in me made me approach it differently. If you hear the album, the compositions were structured in a mukhda-antara format. The santoor was like the singer, the other instruments like the orchestration.

Who are the film composers you admire?

I have a special regard for R D Burman and Laxmikant Pyarelal. The latter were incredible in the way they went on and on and maintained the standard of their music for three decades. And I admire A R Rahman for his sound.

What will be your approach to your music in films?

I would like to avoid the kind of clutter that is there in tracks today, where the melody is overshadowed by an instrumental melange of strings, acoustics, percussion and electronics!

Of course, composing for a film, getting a song recorded and then watching it being enacted on screen gives you a great thrill.

I would definitely like to compose music that is a commercial hit, though it should be satisfying to me as well.

Why should a hit be that important to you?

Well, a hit would matter more to me than to a regular film composer. It would make a difference to my market standing and my fees. Above all, that will allow me to work on my own terms!