'He works 19 hrs a day, deserves even greater success': Singer Harini on son and composer Sai Abhyankkar

Sai Abhyankkar, a young music composer, has rapidly become a viral sensation on social media, even before the release of his debut film. Known for securing high-profile projects early in his career, Sai, at just 20 years old, is already reported to command a remuneration of ₹2 crore, making him one of the most talked-about newcomers in the South Indian music industry.

At the audio launch of the film ‘Dude’, starring Pradeep Ranganathan and Mamitha Baiju, Sai’s parents – renowned singers Tippu and Harini – shared heartfelt words about their son’s rise.

His father Tippu expressed his surprise at how quickly his son has risen through the ranks. Harini, meanwhile, spoke of his intense dedication, “With his level of commitment and hard work, he deserves even greater success. He works around 19 hours a day – even though we don’t understand how he manages it.”

‘Balti’ made him the highest-paid composer in Malayalam Cinema

According to co-producer Santhosh T Kuruvilla, Sai became the highest-paid music director in Malayalam cinema through ‘Balti’, a film starring Shane Nigam. Although ‘Balti’ will mark his first theatrical release, his debut as a composer was for ‘Benz’ — an upcoming film produced by Lokesh Kanagaraj and starring Raghava Lawrence and Nivin Pauly.

From viral albums to multilingual projects

Sai first captured attention with his viral albums like ‘Kachi Sera’ and ‘Aasa Kooda’. He’s currently juggling multiple projects across languages and industries.

In a candid interview with Sudhir Srinivasan, Sai opened up about the perception of him bagging big projects at such a young age, “Most of the producers and directors I work with are veterans in their field. As an audience member myself, if someone like me – a newcomer – consistently lands big films, anyone would question it. Wouldn’t a producer or director think twice before trusting a debutant?

“These opportunities didn’t come from influence. They came from genuine relationships,” he added.

His track ‘Oorum Blood’ from ‘Dude’ has already gone viral on social media, adding to the buzz around the film and the young composer.