Sancharam
This film is about two girls and the relationship they share. It is a very down to earth and ethnic film. Director Ligy J Pullapally wanted a very specifically 'Kerala' kind of music, as the film's characters are rooted to the soil.
The film was shot in northern Kerala, and the story takes place in a small town in a tharavad. I used the flute -- my favourite musical instrument -- a lot in the film. I also used the sitar in some parts. The predominant raga in the film is Anandabhairavi, a very traditional Kerala raga. Of course, there are folk idioms that sound like melodies too. Because it is an emotional story, and as the relationship develops smoothly, I used longer melody patterns rather than shorter ones to create a soothing effect.
As the story got more dramatic, I used the same melodies but with different orchestration. I also use the chenda, ilathalam and idakka (instruments) throughout the movie. They were used to create anger, drama, anxiety, fear, etc. But the rhythm is purely Kerala.