The last thing one would expect in a gangster film is a Carnatic number. What's even more unexpected is the placement of the song, Kannanin Leelai, in last week's release, Vanjagar Ulagam. The song rendered by Swagatha S Krishnan comes during a confrontation between a gangster and the cops. The singer says, "Sam (CS, the composer) gave the semi-classical song a new twist by fusing it with dubstep elements. I am thrilled with all the appreciation pouring in for my rendition of it."

It was another Sam CS composition, Aalaliloo from Diya, that first brought recognition for Swagatha, who has also worked with the composer on films like Iravukku Aayiram Kangal, Mr. Chandramouli and Lakshmi. The singer recalls how she was in the US when Sam called her for Aalaliloo and she had to rush back to record it. "What made the song special was that it highlighted the mother-daughter bond with beautiful lyrics." 

An engineering graduate from Madurai, Swagatha met Sam after she moved to Chennai, and things have never been the same for her since. Aside from singing, she also works as a musical supervisor for Sam, in which capacity it falls on her to select new singing talents for the composer. "There are so many gifted singers out there. My job is to select the right one based on the style of the song as well as on whom the song will be picturised," says Swagatha, who adds that she's also set to release her first independent album soon.