Long after a film leaves theatres, its songs often live on. We hum them years later, quote them in conversations, and return to them in moments of joy and heartbreak. We remember the actor on screen, the singer behind the microphone, and the composer who created the tune. The lyricist, more often than not, remains in the background.
For nearly three decades, V Nagendra Prasad has quietly lived with that paradox. With more than 3,000 songs to his credit, he has become one of Kannada cinema's most celebrated lyricists, writing chartbusters and timeless favourites that continue to outlive the films they were written for. That contribution was recently recognised with a 12-hour tribute, where the Kannada film industry came together to celebrate his journey.
Shivarajkumar, Prem, Vijay Kumar, Sharan, Vasishta Simha, Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar, Rockline Venkatesh, Veerakaputra Srinivas, singers like Vijaya Prakash, Rajesh Krishnan, producers and members of the film fraternity honoured the writer whose words have shaped Kannada film music. While lyrics remain his defining identity, Nagendra Prasad has also worked as a director, actor, dialogue writer and music composer. "I started writing when I was in Class 5. My teachers appreciated my poems and encouraged me to send them to newspapers and magazines. Many of them were published. So yes, I can happily call myself a born lyricist," he says.
Though his first released film as a lyricist was Gajina Mane (2000), directed by K V Jayaram, Nagendra Prasad had already written nearly 2,000 songs before entering films. Some of those early words found their way into cinema years later, including the popular 'Preethi Eke Bhoomimele Ide'. Ask him where his words come from, and he credits the basics: Reading. "The dictionary is in my mind. Before entering cinema, I had read nearly 5,000 books. From my school days, I had a hunger for reading newspapers from the first page to the last, literature, folklore and anything that introduced me to new words. Reading became my real education. Kannada has a word for every emotion. I don't search for words. They simply flow. I'm not bragging. That's honestly how I work."
The beginning, however, was not easy. He entered an industry already home to stalwarts like Doddarange Gowda, MN Vyasa Rao, Hamsalekha, Shyamasundara Kulkarni, Vijaya Narasimha, RN Jayagopal, V Manohar and K Kalyan. "I came from a poetry background, and people didn't immediately understand my writing because cinema has a different language. Over time, audiences accepted it. Today, I can write a song in five to ten minutes. Most of my hit songs were written in a short time."
For Nagendra Prasad, the greatest satisfaction comes when his words become songs that connect with people, stir emotions and even bring about change in society. However, despite the awards, accolades and the recent industry-wide celebration, he feels one battle remains. "I'm grateful for the recognition. But I still feel lyricists are not celebrated the way they deserve. Songs become the identity of films, yet the people who write them often stay invisible. I hope that changes."
