Kabir Rafi: Kannadigas have good taste in music

Director Deepak Aras, who will be making a comeback after a hiatus following his debut film “Manasology” (2011), is gearing up for the release of his sophomore project, “Sugar Factory,” which is slated for release on November 24. The romantic drama, starring Krishna, Sonal Monteiro, Adhvithi Shetty, and Ruhani Shetty, will mark the Kannada debut of composer Kabir Rafi.
Kabir Rafi has 15 years of experience as a music composer and has predominantly worked in Telugu and Tamil films, web series, and short films. Having worked under his mentor, Jeevan Thomas, and with AR Rahman, the composer reveals that he is excited to mark his Kannada debut with Deepak Aras’s Sugar Factory. The romantic comedy, based on the prevalent pub culture, is a new territory for Kabir, who is predominantly known for his melodies. He says, “I had to create some EDM, trance, DJing, along with romantic songs and end it with a pathos number. In total, seven songs make up the Sugar Factory album. One song is sung by Baba Sehgal, who is making his comeback after a hiatus. The soundtrack also has Armaan Malik, Amrutha Nayak, Vijay Prakash, and singer Kalimulla, who will be making her Kannada debut. Overall, it makes for a good album,” says Kabir. Kabir, who shifted to Bengaluru during the pandemic to work on Sugar Factory, reveals that Kannada filmmakers are welcoming. He adds, “Kannadigas have good taste in music. They welcome every singer and composer, irrespective of the language, and allow us to explore our skills. I hope to get more film opportunities from Kannada.”

Sugar Factory also features Santhosh Rai Pathaje as the cinematographer. The DOP, who has worked in over 30 films, is known for capturing the beauty of nature in his frames. However, his work in Sugar Factory is in contrast to his previous films. “Sugar Factory’s picturization is colorful and contemporary, representing the youth. Interestingly, the film explores unique picturization, especially bringing the nightlife in Goa in a new way,” says Santhosh. According to Santhosh, he ensured that his cinematography in Sugar Factory will show the vibrant culture of today’s youth. He states, “Among my films, Sugar Factory is more vibrant.” Santhosh and his team have also shot on locations in Kazakhstan, where a scene along with a grand song sequence was shot.
Apart from Sugar Factory, Santhosh is excited about working with Darshan in Prakash Veer’s “Devil – The Hero” and is currently working on pre-production with the director.