When Samantha Ruth Prabhu trusted S Thaman to create magic with Majili: ‘This is my first film with Naga Chaitanya after marriage…’

In a recent interview, composer S Thaman, who composed the background score for Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya's Majili, shared insights into the circumstances under which he on board the blockbuster film.

By: Entertainment Desk

Chennai | March 18, 2025 06:33 PM IST

3 min read

Thaman about Samantha's message about Majili.

It was Ye Maaya Chesave (2010), which marked the maiden collaboration between actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. After dating for a few years, they got married in 2017, and then just before their fifth year anniversary, they decided to get a divorce and move on with their lives. Just like how Ye Maaya Chesave was an important film in both their lives for a variety of reasons, there was another film that gained immense importance. It was the 2019 film, Majili, directed by Shiva Nirvana. Music director S Thaman, who composed the background score of the film, opened up about the circumstances under which he came on board the Samantha-Chay starrer.

Talking to The Hollywood Reporter, Thaman said that he only had two weeks to compose the entire score. “On March 22, Shiva Nirvana spoke to me about working on the score of the film. Samantha called me up that night, and said, ‘This is our first film as a married couple, and we want it to be successful. Chay and I will come meet you to discuss.’ All I asked her was if she trusted me, and Samantha replied in the affirmative,” said Thaman, who revealed that he came on board Majili on March 23, and the film was already announced as an April 5 release.

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“I told the producer that they mustn’t think about the budget. And it wasn’t because I wanted money. I told them that Majili’s soul was ready, and I was just adding oxygen to it. In fact, I saw it as a challenge on so many levels. Firstly, I had to get into the shoes of a different composer. Then, there was the time crunch. So, I put together a 90-member orchestra, and completed the background score on March 30,” said Thaman, who shared that everyone who heard the score were in tears. “I completed the score in seven days, gave the master on April 2, and the film hit screens worldwide on April 5, and became a blockbuster. Majili is just magic.”

Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya featured in multiple films like Manam and Autonagar Surya, but incidentally, Majili, which was their first film together after their marriage, was also the last film together.

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On the acting front, Samantha, who was last seen in the Amazon Prime Video series Citadel: Honey Bunny, is currently working on the film Maa Inti Bangaram, which also marks her debut production venture. On the other hand, Naga Chaitanya, who delivered a superhit with Chandoo Mondeti’s Thandel, is currently in talks for multiple projects, including a reunion with his Premam director for a historical film based on the famous Tenali Rama.

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