In the late 1990s, a young Gurukiran arrived in Gandhinagar to assist friends with film music. Fast forward 25 years, the experienced music director and composer reflects on his journey in the industry, witnessing its transformation from film reels to social media. Initially facing challenges due to not fitting the expected image, he shares insights on the pressure of creating hit songs, carving his unique path, and more. Recalling a nostalgic moment during the re-release of Upendra, Gurukiran reminisces about his early days of visiting theaters to gauge audience reactions and learn what resonates, especially in mass films. Despite early success and a desire to return to Mangaluru, it was films like Upendra and Chitra that anchored him permanently in Bengaluru. Gurukiran reveals that music wasn't his initial career choice and only became serious after these projects, highlighting his original aspiration to become a singer. He notes the evolving industry landscape, noting that while it's more open to newcomers today, the real challenge lies in maintaining success amidst the commercialization of music.In today's competitive music industry, it's essential to do more than just create music. Promoting your work is crucial to ensuring it reaches a wider audience. Requests like "make this trending on reels" suggest a belief that hits can be engineered on demand. This realization has led me to be more selective in the projects I take on, focusing on ones that truly inspire me. It brings me joy to see that my music in films like A, Kariya, and Upendra remains relevant even after many years. At this stage of my career, what matters most to me is the satisfaction of creating enduring pieces of art,” reflects Gurukiran.

The music industry has witnessed a shift where music directors are approached with requests to make songs popular on platforms like reels. This notion that hits can be artificially created highlights the current environment in the industry. Gurukiran reflects on his journey, sharing, “Initially, I faced challenges being accepted as a music director as I didn't fit the traditional mold. Despite this, I persisted and eventually gained recognition with successful projects like Apthamitra. Over time, I've achieved a 70% success rate, with 44% of films running for over 100 days. Music plays a vital role in attracting audiences to cinemas,” he explains.