Sai Abhyankar Strikes Right Chord, Justifies His Massive Paycheck?
The source further added, “His remuneration is inching close to what top Telugu composers like SS Thaman and Devi Sri Prasad reportedly command, which is around ₹4 crore per film.”
Undoubtedly, Kollywood’s emerging musical sensation Sai Abhyankkar is making headlines once again, reportedly commanding a hefty remuneration for composing the songs and background score for the much-awaited Allu Arjun–Atlee magnum opus.
According to industry sources, Sai Abhyankkar is said to be receiving ₹3 crore for his work on the ambitious sci-fi entertainer Raakaa, making it one of the highest pay packages for an upcoming composer in South cinema. “Atlee has complete faith in the young talent. Despite Sai not having worked on many big-star Tamil projects, he was brought on board because the film’s futuristic and new-age concept demanded a fresh musical approach,” revealed a source.
The source further added, “His remuneration is inching close to what top Telugu composers like SS Thaman and Devi Sri Prasad reportedly command, which is around ₹4 crore per film.”
Sai Abhyankkar, who is also a playback singer and music producer, primarily works in Tamil cinema. He shot to instant fame with his viral independent single Katchi Sera, which became one of the most searched songs globally. Released under Think Music’s independent initiative, the track marked his breakthrough as a solo artist. His other popular songs such as Aasa Kooda, Sithira Puthiri, and Vizhi Veekura further established him as one of the most promising young names from the Think Indie Collective.
However, his recent work for Suriya’s Karuppu (Veerabhadrudu in Telugu), currently running in theatres, initially drew mixed reactions. While many felt the songs lacked instant appeal during their release phase, audiences waited to judge the complete experience after watching the film.
“When Karuppu released, some viewers felt the background score was too loud in certain portions,” a source said. “But surprisingly, the same tracks have now started trending across social media, with audiences gradually appreciating Sai’s work.”
A similar pattern was seen earlier with Dude as well. The Oorum Blood track continues to trend strongly and gains momentum over time rather than instantly. Industry observers now feel Karuppu is following a similar trajectory, with Sai Abhyankkar’s music slowly finding its audience and strengthening his growing reputation.
It appears Sai’s “slow poison” formula is turning into a winning one.
