When Puneeth Rajkumar was gearing up to make his comeback to the big screen as a leading man after spending years as a child actor, his parents, Dr. Rajkumar and Parvathamma Rajkumar, brought in one of the top directors in Telugu cinema, Puri Jagannadh, to take the reins. This film also marked the debut of Rakshita as a leading lady, with music by Gurukiran featuring popular tracks like "Taliban Alla Alla," written by Real Star Upendra and sung by Puneeth, along with "Ellinda Aarambhavo" by Udit Narayan and "Panavidu Panavidu," which Annavru lent his voice to, among others.

For Gurukiran, working on "Appu" was particularly special because he had known the Dr. Rajkumar family long before he entered the film industry. This was only his second project with them, having previously composed for Shivarajkumar’s "Asura." This time, he had the chance to collaborate closely with the legendary Kannada actor. During a special segment for the re-release of "Appu" in honor of Puneeth’s 50th birthday, Gurukiran shared his fond memories of composing while being in the presence of Dr. Rajkumar.

“I had a good relationship with Shivanna, Raghanna, and Puneeth before, but 'Appu' gave me a unique opportunity to connect with Annavru as well. Normally, I like to work alone when composing, but for 'Appu,' he invited me to their home. The entire soundtrack was created at Dr. Rajkumar’s house, with him there during my sessions, and he really enjoyed the process,” Gurukiran recalled.

When Gurukiran put together the tune for Ellinda Aarambhavo, he shared a sample with Dr. Rajkumar that had some random Hindi lyrics. Dr. Rajkumar initially thought it was a popular song that already existed. “When Annavru found out it was an original piece, the joy on his face was like a kid who just got candy,” Gurukiran recalled. He then got Dr. Rajkumar to record two songs, one of which was Panavidu Panavidu, a rock track that was a first for the legendary singer. “It’s not easy to bring that much energy to a rock song, but Annavru nailed it,” Gurukiran added.

Appu is making a comeback in theaters on March 14 to celebrate Puneeth Rajkumar’s 50th birthday. While you wait for Appu to hit the big screen, check out Puneeth Rajkumar's popular films like Milana, Jackie, Raajakumara, and more on OTTplay Premium.

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