Becoming a film lyricist is a dream for many. Poets, writers, and storytellers often aspire to see their names appear on the silver screen. However, writing songs for films is not as easy as it seems, as revealed by renowned lyricist Ananta Sriram. In a recent interview with a web channel, he explained that writing film lyrics requires constant practice and perseverance. Entering this field demands not just talent but also a great deal of patience and dedication.

Ananta Sriram shared that he began his journey to become a film lyricist at the age of twelve. It took him over twenty years of continuous practice before he slowly started writing songs professionally. He emphasized that anyone who decides to write for films should be prepared to practice diligently for at least fifteen years before their first song. Film songwriting, he said, is extremely challenging and requires staying updated with evolving trends while understanding multiple aspects of cinema.

He further elaborated on the scale of the Telugu film industry. With straight films, dubbing projects, and other releases, more than 300 films come out annually. On average, if a film has five songs, lyricists need to write roughly 1,500 songs every year. Yet, only about ten top lyricists handle the majority of this work. Even if each writes six songs a month, they are fully occupied, leaving only around 720 songs collectively covered in a year. This leaves the remaining songs open for newcomers, highlighting the opportunities in this field. However, Ananta Sriram pointed out that very few people actually take up this profession. With dedication, literary understanding, and passion, he stressed that anyone could establish themselves as a film lyricist if they follow his advice carefully.

Speaking about his own career, Ananta Sriram called 2026 a special year. This year, he is managing to write songs across multiple genres—breakup songs, fresh love tracks, mass songs, introduction tracks, and item numbers. He revealed that his lyrics are featured in highly anticipated projects, including Peddi starring Ram Charan, as well as Prabhas’s Spirit, among other much-awaited films.

He also shared insights about his work process, noting that it took him two and a half months to complete a song for Peddi. He had planned to collaborate with director Bucchi Babu since the time of Uppena, and that collaboration finally came to fruition with Peddi. Ananta Sriram praised Bucchi Babu for valuing music highly and giving significant attention to lyrical content in his films.