/> Ram Gopal Varma is currently in Bangkok shooting two songs with Mohit Ahlawat and Nisha Kothari.

Life in many ways has come a full circle for Ram Gopal Varma. 17 Years after he made his first film Shiva, Varma has made another film by that name. Not only that, he has also roped in Shiva's regal music director Ilaiyaraja to compose the music for the new film of that name.

"Call it nostalgia, but I did want Ilaiyaraja back in my cinema," says the filmmaker who has worked with music composers as far-ranging as R.D. Burman in Drohee, Vishal Bhardawaj in Satya, Sandeep Chowta in Mast and Amar Mohile on Naach.

Says Ramu, "I like to experiment with the sound of music in my films. Now when I decided to do Shiva again, I thought of Ilaiyaraja who's extremely talented."

Ilaiyaraja who has given outstanding music in Hindi films like Sadma and Hey Ram hasn't been able to establish a foothold in Bollywood.

"I never go by saleability," says Ramu. "If I'm working with Ilaiyaraja in Shiva I'm a also working with Himesh Reshammiya in Sholay. It all depends on suitability.

For Sholay I wanted a composer who could give a new twist to the time-tested classic. Of course my starting point for Himesh's selection was his nasal voice. I thought it would be perfect for him to sing the RD dance number Mehbooba o mehbooba."

Coming back to Ilaiyaraja Ramu says, "You've to see how outstandingly modern his music is in Shiva. The songs we're currently shooting in Bangkok just leave us all breathless."