Anirudh's 'Aravindh' and the Bet on Non-Film Music in India

'Aravindh' is an independent release on Anirudh's own label, Albuquerque Records, not a film soundtrack.

The video is trending largely on the strength of Anirudh's enormous, devoted fanbase.

Albuquerque Records is a push into non-film, artist-owned music in a film-dominated market.

Independent singles let composers keep creative control and a bigger share of the rights.

Whether non-film music can sustain itself in India is the real question the release raises.