Vizag boy PA Deepak on mentors who propelled him to Grammy glory: ‘AR Rahman and Ricky Kej shaped my understanding of audio mixing’

PA Deepak’s passion for music began in his hometown of Vizag, where he started in a small local studio. “It was the only place I could learn, but I needed to step up my game,” he recalls. In 2004, he moved to Mumbai, which soon led to his first Bollywood project, Main Hoon Na. “It felt surreal, like a dream come true. Mumbai was overwhelming at first, but it turned out to be the best decision I ever made.” In a conversation with Hyderabad Times, he shares his journey, lessons, and key projects that shaped his career.