Mic On, Voice Ready: My Unexpected Journey into Voice-Overs
I never planned on becoming a voice-over artist. In fact, my “debut performance” wasn’t even in a recording studio — it was at a casual evening gathering with friends.
The Origin
Back in mid-2016, when the Kabali movie trailer dropped, it created a massive buzz. No surprise there — it was Thalaivar Rajnikanth’s movie. The trailer needed no explanation. It was iconic.
One evening, in the beautiful city of San Antonio, TX, while we were all hanging out, one of my friends sang, another danced, and then all eyes turned to me.
I was caught royally. My friends weren’t going to let me off the hook without doing something. But here’s the thing: I don’t sing, and I definitely don’t dance.
So I did the only thing that felt remotely possible — I delivered the legendary lines from the Kabaali trailer, that ends with : “…Kabaali da.” And surprisingly, I didn’t flop. There was even a (not-so-loud) round of applause.
That moment stuck with me. Over the next few get-togethers, I picked up a few more dialogues from other movies and delivered them just for fun. Looking back, I realize now — that was the seed. That was when I first felt the thrill of bringing a character to life with nothing but my voice.
The Halfway Mark
A few years later, sometime in 2021, during a long phone conversation, one of my cousins — a video editor — casually said something that stuck with me:
“You know, you actually have a voice that could work really well for voice-overs.”
At first, I brushed it off as a kind compliment, but he didn’t stop there — he encouraged me to seriously explore it. That was the first time someone had actually seen potential in something I hadn’t fully considered myself.
In fact, he even gave me a small opportunity to try it out: recording a voice-over for a Good Friday presentation for a church in New Jersey, USA. It was a short gig, but it meant something. It planted the idea more firmly in my mind — maybe this wasn’t just a passing interest.
Fast Forward to 2025
Fast forward to January 2025. Life had moved on, but that little spark from those casual performances years ago never really died out. Somewhere deep down, the idea of using my voice as a creative tool stayed with me — quietly simmering in the background.
So when I came across a voice-over workshop being conducted at VoiCcEeSTORE, (pronounced Voice Store) — a professional recording Studio, run by Mr. Vijay Anand, situated in R. A Puram, Chennai, India
The highlight? The session was being led by none other than the legendary voice actor, Mr. P C Ramakrishna. I didn’t think twice. I registered immediately — more out of curiosity than confidence.
To be honest, I walked in that day with zero clue about the world of voice-overs, dubbing, or professional voice acting. Terms like breath control, mic proximity, or vocal texture were completely foreign to me.
All I had was a fascination for voices, that tiny memory of saying “Kabali da!” years ago, and now — the encouraging words of my cousin. I felt like a fish out of water, sitting among people who already seemed to know so much — some with theatre backgrounds, others already doing small gigs and even a couple of professional voice-actors.
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But that workshop changed everything.
What I Took Away from the Workshop
That one-day workshop turned out to be a deep dive into a world I barely knew existed. It wasn’t just about speaking into a mic — it was about discovering the instrument I carry every day: my voice.
1. Understanding How the Voice Works
We started with the basics of vocal anatomy. It’s not just the vocal cords — it’s the lungs, diaphragm, throat, and the articulators (like the lips and tongue) working in harmony. I had never thought of speaking as a full-body effort until then.
2. The Power of AUM
Mr. Ramakrishna introduced AUM as the mother of all sounds. It grounds the voice, aligns breath, and centers the speaker. Chanting it was both calming and energizing — a great reminder that voice work begins inside.
3. The Unsung Heroes — Consonants
While vowels carry emotion, consonants give shape and clarity. We practiced stressing them with purpose — and suddenly, everything we said sounded sharper and more deliberate. It was a game-changer.
4. Microphone Techniques
I learned how to face the mic, adjust distance, and use subtle shifts in breath or angle to control the sound. Mic work is an art in itself — one that makes the difference between amateur and pro.
5. Stepping Into the Booth
Recording in a real studio was both thrilling and terrifying. Hearing my voice played back in that space made it feel real. Flaws and all, it was the first time I felt like I was truly stepping into this craft.
6. The Value of Connection
I met people from all walks of life — voice artists, theatre folks, creators — and the conversations were as valuable as the training. It reminded me that this is a community, and growth happens faster when you’re not alone.
The Grand Finale — The moment I faced the mic
Recording Myself for Fun — The Joy of Experimenting
Long before the workshop — and especially after — I got curious: What does my voice really sound like? How does it change with different tones or emotions? So I started doing something simple but powerful: recording myself for fun.
Back in April 2021, during the COVID lockdown, I had bought a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio, but it had been lying unused for years. I finally dusted it off, set it up, and began recording. I used random scripts — workshop exercises, movie lines, ads, even pages from books. I’d record, play it back, and listen. At first, it felt strange. My voice didn’t sound like I expected. But slowly, I began to notice patterns — where I rushed, where I lacked energy, and where it actually clicked.
There was something incredibly freeing about it. No pressure. No audience. Just me exploring. I’d try accents, change emotions mid-sentence, or mimic voices from YouTube. It became a creative playground — a space to experiment, mess up, and improve.
Soon, it became a habit. I started a small library of clips — some awkward, some hilarious, and a few that made me think, “That’s actually pretty good.”
Those solo sessions helped me build confidence, self-awareness, and a growing sense of ease at the mic. They reminded me that learning doesn’t have to be perfect — it can be playful.
Learning to Control My Voice — Power Meets Precision
One of the biggest revelations for me was that a good voice isn’t just about sounding deep or clear — it’s about control.
Through breath exercises and vocal drills, I learned how to pace my speech, pause effectively, and modulate tone to suit the mood. Even subtle changes in pitch or tempo could shift the entire feel of a line. I started to see how less can be more — that sometimes a softer, more grounded delivery carried more weight than a loud, dramatic one.
We also practiced smiling with our voice, tightening the diaphragm for energy, and using silence for impact. These techniques made me realize: your voice is not just a natural gift — it’s a skill you can sharpen.
That sense of control — of knowing when to push and when to pull back — gave me a new confidence every time I stepped up to the mic.
Discovering My Vocal Range — More Than Just One Voice
One of the most exciting realizations during the workshop was just how much range the human voice has — and how little of it I had been using.
Until then, I thought I had a voice — a fixed, default way of speaking. But as we experimented with scripts and characters, I began to uncover subtle (and sometimes surprising) variations in pitch, tone, energy, and emotion. My voice could be warm and soothing, sharp and assertive, playful, dramatic — even quirky.
We were encouraged to try different emotional tones — sadness, authority, excitement, mystery — and I was amazed at how my voice shifted with each. Sometimes just changing where I placed the sound — in the chest, throat, or head — brought out entirely new textures.
I learned that discovering your vocal range isn’t about forcing your voice into something unnatural. It’s about tapping into what’s already there, and then expanding it — bit by bit — through awareness and practice.
That exploration made me realize: I don’t just have a voice — I have a whole palette of voices, waiting to be discovered.
Where I’m Headed
What began as a spontaneous moment at a friendly gathering has slowly grown into a genuine passion — one that I’ve nurtured through curiosity, practice, and guidance from some of the best in the field. From understanding the mechanics of the voice to experimenting in my home studio, and from learning mic techniques to discovering my range, this journey has been nothing short of transformative. Today, I’m actively pursuing commercial voice-over opportunities in English, Telugu, and Tamil — excited to lend my voice to stories, brands, and characters that connect with people. The path ahead is long, but for the first time, it feels like I’m exactly where I need to be — mic on, script in hand, and voice ready.
