He was closely associated with prominent music directors in Kannada film industry including Hamsalekha, V. Manohar, V. Harikrishna, Gurukiran, Arjun Janya and Anoop Seelin who have been the main support for his growing career since his initial days.

[1] In the early 1990s, Shastri was mainly seen singing track songs for major playback singers like S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and others.

Following this, Shastri teamed up with composer V. Manohar and sang many songs for the films that featured actor Jaggesh in the lead.

The songs "Anthintha Gandu Naanalla" from Bhanda Nanna Ganda (1992), "Priya Priya" from Super Nanna Maga (1992), "Dagar Dagar" from Tharle Nan Maga (1992), "Avanalli Ivalilli" from Shhh (1993) were some of his early hits which appealed to the masses.

In 1996, the folk song "Kolumande Jangamadevaru" composed by V. Manohar and picturized on actor Shiva Rajkumar for the film Janumada Jodi turned his fortunes.