The interview which appears below, was originally published on Rahman Music Sheets YouTube Channel (O2 India) in July 2024. ©The rights to this material are reserved to the owner. If you have any concerns or comments, please send an email to info@rahmaniac.com.
Javed Akhtar, one of India’s most celebrated lyricists, recently shared his experiences working with music maestro A.R. Rahman, particularly on the landmark film “Lagaan”. His words paint a vivid picture of creativity, challenges, and the magic of music.
Akhtar’s journey with Rahman began unexpectedly. He recalls, “I don’t know why I didn’t have a car that day, so he [Tutu Sharma] offered to drop me home. In the car, he played me a Tamil movie’s music and said it’s very strange, so I listened to the songs of ‘Roja’ in Tamil. I was amazed and thought, ‘Who is this person?'” This chance encounter led Akhtar to seek out Rahman in Chennai, making him “the first person from Bombay to contact him.”
When “Lagaan” came along, Akhtar was initially skeptical. He candidly admits, “What I felt was that it seemed like they made a list of everything that was forbidden and then made a script out of it.” The film seemed to defy every convention of successful Bollywood movies. “People say village films don’t work anymore; they say period films about the British era won’t interest anyone. Triple taxation, slow cricket games, and the hero wearing a dhoti – these were all things people said wouldn’t work. Yet they put them all in the script,” Akhtar explains.
Despite his reservations, Akhtar took on the challenge of writing the lyrics. He approached it with a philosophy of detachment: “I thought, whether it works or not, it doesn’t matter to me. I should do my job with effort and honesty, write good songs, and then see what happens.”
Writing for Rahman’s compositions proved to be a unique challenge
Akhtar describes Rahman’s tunes as unpredictable: “Rahman’s tunes aren’t like steps; they’re like a tree. You don’t know which branch will go where and how long it will be. It’s not predictable. That’s the difference between Rahman’s compositions and others. There’s no predictability. This unpredictability is the beauty of his compositions.”
One of the most challenging songs was “Palanhaare”. Akhtar reflects, “This song couldn’t be written with cleverness. It required a certain calmness, peace, and a feeling of genuine sadness.” As an atheist, writing devotional songs posed its own challenges, but Akhtar’s professionalism shone through. He explains, “I place myself in that frame of mind and separate my personal beliefs from the task. In ‘Mangal Pandey,’ there was a long qawwali for a dargah… You have to feel it in that way to write such songs. If you don’t have this quality, whether as an actor or a writer, you can’t be good.”
Writing for a period film like “Lagaan” required a delicate balance of language. Akhtar notes, “The language in ‘Lagaan’ songs appears to be of that era but is also understandable to today’s audience. If it’s too pure, the common man won’t understand. You have to balance it.”
Akhtar likens the process of songwriting to interior decoration: “While decorating your home, you might find a beautiful chair, but if it doesn’t match the sofa, don’t use it. Similarly, in writing, even if you have a good idea, if it doesn’t fit, leave it. Stick to your initial plan, be loyal to it. This brings coherence to the song and performance, just like interior decoration.”
Reflecting on Rahman’s impact, Akhtar places him in the pantheon of game-changers in Indian cinema: “Very successful filmmakers have come and gone, and you might forget their names, but you will remember Gurudutt, who directed ‘Pyaasa.’ When you do unusual work, you are remembered. There have been many superstar music directors who gave superhit songs, but you might not remember their names. You will remember R.D. Burman because he brought a new sensibility. Rahman also brought a different sensibility to Hindi cinema.”
“Lagaan” went on to become a massive success, both critically and commercially. It was nominated for an Oscar, and its soundtrack sold 35 lakh copies within a year. Years later, Rahman himself would win two Oscars, famously quoting a line written by Akhtar in his acceptance speech.
The Making of a Musical Phenomenon
The challenge for the music was immense. As Akhtar explains, “A film set in the 19th century must appeal to 21st-century audiences. Music has to bridge this gap of centuries.” The task was to create songs that sounded authentic to an old village while still appealing to modern urban listeners. “You can’t just give urban music; you must also keep the rustic charm. It’s not easy; it’s very difficult,” Akhtar admits.
One of the most iconic songs from the film, “Chale Chalo,” almost didn’t happen. A.R. Rahman initially gave Akhtar dummy lyrics “Nasha Nasha” (meaning intoxication). Akhtar reveals, “There was a lot of insistence from the unit to keep ‘Nasha Nasha.’ But I thought, how would starving farmers sing ‘Nasha Nasha’? It didn’t fit.” He changed it to “Chale Chalo,” meaning “Let’s go,” which perfectly captured the spirit of the villagers’ journey.
Another unique song, “O Re Chhori,” beautifully blended Indian classical, folk, and western music. Sung by Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, and Vasundhara Das, it represented two girls from completely different cultures singing for the same boy. Akhtar credits Rahman for the seamless transition between different genres and instruments in this song.
Lagaan’s music has stood the test of time, remaining popular even after two decades. Akhtar attributes this longevity to three crucial elements: “Three things make a song immortal: its composition and orchestration, its words, and its rendering. All three need to be perfect.” He likens a song’s tune to a beautiful person entering a room – it attracts you initially. But the words, he says, are like the person’s character – they make you fall in love and stay in love.
The film’s music played a significant role in its global success. Lagaan made it to the UK top 10, becoming popular even among non-Asian moviegoers. It was also the first Indian film to have a nationwide release in China, opening up the Chinese market for Indian cinema.
Rahman’s work on Lagaan earned him the National Award for Best Music Direction. The jury acknowledged his score for being both regional in character and popular in appeal, bringing out the essence of the Saurashtra region. Rahman also bagged Filmfare and IIFA trophies for his work on the film.
Akhtar shares two unforgettable things about working with Rahman. Once, they entered Rahman’s music room and found a lit candle. Rahman explained that while everything else in the room was mechanical, the candle added a natural element. Another time, Rahman patiently listened to a producer’s irrelevant suggestions and said they should try to satisfy different people without compromising their standards.
Contrary to popular belief, Akhtar’s first collaboration with Rahman wasn’t adapting Tamil songs to Hindi. He reveals, “The first song I did with Rahman was ‘Tu Hai Meri Nigahon Pe Chhayi.'” However, he couldn’t recall the film’s title. Their collaboration on “Sapney,” which was made simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi, posed unique challenges in translating and adapting songs.
When asked about the similarities between Rahman and the legendary R.D. Burman, Akhtar offers an insightful response: “The similarity is that they are not similar to anyone. Even they are not similar to each other; they are unique.”
Bridging Languages and Cultures
The roots of this prolific partnership can be traced back to 1997, with the bilingual production “Minsara Kanavu” (Tamil) / “Sapnay” (Hindi). Produced by AVM, a stalwart in the Indian film industry, this project presented a unique challenge: adapting Rahman’s Tamil compositions for a Hindi-speaking audience.
Akhtar, known for his poetic prowess, approached this task with a combination of respect for the original music and creative interpretation. “If the tune is good and you have respect for music, you get inspired by the tune, and then the words come naturally,” Akhtar explained in a recent interview. This philosophy is evident in songs like “Awara Bhavre,” which seamlessly blends Rahman’s melody with Akhtar’s Hindi lyrics.
The success of “Sapnay” set a precedent for future collaborations, demonstrating the duo’s ability to create music that transcends linguistic boundaries. Akhtar emphasizes that versatility, rather than poetic genius, is the key to successful songwriting in the film industry. “To become a songwriter, you don’t need to be a great poet. You need to be versatile, just like music directors, singers, and actors need versatility,” he stated.
Innovative Approaches to Film Music
The Akhtar-Rahman collaboration is characterized by its innovative approaches to film music. Rahman’s compositions often challenge conventional melodic structures, a quality that Akhtar believes contributes to their lasting appeal. Drawing an analogy, Akhtar explained, “If I ask you what 2+2 is, you answer 4 immediately. But if I ask what 63+63 is, it takes time. Familiar things are easier to understand, but they don’t last long. Unique things take time but stay with you once they enter your system.”
This philosophy was put to the test in projects like the 1998 film “Jeans,” directed by Shankar. Akhtar was tasked with writing Hindi versions of pre-existing Tamil songs, a process that required not only linguistic skills but also a deep understanding of visual storytelling. “I had to write around the same context to keep the lip sync intact,” Akhtar revealed, highlighting the technical challenges involved in cross-language adaptations.
Venturing Beyond Commercial Cinema
While their work in mainstream Bollywood has garnered significant acclaim, Akhtar and Rahman have also made substantial contributions to parallel cinema. Their collaboration extended to Deepa Mehta’s films “Fire” (1996) and “1947 Earth” (1998), part of Mehta’s elemental trilogy.
In “Fire,” Rahman composed 14 of the film’s 16 instrumental tracks, creating unique themes for individual characters. This approach to film scoring demonstrates Rahman’s versatility and his ability to use music as a storytelling device beyond traditional songs.
“1947 Earth,” which dealt with the sensitive topic of India’s partition, showcased the duo’s ability to address complex historical and emotional themes through music. The film’s soundtrack required a delicate balance of artistic expression and historical sensitivity, a challenge that Akhtar and Rahman met with characteristic skill.
The Future of Film Music
In an era where digital platforms release thousands of new songs daily, the question of relevance becomes increasingly pertinent. Akhtar, however, remains optimistic about the future of quality music. Drawing a parallel to human achievement, he notes, “Just like many people are born every second, but only a few become icons, the same applies to songs. Exceptional songs will always find their place.”
