The interview which appears below, was originally aired on Rahmania - Aaha FM in December 2008. Interview excerpt is written by V.R. Vithur from the A.R. Rahman Yahoo Fans Group. ©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.
Raihanna: Actually, you would have screeched off in “Anjali” (not to mistake). What are the highest octaves you can raise your voice to?
Chithra: Actually, I don’t know. If it’s pure classical, then it would be 6 1/2. (When the same question was asked to Janaki Amma, she said that her higher octaves would continue from one harmonium to another.)
For devotional and other songs, it would be C. But sometimes I have sung till E. After I sang the “Anjali” song (duet), many composers started giving me high-pitch songs and asked me to sing the same, telling me that I am very much capable of it (based on my performance in the “Anjali” song).
Rahman Recordings
Q: Please talk about Rahman recordings.
Chithra: The first song I sang for Rahman was for “Roja,” and that was “Rukkumani Rukkumani.” For the Hindi version of “Roja,” I sang “Yeh Haseen Wadiyaan.” When I first came for the song, there was no orchestration or anything. He gave me chords and rhythm patterns and made me sing the song. Initially, I found it difficult and would sing when he counted “1, 2…” I could recognize the brilliance of the song only after its final release. The fullness of the song could be realized only after the CD was released.
I couldn’t recognize or realize anything about the song, as Balu Sir wasn’t with me when I sang. Only after I sang, Balu Sir’s portions were added. So, I didn’t know who sang the male version or what was happening. The Hindi version happened only after the Tamil version was released. There were no chorus portions at that time either.
Raihanna: Actually, it was you who was supposed to sing “Chinna Chinna Aasai.”
Chithra: (smiles, laughs) Today, the song has a very good reputation.
After that, I have sung a lot of songs for Rahman. It was “Bombay” which made me very identifiable among Hindi audiences. It was the “Kannalane” song that gave me that name.
The first National Award was for “Sindhu Bhairavi.” The second award I got for Rahman Sir was for “Ooh La La La.” Actually, I never expected that I would get an award for that song. I was really shocked. I found it very tough to sing that song.
When I came for the recording, Rahman Sir told me that the song shouldn’t sound like Chitra singing it. He wanted me to sing very openly. When I practiced for about three times, I had a problem with my voice. I had strained my voice a lot for that. It was a very different experience.
There is another song for him which didn’t give me that much satisfaction: “Malargale” (Love Birds). He kept asking me if I was in a hurry or had another recording somewhere. He kept asking if my mood wasn’t okay. I think Rahman Sir expected something different from me in that song (something more).
Raihanna interrupts: “I think God willed it that way, and this was what God expected, and it came out, and people liked it so much.”
I was feeling bad that I couldn’t give what he expected, but that song also became a big hit.
Other Notable Songs
- “Yenge Enadhu Kavithai” (Kandukondein Kandukondein): Actually, the song was done only after the scene was shot. They showed me the scene. I saw the picturization and sang that song. I like that song a lot. There is some pain in a corner of my heart when I sing that song.
- “Kannamoochi Yennada”: A very different style of song, where the raga changes in between. People who love music a lot always request me to sing this song.
The Magic between Chithra and A.R. Rahman
He gives a lot of freedom to sing a song. He will tell us to sing it in a fashion that would be comfortable for us. All the improvisations that we give during singing would be retained by him, and he would use them according to his choice.
(She sings parts of songs like “Theendai,” “En Mel Vizhundha,” “Thoda Thoda Malardhandhu”)
Difference and Experience in Concerts
Actually, I learned how a concert and show should be performed after coming to his concerts. The perfect discipline, and the way one song follows another. Each and every song would follow one another at the correct pace. His shows are a treat not only for the ears but also for the eyes. A superior class of perfection is maintained in his shows.
There would be an unplugged version for the singers, wherein their expertise would be highlighted. I always feel proud to be a part of his shows.
Through this Rahmania program, Raihanna has been sharing a lot of news about Rahman and his songs, because of which many people are able to understand and enjoy the brilliance of Rahman. There are innumerable fans of Rahman in Kerala who enjoy these shows, and they love Rahman a lot. Congratulations and thanks to Raihanna for this show.
First Meeting with Rahman
Q: When did you first meet Rahman?
Chithra: I had heard about him very well but hadn’t met him or identified that it was Rahman. I saw a young boy playing the keyboard for Raja Sir. He should have been around 16 years or so, but appeared as if he was just 10 years old.
Raihanna adds: “Actually, he came home with a tape of a song or a track sung by Chithra for Raja Sir, and was excited and played it at home, saying that he saw a young girl whose voice was so sweet and sounded much similar to Susheela Amma.”
