The interview which appears below, was originally published on Gulf News in August 2002. ©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.
A.R. Rahman sat on a sofa in the Venice Suite of Le Meridien Dubai’s Royal Club. Dressed neatly, jet-black hair shining, the famous hands moving gracefully as he made a point. He spoke softly, eloquently, and laughed often, showing no sign of fatigue, even if he’d flown in just one and a half hours earlier from London.
In London, Rahman put Bollywood on stage in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bombay Dreams. The musical has been a spectacular success this summer. The wiz Indian music composer was stopping over in Dubai on Thursday to discuss his concert scheduled in March-April next year. The show will be brought by Percept Gulf and will be a part of Rahman’s world concert tour.
In a free-ranging interview, he talked easily about himself, his beliefs, and his music. Excerpts:
What does music mean to you?
Music is a blessing from God. For me, music started as a job and then became a passion. I was put into music for bread and butter, to save my family from disgrace (smiles). Then it got interesting. The cliche of the film world changed. I was lucky to have a lot of things that helped me break boundaries.
Who is your inspiration?
A good musician, a good singer… nature itself. People who love my music and people who hate my music. The people who say they hated this song push me to do something further, something that will get them to like another song.
What are your earliest recollections of music?
I was just five or six years old and my father took me to a music director’s house. He put a white cloth over the harmonium and asked me to play Sa Re Ga Ma through the cloth. I did. Everyone was very impressed.
Music is intrinsic to Hindi films. What does good Hindi film music demand?
The right approach of a director. You should either have (proper) music or not have any music. It could be a brilliant film with no songs, just a background score. If you must have songs it should be a (film-like) Dil Se, Taal, where the music lingers. When I compose I nullify myself in a vacuum. Sitting there you get something that surprises your own self.
Has Hindi film music today lost its creativity?
Earlier, there was pride not pressure. There was pride that this is my music, this is my poetry. Today, the freedom is being narrowed down to generate commercial success. There are pressures from producers who want a song to succeed commercially. Sometimes there’s very little time, so people borrow. Consciously, I’ve tried to stay away from influences.
Since Hindi is not your own language, how difficult is it to compose when the words are in Hindi?
Earlier, it was difficult. But now I’ve started learning Urdu. Subhash Ghai pushed me to learn Hindi in 1994. In 1997-98, I started writing down the meanings of the lyrics. Now I can read and understand Hindi, and can speak it too, although not very fluently. I’m 60 percent better than before.
You have set very high standards in Indian film music. Is it difficult to live up to your own, and others’, expectations?
It is not about meeting standards. It is about sustaining the interest. You know inside exactly what is right. It could be simpler, it could be more complex. What the music needs is a soul. That’s what we search for.
You’re known as a techno-wizard. How would you fare unplugged?
I’ve been asking myself the same question for three years. But recently I did the background score for The Legend of Bhagat Singh without electronic instruments. Ninety-nine percent of it was done with an acoustic orchestra in London. Hopefully next year I will make an acoustic instrumental album.
Which do you consider your best film. Why?
Most of the ones I’ve made with Manirathnam (Roja, Dil Se etc). He sets a platform for creative people to explore.
Are you elated by an award and upset when you don’t get one?
I don’t get upset if I don’t get an award. But if I’m getting one I try to collect it personally because I know it means a lot to my fans. Sometimes, if the music of a film is very good, you collect awards for it throughout the year (laughs).
You’ve often experimented with music, including giving new singers a chance. Have you ever been afraid of risk?
No. My studio is in my house. There are just three people involved, the director, myself and the sound engineer. I call a new singer, and tell him or her that I want them to sing a track. If it works out, if the director likes it, we’ll go ahead with it. Seventy percent of the time it does work out.
What is the most precious thing in the world for you?
I do not hold on to things. I’m trying to live the Sufi kind of life. The connection with spirituality is the most precious. When you start desiring things they get away. When you love someone too much, they give you pain. I try to live a suspended life.
If you were not a musician, what would you be?
I would probably have been a boring electronic engineer, repairing radios.
Bombay Dreams opened to a standing ovation. How difficult was it to compose an English musical?
The most important question was to whom should Bombay Dreams cater. Asian or an English audience? After the previews, we discovered that the people were enjoying the numbers that were not in English more. I saw the whole musical through Andrew’s (Lloyd Webber) eyes. It was suspense till we did the first sing-through last year. After that, I got confidence. Andrew was sure about what he was doing. He has immense respect for music and I trusted him.
Will you now do music for Hollywood?
Maybe, if I get the right kind of films. I’ve said no to one offer and am thinking about another. It is more fun doing songs. Hollywood expects background scores mostly.
Is there a dream you’re chasing?
Not really. I think I’m like a boat on a river without a sail. I’m taking the course of the river as it flows into the big sea. It’s better to do this, than go in the opposite and wrong direction.
