The interview which appears below, was originally published on Filmi Baatein in May 2003. ©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.
He is to Indian music what Sachin Tendulkar is to Indian cricket. An unparalleled prodigy. A.R. Rahman’s name spells melody that transcends all borders, barriers and breeds. His is the head that could wear a wreath crowning him ‘musical genius’ in all deserving acclaim, yet with surprising humility. the difference that his name, attached to the credits of a movie, makes to the saleability factor of the movie is a neverbefore phenomenon in recent times.
Subhash Ghai advertised his association with ‘Taal’ as much as he advertised Anil kapoor, Akshaye Khanna and Aishwarya Rai’s. With his soul-stirring compositions, he can almost rewrite with his musical notations the fate of a film. The awesome spell that was cast among Hindi film audiences, which started with ‘Roja’ and ‘Bombay’, followed by mindblowing compositions in ‘Rangeela’, ‘Dil Se’, ‘Taal’, ‘Pukaar’.. seems to get better and better with each passing day. On the threshold of an international venture collaborating with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Shekhar Kapur, A.R. Rahman still is as softspoken and unassuming as he probably was at the beginning of his musical journey. ‘Stardust’ caught up with him at his residence in Chennai for a heart-to-heart.
First things first. There is a strong rumour that you will be settling in London. Does that mean India will lose its musical pride?
Not unless they are glad to do that! (laughs) Well, I am shunting between London and India for the present. Actually, it is a matter of state of mind whether I’m doing this work there, or that work here.
It is also a matter of availability of the lyricist, because the lyrics of the play I am working at in London is being written by Tom Black, the Oscar winner (who had written lyrics for film like ‘Born Free’). We have already started working on certain ideas and he might be coming over to Chennai next month. I have to keep some space for that. But I am very much in Chennai, very much in India.
What, in your opinion, led Andrew Lloyd Webber to you? He is said to be raving about you. Is Shekar Kapur responsible?
What led Mani Ratnam to me? What lead Subhash Ghai to me, It is destined, I guess, by God. Andrew Lloyd Webber watched some of my songs 4/5 years back and felt it had an interesting sound. Then Shekhar Kapur was to do the ‘Phantom of Opera’. He usually plays all my songs and at that time ‘Dil Se’ was being done. Webber immediately picked on the songs and related to what he heard. he wanted to meet me. When I went there he said that he was interested in producing a show with music by me. Shekhar kapur is coproducing it and builds the concepts for it.”
Is this one step towards Hollywood?
I am not interested in Hollywood. This is more fun in what I am into already. Right now what I need to do, is to learn a lot of things and spend time to create music rather than shuttling between here and there. So if this works out, it paves the path for so many things. It could open up an alternate option of entertainemnt in India. Theatre is still not the mainstream entertainment in India as it is in UK, and the Broadway in new York. Godwilling, if it succeeds, it is bound to open up new vistas.”
How is working on an international project different from working for India cinema?
It is just an extension of what I am doing now. The only difference will be that the lyrics will be in English”.
What was this talk about working with Michael Jackson?
Bharath Bala and I did a song with a concept. Michael Jackson did the translation to the theme of the Sanskrit song which is called “Ekam Satyam’ -One truth and One God’ which relates how the universe is connected with one element. The lyrics were written by Kanika Bala. I composed the tune. When Michael Jackson heard the song, he liked it so much that he wanted to do the translation. You won’t find it in the main album but I hear it will be separately released in another track.”
What factor determines your signing a singer for a song? Is it the mood, theme, star or the way the singer connects with you?
I don’t care if anyone respects me and my music or not. If he is going to sing a great piece for me, that’s all I look for. What I need is the talent. But the problem is, when you don’t acquaint yourself with a singer he thinks he is being rejected. That makes them say a lot of things for their survival. In this field all of us are like family and face each other at one point or the other. So it is better not to have discords.
I have done movies with rank newcomers like Arvind Swamy, Prabhu Deva where I had the chance to use any voice and it would make sense. But when you are doing a song for a star like Shah Rukh Khan or Anil Kapoor, people relate to only certain voices who can playback for them. Like when I used Udit Narayan for Rajnikant, people rejected the song. But in time that very song became a favourite with people. It is only a matter of getting used to”.
