The interview which appears below, was originally published on Mid Day in February 2006. ©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.
We meet the composer 16 floors above sea level at a suburban five-star hotel. A.R. Rahman is riding the Rang De Basanti wave as calmly as he rode the massive flops: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero and Mangal Pandey The Rising. There are those times when the ‘cool’ musician chuckles like a little boy when we ask him about recording with Lata Mangeshkar.
“It was just an idea,” he says, dragging the last word with a south Indian twang, and shrugging his shoulders until his neck disappears, “I thought I would sing along with her like a son’s reply to a mother’s voice.” That’s as far as he would go to admit that Luka chuppi was an indulgence.
But this time around, we thank Andrew Lloyd Weber for initiating the composer in the art of interaction. In Rahman’s own words, a few years ago, after the success of Bombay Dreams, “Andrew taught me that music is also about presentation, and I can’t keep going into my shell.”
Our drilling session would have sure come up with blanks had we encountered the introvert that Rahman once was.
You said you were tired of period films.
I didn’t say that. I said I was tired of people slotting me; just because I did period films like Mangal Pandey people got the impression I wanted to retire and go to AIR. It took four months to come up with the score for Mangal Pandey. I’m yet to be paid for Mangal Pandey.
I had to be patient enough for Rang De Basanti’s release but knew that people were getting impatient. Most fans thought that I had turned into a desh bhakt with all the period films.
How do you communicate with your fans?
There’s a yahoo group’s fan base with over 8,000 fans and I keep track.
Let’s talk Rang De Basanti
It feels very good. In fact, that’s another period film of sorts. Rakeysh and I coordinated with each other for four years for Rang De Basanti. The only difference is that we got a new producer, which was a huge leap.
Rakeysh gave me four scripts and said that he had another small idea, which turned out to be the fifth script. I told him that this is your movie. It’s not a cliché. I’d never heard something like this before. I think people are lost today. Especially the younger generation. The film is almost like a coded message for the youth.his
How long did it take to compose the score for this one?
It’s the quickest score I’ve ever written. The initial tracks which included six to seven songs took two weeks. Initially, Khalbali was recorded fully in Arabic in London, and I sent it to the team over the Internet.
All of them said, “What is this? Is this from our film?” Rakeysh said that we should do it in Hindi so that it grows on people and it was his idea that I sing. Rubaroo was completed only two weeks before the music was released – only the mukhada was done and we did the antara later. Luka Chuppi took a week, and the background score wrapped up in 10 days.
Which was the toughest?
Khoon Chala was meant to be a loud track. It was all about expressing a revolutionary’s thoughts. I would have hated doing it as it was originally planned because people wouldn’t have been interested in this sort of track. It just wouldn’t fit into Rang De Basanti.
We took a last-minute decision to use a romantic melody. Serious lyrics on a love tune made all the difference. We wanted Mohit (Silk Route) to sing the track and it turned out that Prasoon had worked with the band, and everything just fell into place.
You’ve recorded Jiya Jale with Lata Mangeshkar previously. How different was it working with her seven years later for Luka Chuppi?
Lataji is more than just a voice. The whole awe of motherhood is summed up in that song because she brings a whole range of emotions to it. She’s still the same extraordinary singer.
Do you mean there are no vocal differences?
The range has come down. There is a problem with high notes that has to be digitally adjusted. But that’s a physical thing. My vocal range has come down too with age.
It’s nothing to do with singing capabilities.
The title track didn’t have a dhol explosion and was more Urban Asian Underground than a traditional bhangra sound.
Most bhangra tracks are on one scale. We tried to get a little more experimental and I used a chromatic scale. Daler recorded the track in two hours.
The song had seven antara tunes, and Prasoon wrote lyrics for all. But we had to take out a few antaras because a regular film song could not be so long. It was a tussle with Prasoon. He’s the perfect balance between a modern writer and a classic poet. The modern writers overuse words like deewani and mastani, but Prasoon knows his work.
Prasoon mentioned that both of you often locked heads over the lyrics.
Rigidity never works. Both of us were very open. That’s the only way that discoveries are made.
You’re all set for the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) premiere?
Yes, I’m leaving for the premiere to be held in Toronto next week. LOTR’s been getting good reviews. It has influences of Bulgarian music and Indian classical as well. I can’t explain.
You’re also composing for Abbas Tyrewala’s film, aren’t you?
It’s done. It’s young music. It’s not a period film. The film is like Abbas — chirpy and youthful.
What’s happening to Water?
It’s supposed to release in India. The producer gave me a couple of CDs. I’ve learnt that once I’m done with a soundtrack, I just have to move on.
What are the other new projects?
Now Chinese people are also bringing their projects after Warriors of Heaven and Earth. When I was in Stanford a couple of offers came in, but it’s not just about putting my name to a score anymore. I think work should speak for the artiste.
Down south, I’m doing Shankar’s Sivaji and Maniji’s new film.
What’s your take on the other South Indian composers who’ve crossed over?
Vidyasagar is very good with melodies and romantic numbers. MM Kreem is a master melody maker. I loved Criminal and Jism, but haven’t heard the other soundtracks.
What are you listening to nowadays?
I haven’t had time to listen to anything recently. I last bought a Qawwal live recording by Farid Ayaz. James Blunt is another favourite. I picked up his album in the UK a few months ago.
I also heard a few Indian kids at Stanford. They’ve done a version of Maa Tujhe Salaam and are calling it ragapella. I want to release this track, and show how it’s changed over the next generation. I don’t listen to music when I record.
Why do you mostly work nights?
Why not? Now I work early mornings too. I’ve been traveling so much that jet lag has caught on, and I sleep at night. I work afternoons too sometimes.
Your daughters featured on the soundtrack of Mangal Pandey’s The Rising
Yes, they were very excited. Both my daughters Kathija (11) and Rahima (8) are learning music from Ghulam Mustafa Khan saab’s son. There are no tutors for Hindustani music in Chennai. They are also learning Western and Carnatic.
How often are you home?
It depends. I wish I could be there more often.
What’s being at home like?
I keep arranging things. I physically arrange things around the house. I try to be neat. Otherwise, I’m busy in the studio and keep going at something until the real thing comes along, losing track of everything else. Fortunately, people understand.
Rising dues
When we contacted the filmmaker and producer of Mangal Pandey The Rising, about the long overdue paycheck and both sounded surprisingly uncertain.
“You should be talking to Bobby Bedi,” said filmmaker Ketan Mehta adding, “I’m not aware of this at all.” When producer Bedi was contacted he said, “That’s not correct. A lot of the money has been paid. I don’t know if there are any dues or not. Now that you have brought it to my notice, I’ll just check.”
Rahman maintains that only 15 percent of the dues have been paid. “What he gave me was only for the Prague orchestra,” he said adding, “I’ve received Rs 10 lakhs to pay the orchestra. It was a big film and you can’t have cheesy music.”
Rahman further added, “Bobby Bedi went on record on TV and said that he recovered his money in the first week itself. I wouldn’t go this far usually, but I’m spending my lifetime doing very few projects and I don’t want to get cheated. There are people who want to work with me, and I don’t want them to get cheated either.”
