The interview which appears below, was originally published on Sakaal Times in October 2008. ©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, whose tunes in Yuvvraaj are being raved about, feels there is only one way to classify music — it is either with or without soul.
Whenever Rahman composes the music for a film, the expectations shoot sky-high. Do you get nervous with these kinds of expectations?
I always get scared. If there is time for the music to grow on the audience (before the release of the film), it is good, but sometimes we are pushed to a limit and there is less time for the music to grow.
How would you define your score for Subhash Ghai’s musical, Yuvvraaj?
It is an attempt to give an experience, which has never been given before. The music is interwoven with a nice story about love and emotions. It is an experiment, I hope people like it.
Yuvvraaj is set in Europe, so did you adapt your compositions to incorporate more western music and symphony?
It is very easy to follow a fad and say, ‘Okay let me do a score in western classical style.’ But how much will people like it? I am always concerned about using our culture into it. We all are multi-cultural and multi-racial, we learn something, and we come back. We like a nice thing and absorb it and adapt ourselves to it. This film is also a nice journey; it is for Subhashji.
Your music is quite westernised to begin with; so the film mustn’t have been a major stretch for you.
First of all, thank you very much for calling my music western (breaks into a laugh). I wouldn’t categorise any music as either Indian or Western. Music is only with soul or without soul. My first lesson in music was a tune from the movie Love Story. I got the songbook and learned that song that had chord progressions and all, but no one told me that you should do this and that and you should do a thumri. Similarly, I went by our instincts for the film.
Whose idea was it to use the cello, which has been featured prominently in the promos?
It was there to start with; we wanted the heroine to be like the cello: beautiful, calm, peppy, romantic. These were the songs that the script cried for. There are beautiful songs in the film. You need to grow with the music; you will have to see the film to understand the music. Music as a whole is just 50 per cent; with the characters and the film it becomes whole.
Which song is closest to you?
Tu Muskura… is my favorite. Actually, it’s not fair to ask a composer about his favorite song.
I believe a lot of work was not used finally?
We have not put in anything just for the sake of it. There were many songs which we didn’t use. They could have been great songs but there has to be integrity between music and filmmaking.
You are going to be part of a TV show called Big Band; what is it all about?
Fag Fairish and I envisioned the whole programme and Fag Fish has been doing a lot of creative work so when they came to India for research, I had to say no. The show is not stereotypical — it is about mentoring and awarding talent, and about searching the talent.
When will you do a live concert in India?
It is already set-up and it requires a lot of money and logistics.
What kind of music will it be for your new film, Blue?
It is going to be very peppy and young.
