The interview which appears below, was originally published on Kochi Indian Express in January 2009. ©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.
Back in the seventies, a shy little boy used to sit quietly, watching M. K. Arjunan, the veteran composer, blending notes on the harmonium. Once Arjunan Master had finished his composition and left the studio, the boy would rush to the harmonium, trying to play the notes he had memorized.
Thus began the celebrated career of A.R. Rahman, the biggest name in Indian music today and the first Indian to win the Golden Globe Award.
Arjunan Master, the veteran music composer who nurtured Rahman’s musical genius in his early years, could barely hide his teary joy upon hearing of his disciple’s stunning achievements.
“His method of creating music is different,” says Arjunan Master. “There’s always a special blend of instruments. I don’t know how he developed that particular style using contemporary instruments, but the best part is that it worked.”
Even from his early years, Rahman was obsessed with music, Master recalls. “Unlike other kids his age, he wasn’t interested in fun and games. He practiced the piano at home and even put his studies on the back burner for music. He was happy to spend sleepless nights with his keyboard and harmonium. Music was his life,” he says.
It was after the death of R. K. Shekhar, Rahman’s father and Arjunan Master’s co-composer, that the potential of the boy truly became apparent. “I took him with me for the A. B. Raj film Adimachangala. I asked him to play the keyboard, and he did so without any hesitation. He was only 13 or 14 at the time,” Master recalls the first time he took Rahman to a studio.
Arjunan Master still remembers Rahman’s mother expressing concern over her son’s insomniac musical sessions. “She said that even at two in the morning, his room was filled with the sound of instruments, and that he wasn’t eating regularly. I told her that her son was gifted and that she should let him play whenever he wanted,” he says. Later, a room was built for Rahman to compose, and that room has since grown into a sophisticated studio!
“At first, he did some jingles and played with veteran composers like Ilayaraja until Roja made him a household name overnight,” Master says.
And how does the master composer feel about the success of someone who started his career with him?
“I always knew he was gifted, and like everyone, I’m thrilled to see him reach new heights. It was all his talent, and I simply guided him when he needed attention. I earnestly hope this is just the beginning of his international recognition. There are many more awards waiting for him,” he says.
