The interview which appears below was originally published in Nasreen Munni Kabir's book, A.R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music. ©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.
NMK: Did you appear on television as a child?
A.R. Rahman: In 1980, when I was thirteen, a kind producer who was called Rajan introduced me in a children’s programme called Wonder Balloon on national television [Doordarshan]. It seemed a big achievement in those days to see a kid playing four keyboards. Soon after the programme was aired, people started to recognize me on the street: “Oh, it’s that kid. We saw him on TV last Sunday.”
When I became better known, being recognized by strangers didn’t feel a completely new thing to me.
NMK: When you appeared on television at thirteen, your father had already passed away. How do you think he would have reacted?
A.R. Rahman: I don’t know. He might have hated it. [laughs] As I said, my father’s generation didn’t want their children to become musicians. I think fathers didn’t want their sons to commit the same sins. Some musicians had a bad reputation of drinking a lot, and like most parents, they didn’t want their kids to get into bad habits.
A musician is in a vulnerable position because it can be so difficult to earn money on a regular basis. Things are changing slowly and you don’t run the same risk of falling into bad ways. In my case, I was very clear that my music studio would have a clean and spiritual environment and that has definitely worked for me.
NMK: There’s something that needs clarifying. In most articles in print and on the Net, the same biographical mistake is repeated when people say that you studied at the Trinity College of Music in London. Can we put this confusion to rest once and for all?
A.R. Rahman: No, I didn’t study music in London. But I sat for the Trinity College exam when I was thirteen through Musee Musical in Chennai. For over 100 years, Musee Musical has been following the Trinity College syllabus and teaching Western classical. An examiner from Trinity College of Music comes each year from London and the students here sit for the exam.
Teachers from Chennai and not British teachers ran the courses at Musee Musical. Jacob John was the head when I was there, and Williams and Moses taught me the piano. I was sad to hear that Moses passed away recently. Those kind-hearted masters were such a great boon for Chennai.
NMK: Did you have other music teachers?
A.R. Rahman: In 1983, Mr. Nityanandam taught me Indian notation and how to grasp a tune quickly. I was working as a session musician in those days and it was essential for me to know how to pick up a tune instantly.
There was Mr. Dakshinamurthy who taught me Carnatic music, and I also studied Hindustani classical music under Mr. Krishnanand and T.V. Gopalakrishnan. Ghulam Mustafa Khan taught me Hindustani classical singing as well.
NMK: I believe you studied music with Dhanraj Pillai at some point.
A.R. Rahman: Yes, that’s right. He taught my father Western classical music. Dhanraj Pillai was very knowledgeable and had done extensive music research. He was a loner and lived in Mylapore. Most of the musicians who worked for films probably learned music from him. My mother took me to meet him and during his last days, he taught me Western classical. I was in my teens then.
NMK: What is Indian music’s greatest strength?
A.R. Rahman: Classical music. It may be necessary for people to learn more to appreciate it. The same applies to Western classical. When you know more about it, you learn to appreciate the whole composition and not just the melodies. There is so much depth and complexity in Indian classical music—the polyrhythm, the percussions, the variety of raags—the powerful mood they create. It has many secrets. It’s fascinating.
NMK: What do you mean by secrets?
A.R. Rahman: Classical music in India has such tremendous sophistication. There are many layers to discover. A raag does not reveal itself instantly. If you listen to Raag Lalit, you will hear many nuances. It evokes a unique kind of imagery. The same applies to Sindhu Bhairavi. Each raag allows you to experience different emotions.
Indian classical music is ingrained in us. I’ve grown up with it. I believe that’s true of my generation. It’s very important to study classical music, as it helps give depth to compositions.
NMK: The relationship between ustaad (teacher) and shagird (student) is a fascinating one. Are teachers reluctant to pass on their musical knowledge?
A.R. Rahman: The ustaad has spent years receiving training from his own teacher and has worked hard to achieve a high standard. The teacher must first be sure that his students are dedicated. There are many things that a master does teach the student. Some students are naturally gifted but all students don’t get it.
Learning music isn’t only about practice and theory and rules—it’s a kind of knowledge and wisdom that passes from soul to soul. Like spirituality, it must be given from the heart. Like love. When you give love freely, only then is it received. Love can’t be grabbed. [smiles]
NMK: Is classical music still used in Indian films?
A.R. Rahman: The audience still appreciates a song based on a raag. Certain raags continue to be used in background scores. Especially in South Indian cinema, you’ll often hear strains of Raag Bhopalam played on the flute, underscoring a sunrise scene. [hums a few notes]
