A.R. RAHMAN STORY PICKS
By Rahmaniac.com
May 11, 2023
Are you okay with having a tune rejected? “Of course. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself inside a shell, not knowing what’s happening outside. I’m in my own world and the director is the mirror for what he wants to give the public, it’s his vision for the movie,” Rahman adds.
Did Ashutosh Gowariker reject any tunes outright for Swades? But I give everyone that liberty,” exclaims Rahman. “Please reject, I tell them. Because I don’t give them just one tune, I give them 15 to 20 ideas. Not complete ideas; it could be just a feel or I could be playing a song or humming it. They can select from that and say, Oh, this is a nice route, let’s take it. It’s good for me too, because each score then mirrors the director’s taste, making each album different.
See, it’s the initial stages that are tough, because that’s when you centre on a certain idea and try to satisfy the person who wants the music—whether it is Ashutosh or the director of Lord Of The Rings .” Rahman pauses, looks at his well-kept hands that are so at variance with his tousled, boyish look. “Sometimes,” he adds slowly, ”
"I override the director and say, No, I don’t want to take this route. I have done that for a couple of Tamil films—said, `No, it’s too vulgar, I don’t want to do it. If you want to go ahead, please find another composer.’ I have gone to that extent.” - A.R. Rahman
The interview which appears above, was originally published on Filmfare in November 2004.