Levity marks the exchange with Allah Rakha Rahman. Likewise brevity. Punctuated with an abstruse smile or a friendly chuckle, the relaxed, freewheeling discussion at his studio throws light on the mindset, beliefs and work culture of the composer. Rahman's `day' actually begins after the Sun goes to rest. Today young music directors toe his line they work through the night like he does. "Really? Their wives must be cursing me!" he laughs. "But seriously, earlier, during the day I worked for others. And at night I would do jingles and stuff. So that's my creative time," he explains. Fame and Fortune sit lightly on Rahman's shoulders rather they don't sit on him at all! You've come across creators who are visibly impatient with those who don't understand their work ... "How can I feel so? There are so many things others know and I don't," he says simply! In mature terrain
Has being religious got something to do with this humility? "Today the term has too big a connotation. You could call me spiritual." He comes slightly forward. "Your heart has place for only one dominant aspect Ego or God. If God is in your heart, it would mean the death of ego and you'd take things with equanimity. Also, it all depends on what you think is ultimate." He ruminates and adds, "Of course, recognition makes me happy and I'm thankful to God for all that has come my way." Probably they've come his way too soon. "Yeah! My father (Sekar, a composer, arranger and conductor for Malayalam films) never got anything he wanted. I strongly believe his unfulfilled goals are being realised through me. That he's blessing me from above," he pauses. "But you also have the media hyping it all up and blowing things out of proportion. Violence in cinema, for instance! It makes you feel the whole world is in bloodshed. It's true up to a point, but there are nice things too." Even as he fields a poser, his thought process is so quick that he keeps moving from one topic to another. For all that he's a person who talks little. "Yeah! That's why I can't speak any language properly," he quips. "After `Vande Mataram' [his album] I stopped singing duets ... only spiritual and patriotic songs I decided. But again perceptions change, so I've sung `Tere Bina' [`Guru'] and a duet for `Sivaji' [Rajinikant's next]." You mention the range that was made discernibly tough for Hariharan in the `Vennilavae' song (`Minsara Kananvu'), and he smilingly nods. "When a tune gets approved such things happen. But it doesn't show in the cassette as it does when he sings live." Rahman's penchant for jazz chords comes out now and then. `Hey Goodbye Nanba' (`Aaidha Ezhuthu' `Yuva' in Hindi) is an example. "True. I love jazz. But very few understand it. So whenever it's suitable I use the progression," he says. Hindustani is another choice genre. "I like listening to Kishore Amonkar, Hasu Patel and others. And the melodies of the 1960s fascinate me. At the same time the youngster in me digs rock and jazz," he laughs. M.S.Viswanathan is an all time favourite of Rahman. "A real master," he commends. So how does he see himself 20 years from now? "I don't see myself," he chuckles and noting your expression says, "Seriously! That's the problem with me. A problem and a boon." Rahman is now doing `Azhagiya Tamizh Magan' and `Chakkarakatti' in Tamil. "Yeah. I also do Tamil films." He gives a cryptic look and continues: "My roots are here. I gained fame from here. I don't want people to say `He was in Tamil once, now he's gone away to Hindi and English.' Again it's the confidence level of a director that makes me accept or reject a film. Sometimes I'm wrong." He shrugs and continues: "Today Tamil film music is mostly fast beats. `Chakachakachaka' it goes on. That makes me hesitate doing more of Tamil." You begin to understand the look! Yet his melodious `Munbe Vaa' [`Sillunu Oru Kadhal'] was a major hit. "But I read a review that described it as being like 1950s' music," he smiles wryly. "You need the conviction to do what you feel is good. Not because you assume it would sell." Today's `cut and paste' music, where composers unabashedly use loops available in the market and pass it off as theirs, is appalling. "Yes. Piracy is rampant. One should have a conscience, feel someone up there's watching." The other composers in the family sister Rehaina and nephew G.V.Prakash must be coming to him for guidance. "They don't," is the crisp reply. Probably they are afraid to approach him. "Come on! I won't chew them up," he guffaws. "And frankly, they're doing fine." Point well made `Are you searching for a reason to be kind, then pray for me brother!' reads the huge Rahman Foundation poster in the room. "It's the theme song we did for the U.N., for fighting poverty. I try to do my bit. There's a lot to be done for children, in art. Sometimes I feel we are in a shell. There are no in-betweens for kids here. It's either classical or light music. No `Lion King,' no `Bombay Dreams,' no jazz ... our cultural stuff is great. But we have to know what's happening around us and cater for it," Rahman talks passionately on the subject. `Jodha Akbar' (Hrithik and Aishwarya) and `The Golden Age' with Cate Blanchett and Clive Owen (Scottish composer Craig Armstrong joins Rahman for the project) are among his forthcoming films. "At one end of the spectrum I'm making 15th century Moghul music, at the other it is regal British music, and there's a Vijay film in between! Sometimes I suddenly wake up from sleep, frightened. `How are you going to do it?' I ask myself," he laughs. That's again the modest music maker for you! http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/03/09/stories/2007030900380100.htm <http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/03/09/stories/2007030900380100.htm>
