Hi Aravind Amazing detailed write up. Thanks... Very nice interview by Dir Vasanth.
On 3/31/08, Aravind AM <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi all, > > Last friday on Rahmania Show on Aahaa FM, they aired the continuation of > Director Vasanth's interview (Vasanth is the director of the movie > Rhythm)... This was one of the best interviews on Rahmania and definitely > not to be missed... Read on!! > > (I'm uploading the entire interview... Will send the link soon.... It's > something to be treasured!) > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~ > > About Songs in "Rhythm"... > > ARR improvises a lot with the songs... Consider Nathiye Nathiye song > (Dheem Thananaa) song for example. "Dheem Thana naa" was never meant to be > the pallavi (antara) of the song. It was a refrain that was used in the > middle of the song. Since it was catchy, he made it as the opening. The > entire song did not stick to the usual format of 1 antara and two mukhda - > there were lot of variations in the song - just like how the flow of a river > is never uniform and varies throughout... Since each portion of the song was > so different, we decided to make the "dheem Thana naa" refrain as the common > link for each part, and thus we finalised the opening of the song. > Nathiye nathiye which was supposed to be the actual pallavi (antara) of > the song, was made to appear only once or twice in the song!! > > > About ARR as a person > ARR is the only Indian composer, who is successful in the regional, > national as well as the international arena... There may be many who are > successful in the regional level. You can even find people who are > successful in the regional and national level. But, he is the only one who > has succeeded in all 3 levels... Be it Nagercoil (a small town in Tamilnadu) > or New York - he is a success everywhere! > He is the pride of Tamilnadu and India.. > > When you consider only the film compositions, I see him as the major > composer in Tamil and hindi film music. In Tamil, he is of the lineage > following G.Ramanthan, R.Sudharsanam, KV Mahadevan, > Viswanathan-Ramamoorhty and Ilayaraja. > If you look similarly in Hindi, he follows the lineage of people like Anil > Biswas, Naushad Ali, Shankar Jaikishen, SD Burman, C.Ramachandra, Madan > Mohan, Kalyanji Anandji, Lakshmikant Pyarelal, RD Burman... > He is one of the Titans in Indian Film music. > According to me, there has been no TITAN music director after the arrival > of ARR, in India in any language. He is the latest arrival. > In this lineage, I include only those who bring a totally new style of > music. There are new composers who follow his style. They may also do some > good music, but they have not created a new style of music.... not until > now... > > The most important aspect of his music according to me, is his technology > + music. It is not technology alone or melody alone.. This is something that > he pioneered. we have heard lots of melodies.. we have heard technology > being used... but he put both of them together in the right mix and composed > music.... He follows this in all styles of music - be it hindustani or > carnatic or sufi or soft rock. > If ARR had been around in 1960s or 1970, I think, he would have given > songs which are 100 times better than what he has given now! > Even now he gives the best songs, but what I'm saying is that, "story" had > lots of importance in movies back then... Important aspects of ARR's music > - like the melodic nature of his music, the depth of his music, the > ability to show different perspectives, the ability to transport us to a > different world - all these would have had more importance back then. But > now, there are not many stories which can fully utilise these aspects of his > music. Sotry-telling has decreased these days! > > > About ARR's simplicity > His simplicity is what I admire the most. I had once read about what > composer Pyarelal of Lakshmikant-Pyarelal fame, had to say about ARR. > > According to Pyarelal, Roja is his fav album, but the most important work > in ARR's career is Thiruda Thiruda. ARR had met Pyarelal at a party, which > was their first meeting. ARR himself went and introduced himself to > Pyarelal, saying "I just wanted to meet you and get introduced to you... I'm > A.R.Rahman". Pyarelal says that he had never seen anyone being so simple > and modest, that too being a composer of international fame! > Rainahah: Usually ARR is very introverted and would not go and introduce > himself to people... but since Pyarelal is a composer whom ARR respects a > lot, he probably would have gone and spoken to him! > > > As a Director, what's your role in the music creation process? > According to me, a director's role is to create an environment or a > situation for the composer to create a good song - mainly to inspire the > music director... The director should strive to inspire the composer to > reach greater heights... The director's intervention should not pull the > composer down!! > (Raihanah ma'am interrupted here saying "Those are golden words... You > should say this everywhere sir... You should say this loud and clear! It > would be great if all directors understand this!!!! > Vasanth retorted saying "You seem to be really affected by such instances" > (Laughs)) > > The director should try to bring out the best from everyone.... The > director should identify what's the best aspect of the composer and bring > out the most creative stuff from them.. and should never give up till the > best output is produced! > > Raihanah: You have explained it brilliantly, sir.. When we talk of this, > the first song that comes to my mind is Nenje Nenje from Ratchagan.... > > Vasanth: Definitely.. Definitely... Similarly, I like Thoda Thoda > Malarndhadhenna (Indra) How do I say... I'm at a loss of words... > I think ARR is the only composer who has given his heart and soul to each > and every song and each and every movie. Not jus for one or two songs in a > movie, but for every song.... That is why he takes more time... He has > never compromised on quality any of the songs - ever! He takes each and > every song seriously!! > > > About directors/producers asking for tunes similar to another song > That's usually done to communicate the mood that's required for the song > - we sort of give examples... For some composers, you can get the best only > if you communicate this way... It's more about convenience. > About asking to compose a song similar to another song - i won't comment > whether it is right or wrong... but, it is wrong if the composer creates > the "same" tune, instead of creating a similar mood! > > In case of a big composer like ARR, we need not give any examples. If we > give examples, he'll stay as far away from that tune as possible!! That's > why he is in such a great position now!! He understands that it just for > easier communication! > > Some other composers would assume that we like that particular tune of a > old song that they can satisfy us only if they use that tune, and would end > up giving the same old tune!! > > About Re-recording (BGMs) of ARR > Silence is as important to re-recording as the actual BGMs. In many > instances, silence, after the actual BGM, creates the required impact - > Ilayaraja sir taught me this... > For instance, if there's a long BGM and it suddenly stops when a guy opens > a door, all your focus shifts to what's behind the door. silence creates an > impact there... > The composer should know when to have music in the scene and when to stop. > I think Rahman is one composer who knows this and handles this beautifully! > He gives what's required for a scene, rather than playing music > continuously! > > Another important aspect of ARR's re-recording is his ability to use > various different styles of music to elevate the quality of the scenes. For > instance, in Rhythm, in the scenes involving the relationship between Arjun > and the kid, he had brought an italian feel in the BGM... In the same > movie, he had used a very Indian sound, for the scenes involving > Lakshmi.... > > I think he can do this with ease as he listens to and enjoys all types of > music - from carnatic to hindustani to western, pop and rock... > > He brought a new style in re-recording. His re-recording gave a new > dimension to the film. Even for ARR, Rhythm is one of his favourites in > terms of re-recording, and he keeps mentioning this to me... > > > Fav BGMs in other ARR movies, apart from Rhythm: > I love everything that ARR has done for Mani Ratnam's movies, especially > Bombay and Iruvar. According to me, Iruvar is Mani sir's best movie.. > Iruvar's re-recording is ultimate!! > > In the scene in Iruvar where it is shown for the first time that Mohan Lal > has got 1000-s of people behind him, the Background score is brilliant. The > BGM has "spoken" this exactly. If you just listen to the BGM without looking > at the scene, you can visualise that scene in your mind - even without > listening to a single dialogue! > > > Favourite Songs > How many songs has he made till now? About 100? So, at 5 songs per movie, > there would be a total of 500 songs? so, my favourite would be all 500!! > I love every one of his songs... > Let me quote just a few songs, which come to my mind at this instant... > > Pudhu Vellai Mazhai - I love this song because it does something to me... > I love this song because I love it very much!!! It creates an ambience.. > The rendering, the freshness, the music, the composition - everything was > great... The sound was totally new - when I heard it in 1991, I knew I > hadn't heard anything like this before!! The sound was so new, so emotional > and so real.. > > I love chinna chinna aasai a lot, but somehow my favourites are Pudhu > Vellai Mazhai and Kadhal Rojave, with Pudhu Vellai Mazhai getting 100 points > and Kadhal Rojave being a close second at 99.5!! > > > Similarly, I love "Minnale nee vandhadhenadi" from May Madham... I'm > quoting this song specially, because of the sorrow in the song beautifully > conveyed by the tune, SPB sir's voice.. above all - the intricate violin > opening and interlude.... It doesnt happen often that the instrumental > interludes get registered in our minds as much as the main song itself - but > this violin interlude did.... I always used to hum that violin bit and my > ears always long for that violin bit! > > > Snegithane - What do I say about this song,... This is one of the finest > creations of Rahman. This is the ultimate song to portray a man-woman > relationship! > (Raihanah: Sadhna's voice is so sharp - as sharp as the soung of glass > breaking!) > > Vasanth: I am usually not enamoured by the sweetness of a voice, for me it > is always the composer who captures my heart! The emotions in the song are > what attracts me!! > > But if there's one voice which has attracted me a lot, it is ARR's voice... > Listen to vellai pookkal... it will just make you cry!!! You dont hav to do > anything else... The voice, tune, the lyrics - everything about the song is > perfect - and it is as though the song conveys the entire sorrow in Sri > Lanka... > > I'm a big big fan of ARR, and I admire him as a human being also.. I am > delighted and honoured that I got this chance to share my views about ARR, > and his songs!! > > ~~~~~~~~~ > > > Cheers, > > Aravind > > > > > > http://arrahmaniac.blogspot.com > > ------------------------------ > No Cost - Get a month of Blockbuster Total > Access<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=47519/*http://tc.deals.yahoo.com/tc/blockbuster/text1.com>now. > Sweet deal for Yahoo! users and friends. > > > -- regards, Vithur Whatever God wants to give, no one can deny; Whatever God wants to deny, no one can give. Be happy always
