Humility personified A R Rahman tells Metrolife how sound excites him all the
way
He is a man of few words. And those words too are uttered after he weighs them.
No wonder A R Rahman is a man who lets his music do the talking.
Such humility from a man who is among the world’s top 25 all-time top selling
recording artists and the most sought after Indian music composer in the
Hollywood circles.
Rahman was in the City, for a few hours, to launch the Yamaha Music Square.
“He’s been recording through the night and has managed to steal a few hours to
sleep. He should be here soon,” one of the organisers told the media and the
people who waited, rather overwaited for his arrival.
The man soon arrived, looking calm, composed and yes he wore his trademark shy
smile. Rahman fans and people who simply wanted to get a picture clicked with
him elbowed their way through pushing and almost falling over the small man for
a glimpse, an autograph or just a hand shake.
Sound has always fascinated Rahman. When asked whether it’s the actor, director
or the script that inspires him to compose music, he says, “It’s the music
that excites me.”
A host of Rahman’s albums that have been released have hit the bull’s eye and
Ghajini is no exception. Kaise Mujhe, a romantic ballad and Behka from the film
are hits. Rahman has won the Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score
for his music in British director Danny Boyle’s uplifting underdog tale Slumdog
Millionaire.
What was the experience like? “Oh it was almost as if I were in a guerrilla
warfare because it was a whole new experience and my team and I had to strive
doubly hard. It was a new phenomenon, new sounds and a wonderful experience,”
Rahman told Metrolife in an exclusive interview. Some of the films for which
Rahman composed the music may have flopped but the songs remain all-time
favourites.
“It’s the right mix and composition that makes any good music. It must sound
right,” says Rahman.
Rahman has signed up with Nokia to launch a new music album, entitled, Nokia
Connections for Nokia Xpress Music devices. The album is one of its kind, with
nine original compositions. “In today’s strife ridden world everybody wants
peace and a song called Silent Invocation talks of peace,” explains Rahman and
adds, “I was given a budget and a free hand in composing the music. There are
three tracks and I have used a bit of Punjabi and what is called the Pongal
beats in the jingle,” he explains. What did he have in mind when piecing
together the beats, “bringing people together and connecting, both in terms of
music and people,” he observes.
UNESCO has declared the Indian National Anthem (Rahman’s version) as one among
the best in the world and he has worked on a wacky musical arrangement for the
anthem. “Well it’s an honour for us and I think it’s our duty to present the
anthem in the right way,” says Rahman.
Would he be composing music for any new Hollywood/Bollywood film? “It's too
early to say,” he signs off.
