Awesome interview. Typical Rahman stuff. Never takes any credit for anything he has not done. Mindblowing!
2009/1/20 Gopal Srinivasan <[email protected]> > Music to your ears > > Dipti Nagpaul D'souza > > A.R. Rahman is getting used to the global hysteria around Slumdog > Millionaire. > Do the Golden Globe nomination and talk about a possible Oscar nomination > for Slumdog > Millionaire feel surreal? > When I first made the music, I hadn't imagined that it would be such a huge > success. But after > watching the rough cut of the film that Danny Boyle sent me, I was > optimistic. A lot has > happened since and the music has won accolades. But honestly, I'm happier > about the success of > the film as a whole. > > How did you get the film? > Danny had been tracking my music for some time. In fact, every time he > liked a Bollywood score, > it turned out to be mine. So he planned to have me do a part of the > project. But I told him > that I'd either do it all or none. And he understood that I was asking for > it because I could > not put half my heart into the project and give him one score. I wanted to > give it my all. > Also, Anil Kapoor's kids were instrumental in convincing the team to take > me on for the > project. > > How involved was Danny Boyle? > To start with, I tried to see the film through his eyes. I found out what > he liked and didn't > like about Bollywood films and their music. After an initial discussion, I > e-mailed him four > different ideas. He liked three of the four options; we then started > interacting more. I kept > sending him stuff and made short trips to London to meet him and finish the > project. > > You pushed the envelope with Slumdog..., giving it a racy edge. > There was stuff I'd wanted to do for a long time, but could never try it in > our film industry. > When Slumdog Millionaire happened, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to > utilise those ideas, > especially since I'd been given so much freedom to experiment. I then added > elements that would > surprise the audience. Indians may find it too noisy. I don't think I can > use this kind of > music for our films because Indians like to listen to music again and again > and this may not > suit their palate. > > How did you manage to complete the music in three weeks? > Danny was also concerned about it. You can say I concentrated the energy of > three months into > those three weeks. It was hard work indeed, and I didn't touch any other > project at that time. > It worked because we all really wanted it to work. > > Your work with M.I.A. in O saya is being applauded. How was it? > The equation was great. And it all started with a joke. M.I.A. said, 'You > do romantic and > sentimental music and my work's very edgy. Let's do a role reversal.' I > then sent her the music > online — she didn't even know the track because though she was present at > the initial sittings, > she had to return since she was pregnant — and she sent me back her work. > We then mixed it all > together and it worked fabulously. > > What's your opinion of the film? > After Bandit Queen, this is the first film I have so much hope for. I like > the contemporary > touch and the technicalities are commendable. The spirit of the city has > been captured well > though there's more resemblance to Mumbai of the past. Be it in music or > screenplay, a right > balance has been maintained. When the film was being made, Warner Bros, > which has invested in > it, was not even supposed to release it. > > Only a DVD release was scheduled. But then the response was so great that > they decided to take > it across. > > http://www.screenindia.com/news/music-to-your-ears/410712/ > > -- "You are what your deepest desire is; As you desire, so is your intention; As your intention, so is your will; As is your will so is your deed; As is your deed, so is your destiny" -The Upanishads
