For me the real test in as far as Rahman's outwardness is concerned, is does he position himself as a pop star out west? For that, he'll need to do a lot more than just compose extraordinary music. And I really rally want him to breakthrough the limitations of the film music. He needs a bigger stage and a bigger audience - I suppose Jay Leno's Tonight show is a start.
--- In [email protected], V S Rawat <vsra...@...> wrote: > > Is anybody else noticing a change coming in our man? in this one, and > when he had defended slumdog? > > he is more assertive now, speaks out his mind - that soft, shy, > introvert guy seems to be a thing of past. Of course, not offending > anyone, still the same politeness. > > This is how i always wished him to be. Feels so nice to see him opening up. > > -- > Rawat > > On 2/17/2009 1:02 PM India Time, _Roshan_ wrote: > > > February 17th, 2009 > > > > A R RahmanWe read about how Himesh Reshammiya has refused to sing for > > A R Rahman. But Rahman says he has never met Reshammiya. > > > > Laughs the soft spoken maestro sarcastically, "Our communication has > > been only through the press. He told the press he wanted to sing for > > me. I told the press I had composed a song that would suit his voice. > > To this he replied again through the press that he didn't want to sing > > for me. We've not met. We haven't exchanged a call or an sms." > > > > Rahman finds it strange that after hounding him for so long Reshammiya > > changed his mind. "For the past two years I had been reading about how > > he wanted to sing for me. As a gesture returning his compliment I > > thought this song would be perfect. I didn't know he would sing for me > > only when I compose for a film starring him. I don't know if I can do > > that," say Rahman who turns 41 in January. > > > > "2008 was my most productive year in Hindi cinema in the last ten > > years. I had 7 soundtracks in the North and South. And I'm happy with > > all of them. God has been kind. I haven't planned anything big for > > 2008. But my music school in Chennai is my biggest dream come true. > > The whole of 2008 the school gave me a high." > > > > Rahman has just composed his first ever song for an international > > opera-on-film that's directed by Shekhar Kapoor. "I thank Shekhar for > > trusting me with something so unusual. The singer Kavita Baliga is a > > teacher at my music school. Though she's Indian she comes from LA. > > It's a great team that we have at music school. Right now I've 110 > > students. They come from India, Singapore and Malaysia. I want to > > cultivate musicians who don't know just about classical music but also > > new-age sounds. Today's complete musician has to be clued into world > > music. And that's what we're trying to inculcate at my school." > > > > Eventually Rahman wants a music orchestra coming out of his school. > > "And I also want to produce new voices for films." > > > > Rahman regrets the fact that music and harmony have gone out of our > > music. "In the course of time listeners have lost patience with > > melody. All the tracks have to be super-racy. As a composer I'd > > definitely prefer melody. But if people want to come to movies just to > > have a good time then I'll give them racy songs. I don't want to lose > > out on the young audience. However filmmakers need to understand the > > value of melody. It's not as though people have not liked the melodies > > in Yuvraaj. I've to give it to Mr Ghai for taking film music away from > > the predictable. I'm very proud of Yuvraaj. There are two kinds of > > music, the one to draw audiences in like Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na or the > > one that propels the plot forward like Yuvraaj." > > > > Speaking of his very special rapport with Aamir Khan Rahman says, > > "Whatever goes to Aamir is a very high-profile and filtered project. > > So my music has to automatically match up." > > > > The year has been plush with projects for Rahman. "I've worked with > > three generations of directors, and in as many continents. I can tell > > what they like and not like. Working with Abbas Tyrewala in Jaane > > Tu Ya Jaane Na was a rewarding experience. Yes, I'll be doing Abbas' > > next.I'm as proud of Pappu can't dance sala as Tu muskura. Now after > > Ghajini, I've Delhi 6 and Adaa coming up one after another." > > > > An unfulfilled dream? "All my private album projects have been > > neglected because of my movie commitments. All my colleagues at my > > private music-label are crying about this. I want to complete these > > non-film projects." -Subhash K Jha / Sampurn Media >
