Music to all ears – The Week interview

PERSONALITY

A.R. Rahman opens up to THE WEEK about ?his work, life, international projects and much more

By Nikhil Raghavan

A. R. Rahman. What more to say?
Right from his arrival with Roja in 1992 for which he won the National Award, so much has been written—at times ad nauseam—about Rahman. But one just can’t help it. News keep unfurling along with his life. And the maestro started 2010, too, with a bang.
On January 6—his 44th birthday—Rahman received a doubly sweet gift: two Grammies for Slumdog Millionaire. The Padma Bhushan followed. They joined his list of over 50 major awards and titles, including four national awards, six state awards, two Oscars, a Golden Globe and 25 Filmfare awards. His sister and composer Reihana aptly puts it: “It’s a way of life now.”

But, what’s different now is that the humble and shy ‘Mozart of Madras’ is opening up. “There is a popular saying—’What can’t be achieved through a thousand rallies can be achieved through one song’. My aim is to do songs of great value,” says Rahman.

And now, he is experimenting more and churning out unique compositions, like the ones in the recent Tamil film Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya. “The songs are all in a non-structured format. I sensed that the listeners wanted something different. Everything was becoming beat oriented. I wanted to return to melodious stuff with complex chord structures,” explains Rahman.

Teamwork is the key, he says: “I want my team to enjoy the work that we do. Only then will there be more creativity and total satisfaction.”
With Slumdog, Rahman became a truly global name. He now travels abroad more often, especially to the US. Indeed, Los Angeles is gradually becoming his second home.

“Hollywood’s heart beats in Los Angeles. I did Couple’s Retreat [in 2009], which I think has a lot of creative music in it. It has given me a new direction towards international projects,” he says. “After the Grammy, the producers of We Are The World asked me if I would be a part of it. Would anybody in his or her right mind say ‘No’? I sang with Barbara Streisand, Tony Bennett, Santana…. The song was conducted by the inimitable Quincy Jones, and we recorded in the same studios where Michael Jackson did the original version.”

immediate future
In India, Rahman is currently working on the theme song for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. “[Filmmaker] Bharat Bala and I want it to be something which has never been attempted before,” he says.
He is also giving the finishing touches to Mani Ratnam’s Raavan, Shekhar Kapur’s Paani, Shankar’s Robot (Enthiran).
In the US, Rahman is producing a song for Nicole Scherzinger, after the success of the Jai Ho version sung by her band, the Pussycat Dolls. Also, international studios such as Universal have been approaching Rahman to spot talent and produce albums for them. “I am also talking to film production companies for doing background scores,” he says.

As cool as ever
With a firm head on steady shoulders, Rahman has never got swayed by fame. “I have never foreseen the future. I still don’t do it. Life is more exciting that way. But, you should have a positive attitude towards everything,” he says. “In a way, in a corner of your mind you should have a vision. I am always 50 per cent positive and 50 per cent negative. Then, you don’t get disappointed. If you have too many expectations, you would get disappointed.

“Your cycle of life should never stop. Even if you lose everything, you can be sure that there is something better coming up. And when you get everything, you should be careful to not lose your reality.”
However, one can’t say he has not changed at all, admits Rahman. “I have changed in certain things, about 180 degrees I would say. I lead an almost Sufi life, unattached to things, though I am in a most attached world—the film industry. Whether it is sadness or happiness, I try to separate it from my being,” he explains. “Also, I never thought I would start a school, which is the greatest responsibility now. These are the changes which I have never perceived before. I feel very good and elevated.”

playing guru
Rahman is on a mission to unearth talent and teach organised music to students through his KM Music Conservatory. “My role as a musician is changing from that of a composer to a teacher. I am looking forward to the day when we can have our own orchestra. My target is to be fully functional within the next three years,” he says. “It is a great asset to have these kids. I am writing a new kind of music that they can perform. The problem with India is that there are not many sight readers. The main idea is to get these kids to read music the western way. That would open many avenues.”

What’s left to prove?
“I really don’t have to prove anything to the world,” says Rahman. “However, I should be careful about taking the right steps in the international arena. There is always a credibility issue. You want to be like how you are, but there is a big baggage attached to it. I am under the scanner all the time and people are watching.”
Rahman is most committed to the listeners. “At the end of the day, I ask myself, ‘Have I done an honest job? Have I satisfied my listeners?’ That’s not the end though. There is much more one can do. Like, even a simple smile can light up a lot of people.”

Time management
Chennai-Mumbai- Los Angeles. This is Rahman’s circuit these days. Long hours on flights are well-spent: “I always have my laptop with me, and have many times attempted to write music. But, it just doesn’t happen. So I do the next best thing—sleep or watch movies.”
It is well-known that Rahman works only at night, and singers and musicians are called to his studio even in the middle of the night for recording. Says Rahman: “During the day, I am quite hyperactive, with my prayers, emails, administration of my office-studio, school, etc. These things don’t keep my mind free. So I tend to sleep during most parts of the day.
“When it’s night, there seems to be a lot of peace and quiet around; the rest of the world is asleep. That’s when I am able to bring my creative juices out and dive into the studios.”

Family and friends
Rahman’s family—starting from his mother who has seen him through the ups and downs of his career, his sisters and now his wife and children—has always been of great support to him.
“Family is very important to me. And I am blessed with a very supportive family,” he says. “I have seen many contemporaries destroyed by their families, because they never got the support and trust of their families.”
However, he adds that one has to find the right balance in life. “You have to give them what is needed of you, and just can’t have a family for namesake. For me, because my studio is attached to home, I spend a lot of time with my family. And, when I travel overseas for lengths of time, I take them along…. They are very much a part of my growth and success.”
Rahman regrets that he cant go shopping or to a restaurant with his family while in Chennai, as fans would mob them. “But, I don’t blame them; the celebrity status comes with such strings attached,” he says.
Friends, too, are important to Rahman, though he knows some might tend to take advantage of him. “I have many friends. Some of them are really amazing, the old friends—they are always there and they just want your love. Some of them could exploit. I suppose there is nothing wrong in that, from their point of view. I want to be aloof, but… sometimes it is bothering.”

What is Rahman?
“Foremost, a composer and producer. As a singer, well, I have started liking my voice a bit. Just that I need to give enough time to practise. I don’t find time to do that. My voice may be good, but I want to be perfect in developing that. I should have done it when I was young.” And about producing music for other singers, he says: “It is a dream job.”