Making waves with a music wand

A. R. Rahman, the music sensation of the big screen has been honoured with a Padma Shri. In an interview to SAVITHA PADMANABHAN, he talks about his assignments.

IT IS late evening. Even as you wait in the quiet office, sipping hot tea, strains of Mozart's `Eine Kleine Nacht Musik' waft through the air. The beat changes to Ravel's `Bolero'. And suddenly you catch a glimpse of a figure dressed in black whiz past. Somebody whispers, ``He's here''.

The stage is set for a meeting with the country's most prolific and popular music director, Allah Rakha Rahman or simply A. R. Rahman. The unruly mop of hair and the characteristic smile greet you, as he shakes hands and settles down to be quizzed - about himself and his passion for music.

Rahman, who began his musical journey with bands such as Magic, Fusion and Nemesis Avenue, had dabbled in jingles before he tasted fame with the classic, ``Roja''(Tamil) in 1992. Followed films such as ``Gentleman'', ``Kadhalan'', ``Thiruda Thiruda'' and ``Bombay'' and the whizkid was here to stay.

The first of the South Indian directors to successfully storm the bastion of Kalyanji-Anandji and Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Rahman's crossover appeal is universal, whether in Srinagar, Kanyakumari or a remote town in the U.S.!

With ``Rangeela'', this scholarship holder from the Trinity College, London, captured the imagination of Bollywood. And soon film makers were flocking Panchatan Record Inn, his unpretentious studio at Kodambakkam in Chennai.

In recent times, Rahman has had a string of hits (and awards) in Bollywood... Mani Ratnam's ``Dil Se'', Deepa Mehta's ``1947 Earth'', Subhash Ghai's ``Taal'', Govind Nihalani's ``Thakshak'' and the soon to be released Raj Kumar Santoshi's ``Pukar''.

So in this context, one wonders about his moving over to Hindi cinema. He explains, ``Actually it was not intended. It all started with the Hindi version of ``Roja''. Soon, music of several South Indian films was dubbed in Hindi (`Indian' and `Thiruda Thiruda' to name a few). But what it had initially set to achieve began to wither away and became mediocre because of the lack of concentration on the lyrics. We took it for granted that we could get away with anything. And generally, in Bollywood, if the lyrics are not good enough, the music fails. So, it was to set right that image that I started working with poets such as Gulzar, Majrooh Sultanpuri and Javed Akhtar.''

How different is it to work with Bollywood film makers, one wants to know.

Pat comes the reply, ``Basically their lifestyle is too different from ours. Here, in Chennai, I get to concentrate on my music as there is not too much of social life. Most people who want to work with me, come down South. In Mumbai you have too many distractions.''

Rahman, whose music absorbs different genres - folk, Indian classical, flamenco, salsa, jazz and Western classical - has formally trained in Carnatic and Hindustani music.

He has studied indepth the structure of ragas, and this has helped him add classical touches wherever necessary. (Remember songs like `En Veetu Thotathil' from ``Gentleman'' or `Hai Rama Yeh Kya Hua' from ``Rangeela'' or `Narumugayae' from ``Iruvar''?)

Having worked with such taskmasters as Mani Ratnam, Subhash Ghai and Shankar, one is curious about the basis on which he accepts a project. ``Basically vibes'', he says quickly and then adds, ``It also depends on the projects I am working on at that point of time.'' He admits that patience on the part of the director is a prerequisite, as often there can be delays. In fact, on one occasion music for a film was ready ahead of schedule. It was for ``1942 Earth'', that too six months before the film was ready to be shot! He adds, ``That was possible as there was no commercial pressure. The music for that film was so true.''

The trend these days is to have as many songs as possible to lure audiences. Sometimes they may not coalesce with the script and stand out like a sore thumb. The best example is ``Thakshak'', where the songs though melodious, did not blend with the story.

``You can never predict these things. If the film clicks, then everything clicks. When I did ``Gentleman'', I was told the same thing - that the songs did not fit into the plot. But see what happened. The film was a huge hit. And when that happened, people said that it was the right formula (laughs)! But you should never cease to experiment,'' Rahman says.

An oft-repeated accusation is that Rahman's music more often than not, has that `I-have-heard-it-before' quality.

His explanation ``Take a big budget film, especially in the South. The directors do not want slow numbers. They all want an `item'. So you end up compromising and composing beat-oriented numbers. But it works with the audience. Hence, there is no exclusivity in sounds.''

He continues, ``That is why I do art films. I am currently working on Shyam Benegal's ``Zubeida'' and Deepa Mehta's ``Water''. These films transport me to a different plane. Here, I can use any style - Carnatic or Hindustani, jazz or Western classical. I am not restricted to hip-hop stuff and jungles''.

An interesting aspect of Rahman's music is that a particular interlude from a song is converted into a full-fledged one. Why does this happen?

``At times, the lyricist likes a particular interlude and decides to write a song for that tune. It happened for ``Pukar''. Javed saab liked a particular bit... and a song was born.''

The actual process of composing is intriguing. Where does it begin? Rahman says it could be a tune that sets off the base for a song or the lyrics or even the rhythm. There is no set formula, he asserts.

Rahman is known to introduce new voices giving them the much needed break. Such singers as Hariharan, the classical singer Nityashree Mahadevan, and Sukhwindra Singh have made a name for themselves in tinseldom.

How does he find new talents? ``God has given each person a talent. And one aspect of that talent stands out. Actually, many people send me cassettes. But very often, they end up sounding like somebody else. But if I find freshness in a voice, then I make use of it. It is only when you take the risk can you be innovative.''

Another significant feature is his brilliant background score, best sampled in ``Bombay'', ``Iruvar'' and ``1942 Earth''. Rahman feels that it is a bigger responsibility. ``If the film is shot in an off-beat manner, then it triggers a different score that does not have the usual sound effect of the violin or the trumpet. In fact, a film of epic proportions like ``Pukar'' needed a 100-piece orchestra for every scene. Conversely, directors like Mani Ratnam (he shares a special relationship with the director) prefer a more subdued style, where sometimes dramatic situations are backed by just silence. Ultimately it depends on the film and its director.''

Rahman continues, ``Usually when I listen to the script, I get an idea of the music. And when I see the film, I see if the same score can be used or needs to be bettered. I tackle themes first and then the rest.''

A complaint about Rahman is that he does more live shows abroad than in the country. His Dubai show and the one with Michael Jackson in Munich are legion.

He justifies, ``Honestly, performing live here is a nightmare. Every time I got involved with my music and began enjoying myself, there would be a feedback, which completely destroyed my inspiration and the music. This happened too often. So I decided not to perform here. I feel I must give my best to my audience and if that is not possible, I prefer not to perform.''

With `Vande Mataram' and the just released `Jana Gana Mana 2000', Rahman explored new musical directions. Ask him about his next non- filmi project and he is non-commital. However, there are talks on with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber for a possible collaboration on a musical with Shekar Kapur as co-producer. The story goes that Sir Andrew heard the ``Dil Se'' sound track and was overwhelmed by the music, and decided to work with the whizkid.

Among his other forthcoming films are Mani Ratnam's ``Alai Payuthey'', Rajiv Menon's ``Kandukondaen Kandukondaen'', Vasanth's ``Rhythm'' (where each song is inspired by an element of Nature) and Khalid Muhammed's ``Fizaa''.

The music of Rahman, who has just been honoured with a Padma Shri, has swayed millions in India in the past millennium. And the new millennium holds promise of worldwide recognition, with a host of collaborations in the offing, from Sir Andrew to Deep Forest.

His views on the coming years - ``I will continue doing my work. If anything interesting comes my way, then I will accept it. I think finally everything that happens is the Will of God!''

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