I don't know, for some reason, these don't sound like Rahman's words.
--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "Ganesh" <ganeshgo...@...> wrote:
>
> Full transcript of ARR Interview in "Mail Today":
>
> Whys Rahman an angry man
>
> It took aGolden Globe nomination to reassure A. R. Rahman of his
> musical genius. In afreewheeling interview, he vents his frustration
> of being confined within Bollywoods creative straitjacket.
>
> W SHARIN BHATTI
>
> It took aGolden Globe nomination to reassure A. R. Rahman of his
> musical genius. In afreewheeling interview, he vents his frustration
> of being confined within Bollywoods creative straitjacket.
>
> WHITE is his favourite colour. His wardrobe is predominately white.
> From kurtas ( his favourite outfit) to shirts and even trousers A.
> R. Rahmans walls, studio and even his website are splashes of white
> light. " Its the colour of peace and gives me inner peace. White
> gives me a sense of surrender," he philosophises.
>
> Surrender he has completely to the sound of music, and earned awards
> and accolades for himself and his country. The latest is the Golden
> Globe nomination for the best soundtrack for Slumdog Millionaire ,
> Danny Boyles critically acclaimed film based on Vikas Swaroops novel,
> Q& A . But Rahman wears the honour lightly. He didnt really need to
> be assured that hes a genius.
>
> More than the happiness and the faith that greater things are to
> follow, one senses an undercurrent of bitterness in Rahman. After the
> initial exchange of congratulations, Rahman talks about his Bollywood
> trysts with a pinch of salt. " I think its time for me to be
> exclusive. I am not going to do a number of Bollywood projects.
>
> After 16 years behind the console, I am sounding repetitive to
> myself. I will only work with friends now," says the usually reticent
> Rahman. Is this the " man of a few words" who has been considered
> Indian musics finest stalwart? More than a feeling of accomplishment,
> Rahman is experiencing a sense of being cheated. " I dont want to
> hurt anyones feelings," he says. " I have scaled the heights of my
> creative self because of this brand called Bollywood. But I simply
> cant recycle my old stuff. I want to explore and create more forms of
> music. And there are only a few who allow me to do so. I will now
> work with only them." It is hard to digest a dose of reality from a
> man whose practised silence all these years has become the norm. The
> man has a point. In an industry that revels in the greatness of
> artists who blatantly churn out melodies borrowed from all over the
> world, Rahmans angst seems reasonable.
>
> REASSURING HONOUR
>
> His last soundtracks for Yuvvraaj and ADA: A Way of Life have done
> average business. The last big sound track was Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na ,
> where Rahman dabbles in jazz and funk for the first time in
> Bollywood. The only time in the past year, he says, he felt like an
> innovator was when he wrote the background score and theme for
> Shekhar Kapurs Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Slumdog Millionaire , of
> course.
>
> Ironically, it took an international credit to reassure Rahman of his
> immense talent.
>
> In the meantime, Rahman has released his non- film album,
> Connections , and has given music for the West End theatrical
> production of The Lord of the Rings , produced by Kevin Wallace.
>
> Theres also the buzz about a new reality show called Big Band ,
> organised by the alternative folk rock label, Phat Phish Records,
> that was to take off some time in December on Doordarshan. The
> reality show will have Rahman pick original
>
> Whys Rahman song- writing and folk rock talent from around the
> country, and those who win will get a record deal. But the show has
> been stalled.
>
> Getting back to his pet peeve, Rahman says, " Its ironic, really. I
> have always considered myself to be alternative in my own context and
> style of making music and dealing with projects. Maybe people do not
> notice it, but my songs are different because they really cant be
> popular. It is only because of big names that my work becomes
> mainstream. I wonder what I am doing wrong," says the man whose faith
> seems to be noticeably shaken.
>
> Listing his friends in the industry, from mentor Mani Ratnam and
> actor/ director/ producer Aamir Khan, Rahman says he would only
> entrust them with his name in the music composer credits. Rakeysh
> Omprakash Mehra is his other favourite in the industry. Rahman
> suddenly becomes silent and one realises he has run out of names. Its
> not that the man is not getting offers. Hes travelling extensively,
> hes turning down more movies that are coming in, he doesnt have spare
> dates, yet he believes his creativity is dying and becoming a victim
> of repetition.
>
> But he considers Deepa Mehtas trilogy Earth , Fire and Water the
> biggest visual accompaniments to his score. " I enjoyed giving the
> background score to the narratives. I felt like the conductor of a
> symphony," says the master.
>
> BONDING WITH AAMIR
>
> And the only man he vibes with, besides Mani Ratnam, the only other
> person Rahman is willing to trust is Aamir Khan. " After Lagaan , I
> shared a good bond with Aamir and Ashutosh [ Gowarikar]. They gave me
> my creative space and still had the ability to challenge my melody.
> We would sit and deliberate on a tune, an antara , a line, a
> symphonic solo for hours. This is what I yearn for. And you see, in
> Lagaan , Rang De Basanti , Swades and now even Jodhaa Akbar
the
> songs fit completely with the sequence. With people who are that
> clued in about their work, I know I cant possibly go wrong or feel
> dejected later," Rahman confesses.
>
> Angry, hurt, wary and partly frustrated
Rahman is appalled at how
> the comingof- age music industry chooses to make a mockery of the
> sangeet and kala of Rahman and his peers. " Its true. I dont like
> what is happening to the music of our entertainment industry. I have
> always
>
> angry man believed that you may stray, but at the end of the day you
> come home. Somehow with Bollywood I dont see that happening anymore.
> Our sangeet is dying," he says.
>
> Rahman is singing the grand autumn dirge the dying song of
> Bollywood music. One wonders what could have miffed Indias most
> sought- after musician. The shy ambassador who made Indian music the
> tune for Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Supple is resentful and wary. In
> 2007, the year the industry discovered reality television marketing,
> Rahman was kept out of all singing and dancing shows.
>
> The man who discovered a talent on one of such shows ( Naresh Iyer
> from Channel Vs Popstars), man Popstars), Rahman wasnt invited for
> any. " I am not a big reality show believer. After being a guest on a
> few, I have realised how real they really are. You cant make stars.
> They are born," he says. That explains why hed lent his support to
> the Big Band.
>
> THE STORYTELLER
>
> This year, Rahman had Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na , Subhash Ghais Salman and
> Katrina- starrer Yuvvraaj and the upcoming Aamir opus, Ghajini . Next
> year, there will be Rakeysh Omprakash Mehras Delhi 6 . Theres also
> Imtiaz Alis Rockstar, Mani Ratnams remake of Lajjo with Aamir and
> Kareena Kapoor, and Rajkumar Santoshis London Dreams all big-
> budget productions. Besides, hes also working on a couple of
> international theatre and fusion music productions.
>
> " I consider myself more of a storyteller than a musician. I like
> narrating tales using music.
>
> Theatre allows you to do that. Even movies are more an extension of
> the same," Rahman says and slips into a melody.
>
> At the end of a rugged day, Rahman still detests what the new breed
> of musicians have done to Indian film music and doesnt believe there
> is a place for rock or RnB in Bollywood.
>
> " Its like saying chalk and cheese or Osho and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
> are the same. I disagree with composers who try to fuse sounds. It
> doesnt sound right," says the Sufi melody maker.
>
> For some time, we might just renew our faith in pure music. And
> Rahman will be around to make sure it happens. As he puts it, " Music
> has something in it thats inexplicable."
> sharin. bhatti @ mailtoday. in
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "balajirajagopal"
> <balajirajagopal@> wrote:
> >
> > There was an interview with ARR in today's Mail Today magazine
> (Delhi
> > edition). Hadnt even heard of this paper before!!! It was a full
> two
> > page interview by someone named Sharin Bhatti. As always, some of
> > inclusions in the interview/writing was factually incorrect like
> saying
> > ARR next year is doing RKS's London Dreams & MR's remake of Lajjo
> with
> > Aamir and Kareena. And suprisingly no mention of Blue (which
> according
> > to me will be the JTYJN ie a darkhorse of 2009). I am too lazy to
> sit
> > and write the whole interview, however some of the few vignettes of
> the
> > interview were (All the below is according to ARR)
> >
> > 1) Worst song - Que Sera Sera ie he thought he could have done more
> > justice to the song and that it became a hit due to Madhuri Dixit
> and
> > Prabhu Deva
> >
> > 2) Favourite song - Khwaja Mere Khwaja
> >
> > 3) Favourite instrument - Guitar
> >
> > 4) Favourite singer - Hariharan
> >
> > 5) Like to be reborn as - ARR. Also, he very clealry said he chose
> to
> > convert to Islam out of choice and not because he was ashamed to
> being
> > a Hindu
> >
> > There was a para on how he bonded well with Aamir who apart from
> Mani
> > Rathnam (suprisingly no mention of Shankar here but I dare say to a
> > North Indian, Shankar is just another South Indian director!), the
> only
> > other person ARR is willing to trust is Aamir Khan. He also talked
> > about how he enjoys bonding with Rakesysh Mehra and Aashutosh
> > Gowariker. And very surprisingly, he considers Deepa Mehta's
> trilogy of
> > Earth, Fire and Water as the biggest visual accompaniments to his
> > score. The interview also has a bit of dope on the season's current
> > flavour ie SdM. There are a couple of nice pics - one with Nelson
> > Mandela and the other with his wife.
> >
> > There was a short para by Mani Rathnam and Shekhar Kapur on ARR. A
> very
> > interesting remark made by Mani Rathnam in this column was that ARR
> > always keeps his prayer beads near the keys of his piano whenever
> he is
> > composing.
> >
> > If someone can scan the interview and put it up, it will be great!
> But
> > on the whole, it was one of those usual interviews without anything
> > pathbreaking...
> >
> > Cheers!
> > Balaji
> >
>
