yes chord. even i feel so. never before has ARR has said he dislikes the bollywood industry and the current crop of musicians.
i believe the interviewer/journalist has twisted ARR's words out of context On Sun, Dec 21, 2008 at 9:14 PM, Chord <purev...@yahoo.com> wrote: > I don't know, for some reason, these don't sound like Rahman's words. > > --- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com <arrahmanfans%40yahoogroups.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 <arrahmanfans%40yahoogroups.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 > > > > > > > >
