Superb write up... Thanks Pavan for the same... So many more things to learn from ARR. This is just a sample...
On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 9:31 PM, $ Pavan Kumar $ <pawancum...@yahoo.com>wrote: > > http://prashantpillai.com/music/5-things-to-learn-from-arrahman/ > > Today, A.R.Rahman is a name known world over, thanks to Slumdog Millionaire > and the awards and nominations its bagged. Like everyone here in India, I > have known him and his music right from the time Roja was released in 1992.. > thats a good 17 years. > Everyone speaks of his music, and what he eats, sleeps, drinks and what he > does when he is free and so on so forth. But really, there are things much > beyond that that one needs to know and learn from the legend that A.R.Rahman > is. With so many many people who speak so high of him at all times, there > are some things that are unsaid and certain things that we so easily ignore > about Rahman, that makes him stand apart from the clutter. > The musical genius that Rahman is, most of that comes from his being and > principles. Rahman's success presents some valuable tips every person can > apply to his professional life in an effort to help him achieve his goals. > And on that note, with the little that I know of him, I would share some > of the learnings from A.R.Rahman. > *1. Respect your parents > *It might be very easy to brush this fact aside, but the truth is Rahman > has always loved, respected and adored his parents. With his father > R.K.Shekar leaving for heavenly abode when Rahman was nine years old, > Rahman's mother Kareema Begum, gave Rahman a new ray of hope and fresh lease > of life. She painstakingly raised the family, and is one of the driving > factors of why Rahman's a legend today. > By the way, this relationship is not one-sided, Rahman's love and affection > towards his mom is immense. One instance where I got to know about his > profound respect for his mother was, when I met Rahman for the first time at > his residence in Chennai. After previewing him my work on a Audio Disc, and > after realising my dream, when I was about to leave, I asked to myself "Why > not live this dream? Why not work with the legend?" This sporadic thought > made me ask him, If I could work with him, to which his reply was "I will > have to ask my mother, I will talk to her and get back to you." Now where > on earth will you get an answer like that. And I guess Rahman talked to his > mother and I was soon on my way from Pune to Chennai to work with the > legend. This is the greatness and gratitude shown by the man, who loves, > believes, respects and adores his mother. > And all my confrontations/meetings with Rahman's mother have been > memorable. She made me feel homely and asked about my family and my > well-being. > If you look at most of the music launch functions, Rahmans mother usually > launches the music album, and that's the way its been. Which other music > composer or for that matter which other media/entertainment personality do > you know who follows this principle. > * > 2. Be spiritually inclined > *A.R.Rahman believes in god and spiritualism. Its not about the fact that > he follows Islam, and offers prayers 5 times a day…its much more than that. > There is a huge difference between being religious and being spiritual, of > which the latter is what Rahman is made of. > In a recent interview Rahman revealed that, "Religious sounds rather vulgar > these days, I am more of a spiritual person. And I believe in being > consistent with my spirituality. As one grows in life, one realises the > magnitude of spirituality. It is the most beautiful passion. It raises you > above all the negativities. For me and my music, spirituality is the most > important element and I don't think I can create the kind of music I do, if > I don't practice spirituality." > Rahman says "I have been particular about prayers for the last 15 years. > With success and acknowledgement my faith and conviction in the strength of > prayers has only increased ten folds." > Spirituality has not only made him connect to his music, but has also made > him connect to humanity. His association with various social > causes/initiatives and his charitable foundation by the name of A.R.Rahman > Foundation, proves it. There are many instances where Rahman and his mother > have helped needy,deserving people in ways too many, which fortunately have > not come under the media scanner, or else by now the Rahman would have been > made a "superhuman" by the media. Somethings are good when they are untold. > Today many music composers try to ape Rahman's music and follow his style > of music making. They end up being commented how close they are to creating > Rahman's sound, which might give those composers an ego-drive and hype which > is shortlived. For the legend that Rahman is, may it be known that it is > his devotion to constantly bow down to the almighty and in the process > finding peace and solace in oneself that makes his music so special and > timeless. > * > 3. Don't leave your soul > *Mumbai the mecca of Indian films and the entertainment industry, a place > where any and every musician will find a way out to survive and earn enough > to feed him for the day. It would have been so easy for a musician like > Rahman to come down and settle in Mumbai and work for acclaimed filmmakers > post Roja and Bombay. But the man preferred not leaving his home, his roots > to a place where instant fame, recognition and money was assured. > Of the many ignored facts, Rahman's major success lies in working from his > home. Home is where your heart, mind, body and soul is. Rahman being in > Chennai at his home, has made him unscathed of the many negatives associated > with being in Mumbai. Mumbai, a place where anyone can get carried away by > its humongous larger than life, plastic coated emotional people, and a place > where hate daggers fly in public and in private. > With Rahman opting to work from Chennai, made only the cream of filmmakers > approach him. Or else by now, there would have been a dozen of Yash Raj, > Karan Johar, Sooraj Bharjatiya etc. films that would have Rahman's music. > Goodness gracious, Rahman saved himself from the torture of running in and > out of the same rat hole that the Mumbai entertainment industry is. > In Mumbai, musicians spend a lot of time outside the studio, whereas they > should be spending most of their time in the studio. *Example this*, a > music composer 'scores music' for a film and the music is out. He will now > go on to spend the next 2/3 months attending various music parties, > launches, 15 day record breaking sales party, singer being nominated for a > sidey-shady award party, press interviews, television shows, etc… And then > that music composer vanishes into thin air….sample these music composers and > try to track their whereabouts….Anu Malik, Jatin, Lalit, Sameer Sen, Dileep > Sen, Himesh Reshammaiyya..and so on…what have these guys achieved, some of > them are getting work on their previous works goodwill, some are retired coz > of their arbid soundscape, and some are busy acting…Fortunately Rahman has > been far away from all these social PR protocols, located in one of the > serene narrow lanes in Kodambakkam, Chennai. With no distraction whatsoever, > he has all his energies focused on doing quality work from the comfort of > his home. > My father once said "Look at Rahman, he has not left his home to work on > any project. Did he move to Mumbai after so many Bollywood hits under his > belt…" And his words striked a chord in me, its so true. It means a lot to > be based out of the place where your family is, where your soul is..your > home, your hometown. > ** > *4. Let your work speak for itself > *Yes, let your work speak for itself. Many a times, there are instances > where one will be criticised for the way he is, his dressing, his > upbringing, his economic background. One will be made fun off, and will be > called names. One will not get the support he expects to receive from his > seniors and so on….But at the end of all this, if you have a strong will > power you can overcome all these, and prove yourself with your work. > I had a very bad patch in my life, where I had to leave my dream halfway > through and come back to Pune. I had no clue what I would do here in Pune, > because the music scene here was bad. I got to share my experiences that I > had in Chennai with Rahman, to which he was taken aback..and he advised, > there will be many obstacles that one may have to overcome to achieve > their goals, but it should not stand in the way and pull you down. He gave > an example, where he was being humiliated by some directors and producers > over the kind of music he had scored, and all this when Rahman was at his > peak. He could do nothing about it, and preferred to remain calm and > unmoved. And when his work was released, it got an outstanding response and > was embraced by the masses. This overwhelming response and success he says > was a slap on the face of those producers and directors. These words gave me > the courage to stand up and face life afresh. > I started off as a brand new piece of particle on this planet and gathered > my resources, knowledge and love and affection from my parents and sister to > reach where I am today. Not that I have achieved something great in life, > but what I have achieved today is purely because people have appreciated my > work. And that's helped me move on, and overcome the toughest phases in my > life. > * > 5. Be Humble. Be Honest. Be Simple. > *With all the above in place, being humble, simple and honest is all that > one needs to do to ensure a great life. With so much of stardom and > attention after the Golden Globe, he could have so easily attended the grand > premiere of Slumdog Millionaire in Mumbai, however he chose work over > publicity. Oscars nominations were announced on the same day and Danny Boyle > mentioned, "Can you believe AR getting 3 nominations that's mind boggling, > and that man is there working down south on Delhi 6…truly what a great > musician." > One instance of his humbleness is when I started to work with him, I was > put on a software that I did not know to work on. I was told what I was > supposed to do by him, but when he understood that I didn't know the > software, he sat down next to me and taught me how to work on it, and > ensured that I knew exactly what I was doing, before I could start of the > task..and that was a big learning for me. > Couple of months later one more such instance which I witnessed was, when > there was a new pitching software that he ordered got delivered. Whilst > unwrapping the software pack his excitement levels rose to that of a kid > who would love to unpack the wrapper of his favourite chocolate. He could > have so easily asked one of his assistants to get hands on the software and > teach him the same, but he chose to learn it by himself. He inserted the > software disc and started reading the manual, to know in and out of the > software. > One thing that I learnt from the instances above is that, he makes it point > that before designating a task to anyone before hand he wants to be sure > that he himself knows how to do the task. He prefers not being an alien to > any task assigned to someone by him. This shows his honesty, humbleness and > simplicity. He carries no weight around him, and that makes him completely > approachable and genuine.His childlike smile can pacify ones fear and > anxiety of meeting him in person. Its like his smile speaks a thousand > words. It depicts the purity of his heart and soul. > Today, Rahman has his inner circle populated by few people whose skills, > and creativity can serve and benefit him and his music — people who > professionally complement their own skillset and creativity(*like, the > music arranger, asst. sound engineers, sound engineers, etc.*). He trusts > this circle of people, has faith in them and believes in them and stands by > them come whatsoever. > *Being A.R.Rahman* > Through his eternal values and simple living he presents us with > opportunities for professional success provided we learn from them, adapt > them to our own situations and implement them appropriately. > > http://prashantpillai.com/music/5-things-to-learn-from-arrahman/ > > > -- regards, Vithur
