*A R Rahman: Aahh. I think everybody has that little Oh my God. Oh my God. He is there, he is there.
*Nice to know that even Rahman has that :) On Fri, Feb 13, 2009 at 1:57 PM, sidgo7 <sid...@yahoo.com> wrote: > spoke to my wife after getting Golden Globe: Rahman > Kamla Bhatt > Monday, February 09, 2009, (Silicon Valley) > This is Kamla Bhatt; today my guest is A R Rahman who is being > nominated for three Oscars for his work in Slumdog Millionaire. He is > the first Indian music composer to be nominated for three Oscars. In > 2005, Time Magazine listed the musical sound track from his first film > Roja as one of the top 10 movie sound tracks of all time. A R as he > prefers to be called is also one of the top selling recording artist > in the world. > > Welcome to the show A R. > > A R Rahman: Hi, nice to be here. > > Kamla: So, when you won the Golden Globe, who was the first person you > called? > > A R Rahman: I text from my agent Sam Schwartz's Blackberry to one of > my friends to tell my wife. Because we were sitting there and phones > were not allowed and I think they saw it on TV. > > Kamla: After you got out, whom did you call then? > > A R Rahman: I spoke to...Oh I forgot too many awards. I spoke to her > after I came out. > > Kamla: What was your reaction when you got nominated for the Oscars? > Where were you? > > A R Rahman: I was with my family. Actually I was in Chennai and we saw > these three nominations for director, best film and stuff. My agent > Sam Schwartz called from Los Angeles (LA), he said did you see those > three nominations? I said yes directors, no, he said music nominations > three and then I was like really surprised and that it was great news. > > Kamla: Why should you be surprised after you got the Golden Globe? > > A R Rahman: Surprised because we entered two songs and on both the > songs we got nominated. It is a big deal. Also the score...it is > actually ... it is not a very conventional kind of score and even the > songs become score in most of the places, and blurring the line > between score and songs. I did not analyze all those. Initially I did > not even think I should submit it because and then they said no, > everything becomes a score together in a platter. So, you never see, > you never analyze and you never calculate things sometimes creatively, > but it happens. > > Kamla: And was Danny Boyle surprised? > > A R Rahman: He was thrilled actually, yeah. I could not go for the > premier to Mumbai because I was all prepared and suddenly had to > finish of Dilli 6 pre-commitment. So, I could not attend the premier > and I was stuck in Chennai and doing the stuff. > > Kamla: Now is it true the Dilli 6 has been postponed because of all > the Oscar buzz and you being in LA? > > A R Rahman: I have finished almost 60% when I came and I am going back > tomorrow to finish the other portion. So, I think we have done, the > background score is almost over. > > Kamla: A quick question about Jai Ho. Where did you come up with the > idea of getting different sounds, you have Spanish, you have Hindi, > and you have English? How did you compose that Jai Ho? > > A R Rahman: Well. I think it was almost like a celebration. I do not > know, it was just that we wanted to do a crazy song and because this > song was already choreographed for another kind of song. So, I wanted > to write an original song and sometimes you get this instinct and you > just go with it. > > Kamla: Tell us about Slumdog Millionaire, how surprised are you by the > success and why do you think it succeeded? > > A R Rahman: I think first of all the optimism and the hope of the > film, which we all need; all of us are in trouble. When I saw the > movie I loved that aspect. When I came out of the film, I felt > positive not like depressed or felt why I went to this film and not > that kind of stuff, which is great. And it is not a normal film where > you just see a usual thing it enriches your intellect and makes you > think and it takes you for a roller coaster ride. I loved the > screenplay and there are so many things, which I liked. It is good to > see that two points, which are proven in the film, is that there are > no stars in the film at all and it shows that any film made well can > have its own fame. So, it shows that feeling like empathy, love and > everything is universal you know the way you can relate to it and that > is what I felt. > > Kamla: You mentioned to Danny Boyle that the movie reminded you > ofSawshank Redemption. > > A R Rahman: Yes. > > Kamla: I asked Danny Boyle that question he says I do not know you > need to ask Rahman that he said. > > A R Rahman: Why I told that is ...It is probably -- there is a > parallel that, there is so much of suffering there and how life is > mean to this family, these two brothers and how in that again when he > comes out he feels so good. So, that is the same kind of feeling I > felt in this. I said this is it man that you have done in a very > different way, but that is how I feel. So he could not get it, why you > are saying that film. > > Kamla: Do you think in some ways it is -- you were also able to > empathize with the movie and the characters because of your early > experience, the struggles that you went through as a child and a > teenager? > > A R Rahman: I think that everybody goes through something and in a way > yeah. I took it as a universal feeling and not as a personal thing, > but also these days you see so many suicides happening after the > recession, after business collapses. There is always hope, I think, > and whenever something goes wrong there is probably three times better > things going to come in future and we also... We need to have that > hope in our mind that something better is always there for us in the > future and never loose hope. We always think about the present and > think how, what will happen. Tomorrow is never the same and either it > may be the good or it may be the bad, but it is never the same. It is > different definitely than what we think. Of course if we follow and if > we go on probably the right path and then we can probably foresee what > is going to come tomorrow, but at any time the future is bright. > > Kamla: What kinds of music do you listen to? How do you relax? > > A R Rahman: How do I relax? I come here to L.A. > > Kamla: And what do you do in L.A. when you come there? > > A R Rahman: I am just getting up at the right time in the morning, > sleeping at the right time, eating right food. > > Kamla: But seriously how do you relax though? > > A R Rahman: I relax when I do music too. It is no work kind of thing. > It is, I think, we are in a profession, which is very satisfying at > least so far, and you are doing stuff and then that itself is like a > therapy for us. > > Kamla: Now, what does the Golden Globe award mean to you? > > A R Rahman: I do not know. Probably after a year I will look back and > know what it means to me. It gave a reason for celebrating along with > so many Indian people there. Well, that is a great thing. Because > after all those Bombay mishaps and the horrible things, which happened > and Sridhar passing away and there was a flood inside my studio and > all those stuff. You know after this incident, I don't know why it > came from my heart that I want to share this with one billion people > here. And somewhere I think it is a great moment to rejoice with all > the people rather than take it as a personal victory. I thought it is > a great moment to share with all of them. So that was good, that was > memorable. It is going to be a memorable moment in my life. > > Kamla: So, after the National Film Award that you got in 1992, is this > next most significant thing? > > A R Rahman: Yeah, I would say because even that was a surprise and > nobody ever, never expected when I made Roja that I would get the > National Award, an award which old people get. I was 23 or 24 years > old and in my first film I got a National Award. It was a great > surprise. In fact a lot of people said don't you think it is too early > for you and you lose your motivation to do more music. > > Kamla: And then so how did you answer then? > > A R Rahman: I don't know. They gave it to me and I am enjoying it. > > Kamla: So, how are you preparing yourself mentally for the Oscars? > > A R Rahman: Oh God. I don't even think about it. I am just enjoying > these days now. So, just probably two days before I will get all tense > up and then think about it. > > Kamla: There have been reports that you may be performing along with > Sukhvinder? > > A R Rahman: Well, we do not know yet what the scene is, what they > want. I am just going to have a meeting and decide. > > Kamla: And what about the news that you are going to be working with > the Pussy Cat Dolls? > > A R Rahman: Nothing confirmed yet. I think if something is there, I > will let people know. > > Kamla: OK, so nothing has been confirmed. Let me ask you about "Jai > Ho". There is an interesting story about that song. > > A R Rahman: The whole music of Slumdog Millionaire was done very > secretively. I did not tell anyone that I was doing this film. One > main reason for the whole thing is, since I was doing so many other > films I wanted to become -- this is the first time I am working with a > director like Danny Boyle who is so reputed and stuff. I did not know > that how well we are going to vibe, whether he is going to accept the > music I am making for him. There were too many question marks. So, > nobody not even writers or nobody knew about which film I was scoring. > Even the musicians did not know. I was just doing stuff. Only me and > probably Sridhar knew about it. And only when Toronto Festival > happened and the film got a great review, they saw my name and they > said Oh! You did music of that film. There were too many speculations > over too many things like this song is from that film and all that > stuff which is all false. I want to make that very clear. So, all the > music in this film was made for this film and that is very important. > > Kamla: OK, so how did you get to work with M.I.A? Whose idea was it? > Was it yours or Danny Boyle's? > > A R Rahman: It was Danny's idea that both of us should do something > together and we met in London and finished the track. > > Kamla: How was it working with her? > > A R Rahman: She is great and because I admire her work also and she > also wanted me to write something a year back. > > Kamla: Coming back to the Oscars and the Golden Globes, what was it > like sitting in the same room as people like Clint Eastwood, Danny > Elfman, Hans Zimmer, and James Newton Howard ...people that you > probably wanted to meet? > > A R Rahman: Aahh. I think everybody has that little Oh my God. Oh my > God. He is there, he is there. Actually when I first came in to L.A. > for this whole thing, for the promotion of Slumdog Millionaire in > December, first trip I had, I met Hans Zimmer, and then Danny and then > Howard, I met Alexander. So, I think after that I got used to all of > that. We are in the same room and Oh yes, it is Clint Eastwood, hi! > How are you? > > Kamla: Oh so you spoke with them? > > A R Rahman: Yes I spoke to Spielberg too. All of them loved the film. > After that you kind of lose that childlike. Oh yes, he is in there -- > sort of excitement that OK, hi how are you? > > Kamla: So, who is that one person that you have not met and that you > would like to meet? > > A R Rahman: I met almost everybody. I met Peter Gabriel, whom I > admire. Then I met Sting also during the Golden Globe and so almost > all of them. > > Kamla: If you do win the Oscars, how is that going to change your > life? > > A R Rahman: I do not know, let me win it. And then let us see if > something changes. It will definitely be a great honour if we get one > of those. > > Kamla: Whether you win or not your life has changed? > > A R Rahman: Yeah. > > Kamla: Because I am assuming that you are going to get offers from > Hollywood now? > > A R Rahman: Yes, I am not jumping the gun, I just want to make sure > that I put the energy from the right thing because now it is all over > the place like lot of offers, lot of different collaborations and all > coming now, but they want to make sure that there are only certain > thing I can handle properly and you know all those things. > > This is Kamla Bhatt, you were listening to A R Rahman, tune back in > for part two of our conversation where A R talks about his journey > from Kodambakkam in Chennai to Hollywood. And as always thank you for > tuning in. > > >
