PostCredits: Bhuvi Suresh
Other than music, Rahman is
involved in many humanitarian
actions too. Rahman founded the A
R Rahman Foundation with the aim
of wiping out poverty from the face
of the earth. Rahman was appointed
as the Global Ambassador of Stop TB
Partnership of WHO in April 2004.
Albums like Pray For Me Brother,
Indian Ocean etc depict Rahman's
interest in humanitarian endeavours.
Interviewer: Is mediocrity what
irritates you the most?
ARR: Definitely, all of us. And
that is the reason for K M Music
Conservatory. I feel, if we build up
musicians, we muster them for
melody and harmony, and they will
never do that. Because they can
never allow their conscience to go
against what they have learnt.
They'd give that, you know, beautiful
format. They would take it further
what good people have left.
Interviewer : You have once said
that, you know, what Indian music
now lacks is perhaps is a powerful,
overwhelming male voice. Do you
still stick to that?
ARR: (eh)…well, there was a
time when people used to love this
kara kara(rough) voice, which is not
there now. The last I'dthink was
Jesudas having that, probably Jagjit
Singh and all..
Interviewer:But then you hardly
use him these days, is it like you are
giving a chance to newcomers?
ARR: No. What I have been
doing is, I am doing very
experimental stuff. I have never
done the very straight stuff. In my
understanding I am a rebel in my
own way. I'd like do all the movies.
I'd say "Give me all the movies, I'll
do all of them". Then I'm
responsible for that. I want to do
things which excite me, which take
me more, excite me, and take me to
another spectrum of the music which
has not been explored.
Interviewer: That makes you a
rebel with a cause. What would be
your cause?
ARR: (Laughing)…My cause is to
give people something interesting.
Because when you have something
interesting…I want something
interesting to listen to, I want to
make something interesting to listen
to. …of course…
Interviewer: Obviously there is
something more in it. Anyone..a lot
of people make music, which is
interesting…I am sure you have
something more spiritual, perhaps,
than that.
ARR: Well, I think, definitely.
Without any blessing I would be
nothing. I believe that making peace
out of chaos, making
Interviewer: What personal was
perhaps the experience doing Pray
For Me Brother? Was it a personal…
Did it haunt you personally?
ARR: Pray For Me Brother…it
did haunt me, because that is the
only one thing which we always say
to people, when friends meet they
say oh brother I'm so pray for me, or
I'd say to somebody, so that,
whatever it is con-notating, it is the
only thing that we exchange. So I
thought that is a good outline to
have as a song. It's not about giving
money, it's about wishing someone
good.
Interviewer: It was thought
provoking. I think that music must
have helped in some way. Do you
believe that these things actually
make a difference?
ARR: At least the people have
noticed, people have in a corner of
their heart it's laid a seat. And lots
have thought twice before spending
money for unnecessary reason. This
one could have done for that. So I
just want that to be an inspiration.
Not a solution. So in that way I
think it did.
Interviewer: Do you go back to
your pre-ghazal (that's what it
sounded to me)days, when you are
struggling, you are working. Do you
do that ever?
ARR: I don't. (both laughs).
Not that I have to, I think of the
future always. Because the past
sometimes is bad. It only brings the
venom and brings the bad
memories. And that's what is
happening in the whole country,
perhaps, the whole world. "You have
done this to me long back, let me do
it again now". It's just pointless.
Good experience…definitely I'm
grateful and have my gratitude
towards them, but bad things I keep
forgetting and thank you very much.
Interviewer: Sorry, but I have to
take you to the past and considering
that you have spend some part of
your life in Kerala. What memories of
Kerala you have.
ARR: Kerala, I think…very laid
back people, very honest…well…I…m
y first recording…actually Kerala was
in my house. When I used to come
out of my house I used to see
musicians, producers, and directors,
all waiting for my father, assistants
and singers…so the whole of Kerala
was in Tamil Nadu. You know, the
whole industry was there. And it was
like a family, a family of Malayalam
and Telugu and Kannada men. My
father was involved in so many
different, he was assistant to so
many different music composers. He
was probably like a nucleus for
everyone, and that's a reason he
died, he go overworked. The lesson I
learnt from him was not to overwork
and worn out yourselves, because
you need something for yourself.
Interviewer: Is it possible for you
to follow that?
ARR: Ya, I tried it, and that is
why I did one movie in six days
Interviewer: You keep visiting
Kerala, on and off regularly on
personal trip. Did you go to your
father's place?
ARR: I did go to Kerala
recently. I went for Muthu, I went
for Padayappa , for an ad for
Worldspace…
Interviewer: But you have never
done a movie in Malayalam after
Yodha. Has it been deliberate?
ARR: It's no deliberate. Just
that I need something exciting.
There were some movies which were
very close to execution, but then it
fell out, because of various reasons.
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