AR RAHMAN

Thursday, 17 October 2013

Looking forward to work with Shekhar Kapur in Paani: AR Rahman

Oscar winning music composer AR Rahaman feels Shekhar Kapur's upcoming directorial venture "Paani" is a film with a good intention and he is looking forward to working with the filmmaker.

"It is finally happening. I think it is a very exaggerated project. Shekhar is the thinker, a visionary. I have learnt so much from him. I think 'Paani' has a very good intention as a movie. Looking forward to that," said Rahman, who has previously composed music for Kapur's 2007 film "Elizabeth: The Golden Age".

"Paani" is set in the future where wars over water have broken out. The plot revolves around how international corporations use thirst as a weapon of control.

In one such future city, a young couple breaks all the rules and in the ensuing war, water flows back to its people. The film will be shot in India and overseas. The film produced by Aditya Chopra, is likely to go on floors by mid-2014.

Rahman is also excited about his next international venture, an animated movie, which will also mark his debut as a producer. "The one I am doing right now is a animation movie by Dreamworks. I am actually there as the executive producer of the movie and composer," he said.

Rahman is currently in the city for his concert 'Rahmanishq', which is on October 1. The composer is performing in Kolkata after a gap of 10 years, and he said he loves to perform in front of the people here. "I first came to Kolkata in 2003. The energy that Kolkata gave me still rings in me. Whenever people ask me which is the best place, where I had performed, I always say it is Kolkata," he said.

Rain stops for the rockstar Hat-trick concert strikes right note

The rain is relentless. The Puja spirit is damp. The rupee is ravaged. Trust three hours of RahmanIshq to set the mood right.

A.R. Rahman scored a hat-trick on Tuesday evening with his third Calcutta concert in 10 years sending the Salt Lake Stadium crowd into fits of ecstasy.

If the 2003 The Telegraph Unity of Light concert was his first ever show, the 2013 Celkon RahmanIshq, in partnership with The Telegraph, saw the double Oscar and Grammy winner singing in Bengali on stage for the very first time. That too Tagore. If Shah Rukh Khan had recited Where the mind is without fear at the IPL opening ceremony at the same venue six months back, Rahman sang the original Bengali lines on Tuesday night: Chitto jetha bhoy shunnyo, uchcho jetha shir.

Rahman had appeared on stage minutes back with a Shah Rukh song! Dil se re... It was 7.10pm in a very dark Salt Lake Stadium, still a light drizzle in the air, when suddenly a flurry of lights set the stage ablaze and there he was, back to the audience, in the middle of red smoke. Ek suraj nikla tha…and he turned around towards the erupting crowd.

His most favourite audience in the whole wide world, Rahman called Calcutta “unbelievable” to have come out in the rain to watch him perform. “Enjoy the show,” he flashed that almost angelic smile, before appearing in a lit-up blazer, reminiscent of Amitabh Bachchan’s light bulb coat of Yaarana, which was shot many nights ago at Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Besides Rahman, the stars for the night were Sukhwinder Singh, Javed Ali and Neeti Mohan. FromRamta jogi (Taal) to Chaiyya chaiyya (Dil Se), the almost unrecognisable Sukhvinder — with a golden crop of hair — got the crowd going. Rahman and Sukhi (as he kept calling him) also gave everyone “a sneak peek of what they do in the studio” with a very acoustic version of Aayo re sakhi (Water) with master flautist Naveen Kumar joining in.

Javed sang Tum tak (Raanjhanaa) and Jashn-e-bahaara (Jodhaa Akbar) while Neeti did a “bhishon nomoshkar” to the crowd before belting out Jiya re (Jab Tak Hai Jaan).

But all pairs of eyes tracked Rahman. Whether he was quietly fanning himself with the pages of notations behind the grand piano or going berserk on the continuum piano at the end of Rehna tu hai jaisa tu (Delhi-6).

One of the best sections of the show had Rahman sitting on the harmonium in a very dargah-like setting and singing his Sufi set of Arziyan (Delhi-6), Kun faya kun (Rockstar) and Khwaja mere khwaja (Jodhaa Akbar). While many songs for the evening were curtailed to a stanza or two, these spiritual tracks were sung in full. Kun faya kun lasted eight minutes.

A far cry from the shy boy from down south who only wore check shirts and striped T-shirts, Rahman was adventurous with his on-stage costumes — from silver jackets to zardozi-bordered kurtas. “My wife does all the shopping for me,” Rahman had said earlier, with a smile.

Compared to his last Calcutta concert in 2009, which had a more populist playlist replete with songs from Bombay and Roja, Tuesday’s show saw a more eclectic bunch of songs comprising a lot of his recent works, including six songs from Raanjhanaa.

And as Rahman himself had said, “only I can do what I want with my songs”. He literally gave the Calcutta crowd very different sounding versions of their favourite tracks. Like Ranjit Barot, also the musical director and drummer for the show (no Sivamani around, sadly), crooned a very staccato Jo bhi main (Rockstar). And Rahman sang the Bombay Dreams ditty How many stars have to shine before your eyes meet mine as a prelude to Ishq bina kya jeena (Taal).

While the likes of Mohit Chauhan and Hariharan were sorely missed, other singers stepping in meant completely fresh renditions of much-heard songs. Like Neeti’s version of Nenjukulle (Kadal) or Shweta Pandit’s take on Tum ho (Rockstar).

The entire singing team got together for Jai ho, the Slumdog Millionaire song that won the little big man all the international glory in 2009.

The pre-show playlist doing the rounds didn’t have it, but no Rahman concert can be complete without it. Can it?

By the time Rahman’s Vande Mataram brought the concert to a close, Calcutta had again “felt the love”.

Not just through all the razzmatazz and the high production values and the gorgeous fireworks in the end. But that piercing voice and his enchanting melodies which have only grown since their inception.

And in the middle somewhere, Rahman did replace the words Mustafa Mustafa with Kolkata Kolkata— “Don’t worry... Hum hain tumhaare...” — assuring the fandom of his lifelong association with the city.

Indian music industry reaping benefits of digitisation: AR Rahman

Kolkata: Twin Grammy and Academy Awards winner AR Rahman is a firm believer in the amalgamation of technology and talent. The maestro asserts that the Indian music industry is reaping the benefits of digitisation, contrary to the notion that technology has negative effects.

Set to enthrall audiences in Kolkata - the first city on his month-long 'Rahmanishq' tour that begins Tuesday - Rahman is in favour of digitisation sweeping the music industry. He asserts that it has not only made music of all forms accessible to listeners but has also simplified the process of making music for composers.

"Hordes of music purists love to spend endless hours going on and on about how the age of digital music has completely ruined the art form, and that real music only exists in small, underground scenes," Rahman told IANS in an e-mail interview.

"However, the reality stands that thanks to these technological breakthroughs, for both the music fan and the music maker, the creative process and the act of listening to music are now easier, less constrained and more accessible than ever before," Rahman noted.

"We are living in a society that is dominated by the digital age. So it is a natural progression that almost every element beautifully syncs together. We need to move beyond album covers," he observed.

Touring through Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Jaipur and Ahmedabad from Oct 1 to 27, 'Rahmanishq' will give fans a chance to experience Rahman at his best - musically and technologically. A blend of hits spanning two decades will be belted out to spectators during a three-hour format.

"The concert capitalises on innovative never-seen-before technology, so that the audience can be overwhelmed with such knowhow at every stage of the concert...for an audience that will range from teenagers to senior citizens. The music is a reflection of two different generations," said Rahman.

Moreover, each city will have something different to look forward to from the versatile artist.

"For Jaipur, I will bring in an element that highlights royalty..for Ahmedabad I will bring in an element that highlights folk dance..for Kolkata I will bring an element that highlights literature and for Vizag, I will bring in an element that highlights mythology."

At ease on the stage as well as in the recording studio, the Padma Bhushan recipient noted that in India, there is a 'considerable gap' that needs to be bridged to be at par with the global live-act scene.

Banking on the 'professional channelisation' of the enormous talent pool in the country, Rahman envisaged an independent music industry like the film industry. He reckoned film music 'is going to be one of the biggest industries in the world.'

"In India, we have a pool of talent which requires professional channelisation to make this industry as colossal and independent as the film industry. While India has singers in every street, many of them performing the Carnatic, or classical Indian music variety, the future lies in Indian cinema."

In praise of youngsters making it big in the industry, the prolific composer, however, was wary of the 'congestion' that has crept in.

"It's great to see many young guns taking the lead and creating music that was unknown at one point of time. There's enough room for all," said Rahman, who insists on singers having a distinct identity.

He said: "So with changing lifestyle, music is also revolutionising to connect with the audience. I feel there's congestion. Just anybody can sing and it's done just like a fad rather than with dedication. Songs don't have an identity and you feel who just sang that song? He sounds like someone else."

Loved by audiences for juxtaposing different musical styles, Rahman, who became the first Indian to win the Golden Globe Award in 2009 - for best original musical score in Danny Boyle's movie 'Slumdog Millionaire' - prefers to treat music as a collaboration between Indian and western styles, instead of distinct entities. "There's nothing controversial in merging two musical styles as long as it is appealing to the ears. Music for me is a merger of styles from two different worlds, East and West, and not as separate classifications. In fact, I would like to look at Hollywood and Bollywood being great learning platforms, with each industry teaching me a novel chapter," he clarified.

"In India, we love melodies in the background of scenes. In the West there is a sense that soundtracks should not distract, and hence there is a greater preference for ambient sounds and plain chords. I find myself stuck between the traditional and modern styles of music."