Embark on an extraordinary journey with the one and only A.R. Rahman!
In an exclusive and candid interview with Astro, the maestro himself will share intimate anecdotes and insights into his incredible career. From his iconic soundtracks to his inspiring journey, this is one conversation you don't want to miss!
In an exclusive and candid interview with Astro, the maestro himself will share intimate anecdotes and insights into his incredible career. From his iconic soundtracks to his inspiring journey, this is one conversation you don't want to miss!
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TVTranscript
00:00I get scared just by going to the page.
00:02It's like going to a war and watching a death match.
00:06Music storm, A. R. Rahman.
00:08A. R. Rahman sir's very first concert was in Malaysia.
00:11The interviews I did back then,
00:13I wanted my Tamil music to go all over the world.
00:15I think everyone laughed at that.
00:17I think I'm going crazy now.
00:19So, I met Michael Jackson after the Oscars.
00:25What is your thought towards cyberbullying?
00:31So, I think we have to look at ourselves.
00:33Even though it's not just a like or a troll,
00:36it could be life-threatening.
00:47Vanakkam! I'm your dear friend, St. TFC.
00:50In a man's life, there are two important factors.
00:53One is when he was born.
00:55The other is why he was born.
00:57We all grew up in this studio.
01:00We believe that this is the moment
01:02to talk to him.
01:0414 Filmfare Awards,
01:0611 Filmfare South Awards,
01:084 National Awards,
01:102 Grammys, 2 Oscars,
01:121 BAFTA, 1 Golden Globe.
01:14Apart from all these,
01:16we grew up listening to his songs.
01:18Basically, we are best friends.
01:20Ladies and gentlemen,
01:22today's music storm, Oscar Nayagan,
01:24the Mozart of Madras, A. R. Rahman.
01:26Welcome, sir.
01:27How are you?
01:28I'm fine, sir. How are you?
01:30How was your trip?
01:32Very good.
01:33Whenever you come to our city,
01:35it's like a festival for us.
01:37We have a lot of questions for you.
01:39We have prepared questions
01:41that are at least 14 days worth.
01:43But since time is a bit restrained,
01:45we have shortened it.
01:47The first question is very important.
01:49Whoever has come to our country,
01:51we always ask this question.
01:53What's your favorite spot in Malaysia?
01:55When I first came to Malaysia,
01:57I used to go to the electronic market.
01:59Oh, okay.
02:00After that, I used to go to some of the mosques.
02:03And...
02:05Airport is your favorite spot, actually.
02:07Airport is my favorite spot.
02:09When I first came to Malaysia,
02:11I used to go to this place.
02:13Actually, I used to go to Malacca as well.
02:15Malacca.
02:16I used to go to Malacca.
02:18Is there a place that you want to go,
02:20but you can't?
02:21Actually, when I first came here,
02:24I want to come another time
02:26where I want to spend 2-3 weeks here.
02:28Just not for work, but for Malaysia.
02:30I'll come when I turn 60.
02:32Keep a mark on your face, sir.
02:34No one will know.
02:35The next question is one of the most important questions
02:37any Malaysian asks any foreigner.
02:39Even our customs officer
02:41has to leave our country
02:43after hearing this question.
02:45What's your favorite Malaysian food?
02:47Satay.
02:48Satay?
02:49Oh, nice.
02:50But I'm a vegetarian now.
02:52Oh, yeah, it makes sense.
02:54They make vegetarian Satay, sir.
02:56Anything you can get vegetarian.
02:58No problem.
02:59Because it's a melting pot of culture,
03:01anything is available.
03:03And speaking of food,
03:05what was the first meal you gave us?
03:07Roja.
03:08Share your experience of working with Roja.
03:11Roja was my first film.
03:13Before that, I did jingles.
03:15I was a keyboard player
03:17with other composers on TV.
03:19I was a programmer, arranger.
03:21One of my favorite directors,
03:23Mani Ratnam,
03:25asked me to work with Roja.
03:27I thought he wouldn't come back
03:29but he did come back
03:31and used all the tunes.
03:33He was using the tunes
03:35I gave him for my next film.
03:37So Roja was a big blessing for me.
03:39Nice.
03:40Did you expect Roja to be so successful
03:42when you were composing?
03:44Did you think, this is just a film
03:46or did you have an idea
03:48that it would be evergreen?
03:50I thought it would be a film.
03:52I didn't want to make a film
03:54because I was in the movie industry.
03:56I wanted to do something
03:58that wasn't related to the industry.
04:00But later on, I was hired as a keyboard player.
04:02After that, 30 years of excellency.
04:04Speaking of working with Roja,
04:06we have to speak about your late sound engineer,
04:08Mr. Sridhar Hariharan.
04:10When you worked with him,
04:12this was A. R. Rahman's sound.
04:14Do you remember that moment?
04:16I did an album.
04:18There was a singer called Shubha.
04:20Malgudi Shubha.
04:22That was my first album.
04:24Actually, it was my second album.
04:26When I did that,
04:28I had a tape recorder.
04:30I used to record the mixes
04:32on that tape recorder.
04:34It would be good there.
04:36But in the car, it would be bad.
04:38I was learning all the tricks
04:40to get it right.
04:42Still, it was not good.
04:44Then, I put everything on a dat.
04:46We went to a media artist
04:48and recorded it.
04:50It was good there.
04:52We found out that the tape recorder
04:54had an alignment difference.
04:56So, this is how I learnt.
04:58Because of the mistake in the alignment,
05:00we learnt all the tricks of trade
05:02for recording.
05:04You know, doubling, multitrack,
05:06compression.
05:08Sometimes, how God pulls you
05:10by showing something.
05:12Happy accidents.
05:14He was a media artist and I was working.
05:16He would come one or two hours in the night
05:18to mix. Then, he would go back.
05:20After a few days,
05:22he came almost full time.
05:24Then, he passed away in 2009.
05:28He was like a brother.
05:30A void. His son is working now
05:32everywhere, which is nice to see.
05:34Actually, I saw it in a few interviews.
05:36When you were talking about him,
05:38after he passed away, you were in a void.
05:40You wanted something more.
05:42Sometimes, we want to work more
05:44than our family.
05:46He spent almost 13-14 hours
05:48every day.
05:50Yeah, it was a void.
05:52I think some engineers, sound engineers
05:54are not about the sound.
05:56Sometimes, they inspire you.
05:58Their excitement
06:00actually feeds your
06:02imagination more.
06:04More than a sound engineer,
06:06he was more like a fan.
06:08He was more like a muse.
06:10He was working
06:12in multiple places.
06:14He would come whenever needed.
06:16Nice.
06:18You used to work in ads.
06:20You transitioned to film.
06:22How was that transition process for you?
06:24Let's finish the narrative of ads
06:26in one or two minutes.
06:28Film has to go throughout the movie.
06:30How was that transition for you?
06:32I used to work in movies.
06:34In ads,
06:36the perfection you have to deliver
06:38and the attention you have to grab
06:40was incredible.
06:42So, you have to go
06:44and give the best.
06:46So, that helped me in finding
06:48how to do a catchy song,
06:50how to do a hook.
06:52But, if you go beyond that,
06:54you will get bored.
06:56What else does it need?
06:58That's one of the reasons I took time.
07:00If I have a 5-minute song,
07:02I need to think.
07:04I need to live with it.
07:06So, I took 20 seconds into multiple times
07:08to get a 5-minute song.
07:10From film,
07:12you made a transition to musicals as well.
07:14Bombay Dreams,
07:16Lord of the Rings musical,
07:18you even did Cocoon Pose.
07:20How was that transition compared to film?
07:22Film usually has a visual.
07:24Musical is a little difficult.
07:26Actually, I am scared of going on stage.
07:28It's like going to a war and singing a death song.
07:30At that time, Andrew Lloyd Webber called me.
07:32I didn't know what stage was.
07:34When I was a kid,
07:36I had seen Manohar's dramas.
07:38But, I didn't know what a stage was.
07:40That's how it was.
07:42When I went there,
07:44he asked me if I had a script.
07:46I said, why would he ask me for a script?
07:48So, that's what triggered me.
07:50I could become a story writer.
07:52I could imagine stories.
07:54And stories are songs, actually.
07:56Writing came down to that one question.
07:58Do you have a script?
08:00Do you have a story?
08:02From there, Bombay Dreams was born.
08:04Yes, Bombay Dreams.
08:06Actually, we are trying hard
08:08to bring that into Tamil culture.
08:10In Chennai, we want to get an arts collective.
08:12Collaborating with certain people
08:14to bring that
08:16very immersive theatre
08:18so that we can have our own musicals.
08:20Other than cinema,
08:22we can have a film star.
08:24Is that scene still in Chennai?
08:26Ponniyin Selvan.
08:28No, we are creating.
08:30When I see all the students coming out
08:32and performing,
08:34when I look at them,
08:36this is the next level for them.
08:38Otherwise, where will their composers go?
08:40Collectively, how can you bring
08:42all talent together
08:44to make something of
08:46Tamil Nadu's pride?
08:48A Tamil Nadu version of Broadway.
08:50Yes.
08:52Not only for Stuck to Tamil Nadu.
08:54We can reverse it.
08:56In that quality.
08:58We can do that.
09:00We can do that in Malaysia.
09:02Do you have stage plays here?
09:04Stage plays are a very niche market.
09:06But there are many.
09:08I was in a stage play a long time ago.
09:10That's why I know a little about it.
09:12Many people don't know this.
09:14Airaman sir's very first concert
09:16was in Malaysia.
09:18We actually have the privilege of being his first.
09:20Back in 1996,
09:22in Stadium Shalom.
09:24Tell us about that experience.
09:26I told Shah that I wouldn't come.
09:28He said,
09:30Bosnia,
09:32for fundraising for Bosnia.
09:34I said, let's do it for a good cause.
09:36So, I composed the song.
09:38I was the director of Bosnia.
09:40That's how I composed it.
09:42And the experience of meeting all your fans
09:44for the first time at the concert?
09:46I was like this back then.
09:48When I went out to ask about the concert,
09:50I was 9 years old.
09:52I didn't know much at that time.
09:54So, you were born then?
09:56Yes, I was born.
09:58I would say no to everyone.
10:00But everyone would say,
10:02your flute is Mr. Naveen.
10:04His display of flutes.
10:06It was very amazing for a lot of people.
10:08It was like seeing it for the first time.
10:10Speaking of that,
10:12there are many flutes in your compositions.
10:14Is it safe to say that it is your favourite sound?
10:16Actually, sometimes,
10:18a musician actually makes
10:20an instrument's favourite.
10:22I used to use that instrument a lot.
10:26Now, Naveen's flute,
10:28his drums, Sivamani,
10:30Ranjith Bharath,
10:32and then Manlon Srivastava.
10:34Manlon became a favourite
10:36Carnatic instrument.
10:38He played it beautifully.
10:40Then, Kathari Gopalanath,
10:42sax.
10:44That's what inspired me.
10:46I used to play sax and Kathari Gopalanath.
10:48People make the
10:50instrument talk.
10:52The instrument is nothing special.
10:54True.
10:56People say,
10:58it's not what you wear,
11:00it's what you rock.
11:02It's the player at the end of the day.
11:04When you design concerts for your team,
11:06you've done it in the US,
11:08Canada, Dubai,
11:10our favourite neighbour, Singapore.
11:12When you design a concert,
11:14do you design it according to the venue?
11:16Do you design it according to the country?
11:18What's the thought process behind that?
11:20I think 30-40%.
11:22It does go.
11:24If you look at it,
11:26Unthan Desithin Kural.
11:28If you do it in Canada,
11:30the reaction is different.
11:32When you do it in Malaysia,
11:34the same impact was not there.
11:36But in Canada, it was huge.
11:38It almost became a soul tune for them.
11:40For Sri Lankans.
11:42Unthan Desithin Kural.
11:44Nice.
11:46Can we expect any special elements
11:48in your next concert?
11:50I'm also thinking about it.
11:52If you have any ideas,
11:54let us know.
11:56What's special about it?
11:58Are you going to jump from the top?
12:00I think a concert is actually
12:02an experience with an artist
12:04whom you love.
12:06You buy a ticket,
12:08spend time with your family,
12:10dress up and come.
12:12I adore that.
12:14I want to save that trust.
12:16That's my main thing.
12:18What can I give you?
12:20You can listen to it on radio,
12:22Spotify, Apple Music.
12:24Why do you come to a concert?
12:26For an experience.
12:28For interactiveness.
12:30To be alive.
12:32You said in an interview,
12:34you do special prayers for people
12:36who come to your concert.
12:38Because of that thankfulness
12:40and spirituality,
12:42do you think you've come this far?
12:44I don't know.
12:46I don't know.
12:48I feel responsible.
12:50I care for the people
12:52who come to my concerts.
12:54You said,
12:56there are 71,000 people
12:58who come to your concerts.
13:00I'm an introvert.
13:02I like to keep to myself.
13:04Loneliness is my best friend.
13:06I wear headphones when I compose.
13:08You said,
13:10there are 71,000 people
13:12who come to your concerts.
13:14How was the inner battle?
13:16When you have a good team,
13:18you're confident.
13:20It's like,
13:22if a boat can only contain
13:24four people,
13:2640 people can't stand.
13:28I think that's one thing we've learned.
13:30To see the infrastructure.
13:32Now there are more filters.
13:34Now there are more filters.
13:36People are trusting my name.
13:38They're coming.
13:40It's very important for me.
13:42That's what I've been learning
13:44in the past 15 years.
13:46There are more filters
13:48to check what's happening.
13:50Nice.
13:52You have this amazing ability
13:54to blend our traditional Indian music
13:56with modern songs.
13:58When we hear it,
14:00it sounds effortless.
14:02For me, it's because I'm multicultural.
14:04Because I was in film music
14:06and I played in Indian folk,
14:08Indian classical,
14:10I was always looking at what else is there in life.
14:12Why are we stuck into this?
14:14Why is our music not reaching outside?
14:16Roja did an interview
14:18where she said,
14:20Tamil music should reach the world.
14:22I think people laughed at that.
14:24But it became true.
14:26Sometimes,
14:28when we put a scene in,
14:30no matter how big it is,
14:32I think it will manifest.
14:34If we work hard for it.
14:36You said that our music
14:38should reach the world.
14:40Do you think J-Ho was the point
14:42where it reached the world
14:44or it was way before that?
14:46I think from Bombay Dreams.
14:48Russia, Europe,
14:50all the people were watching.
14:52That was one of the biggest things.
14:54After that, I think slowly
14:56they'll say it was lagging.
14:58I don't know.
15:00I don't know who is asking now.
15:02In Iceland,
15:04one person is asking on Spotify.
15:06We don't even know the person
15:08at random.
15:10But consistency
15:12and
15:14also not being satisfied with just
15:16how it is.
15:18What can we do with all this?
15:20We have a shooting studio also.
15:22Recently, we put
15:24Team India song.
15:26When you started,
15:28you said in your interview
15:30that you wanted to
15:32show our music to the world.
15:34This burden on your shoulder,
15:36how was your creative process?
15:38I think
15:40sometimes it's good to say
15:42what we are going to do.
15:44Sometimes it has to be secret.
15:46If we say it,
15:48it's better to work on it.
15:50If not, we can keep it simple.
15:52That thought shouldn't come.
15:54That option
15:56we'll clear it out.
15:58That is important.
16:00As much as we can.
16:02Time is a big factor.
16:04If they don't give money, it's fine.
16:06If they don't give time, that's a torture.
16:08Do you have any rushed projects?
16:10No.
16:12They always have better ideas.
16:14You can finish a product better.
16:16Do you have any composition?
16:18You'll think it'll be like this
16:20and compose it.
16:22Or a singer came in
16:24and brought that composition to a different level.
16:26Do you have anything like that?
16:28You take Mandiamathram,
16:30Thaai Manniamanakam.
16:32My voice was in a rock guitar.
16:34Bharath Bala said
16:36we can go to London.
16:38We saw London in Paris.
16:40Then we settled in London.
16:42We wanted to go to Peter Gabriel's studio.
16:44We couldn't get it.
16:46We went to a studio called Psalmist.
16:48It was one of the biggest studios.
16:50Then we got session musicians,
16:52guitarists,
16:54a drummer, Pete Locker.
16:58Some of the best musicians came in.
17:00They played.
17:02I think they brought that sound together.
17:04There was a programmer.
17:06All this stuff,
17:08it became something else.
17:10It was a great experience.
17:12Usually, I produce my own songs.
17:14When good musicians come in,
17:16the song elevates
17:18the band.
17:20If you hadn't come to film,
17:22would you have pursued
17:24your independent music?
17:28The biggest gift in film is marketing.
17:32There's an actor,
17:34an actress,
17:36a choreographer,
17:38a story,
17:40their pull.
17:42It becomes a promotional material.
17:44When you're independent,
17:46you have to invest.
17:48Sometimes, when you do a song,
17:50you feel like it's autopiloted.
17:54That's why,
17:56even the ideas I had for independent music,
17:58I put in movies.
18:02So far,
18:04we've heard all the songs you've made.
18:06Wow!
18:10Amma Hamma was one.
18:12Then,
18:14Ondhan Desam Thin Kural.
18:16All these were just tunes.
18:18Then, Oori Chowari.
18:20We decided to make an album.
18:22Kwaaja Merai Kwaaja.
18:26Was it a conscious decision?
18:28No, it just made my life better.
18:32That's a very sensible move.
18:34I don't know if it's sensible.
18:36When we hear it,
18:38at least we've heard it.
18:40Do you have any album songs
18:42that we could expect in the future?
18:44I have a lot.
18:46I have 5-6 albums.
18:48I have to finish it.
18:50This morning, I had a thought.
18:54This could be the highest point of my life right now.
18:58This is starting.
19:00Yes, it is.
19:04I'm going to relate it back to this moment.
19:06Did you eat?
19:08Did you eat?
19:10Did you sleep?
19:14This is a very high point in my life.
19:18You've been through a lot.
19:20You've got a lot of experiences.
19:22What excites you still?
19:28The possibility of doing something,
19:30the best is yet to come.
19:34Recently,
19:36I did a song.
19:38He asked me to do a song.
19:40Once I did it,
19:42I felt that the song was old.
19:44If I did it differently,
19:46it would have a good scene.
19:48He asked me to do it.
19:50I thought he was going to reject it.
19:52After I did it,
19:54I agreed.
19:56It starts like a folk song.
19:58Sometimes, it's good to rethink.
20:00Is this song right?
20:02Is there a better idea?
20:04There's always a better idea.
20:06But now, it's not about an idea.
20:08A team has to believe in it.
20:12We did a song called Rehanathu
20:14in Delhi 6.
20:16I got the idea when I saw the movie.
20:18But there was no place for it.
20:20People believe that it's a very good song.
20:22But it was in the wrong place.
20:26So, from ads to film to musicals,
20:28it's a very big journey.
20:30Let's go back and forth.
20:32Do you have a memory
20:34or anything that happened in your life
20:36that you didn't expect to happen?
20:42I directed a film.
20:44I went to Rome.
20:46I'll tell you the whole story now.
20:48It would have been different
20:50if there was a new technology.
20:52It would have been different
20:54if there was a smell.
20:56Even if no one saw the film,
20:58it would have been a big deal.
21:00We went to Rome.
21:02We shot it with a Hollywood actress.
21:04Then it had to deal with the chair.
21:06The chair was very expensive.
21:08In our country, they say
21:10if you pay for the chair,
21:12the movie will flop.
21:14We got some friends
21:16and we made the chair in Tamil Nadu.
21:18Now, it has six different things.
21:20Haptics, scent,
21:22motion,
21:24audio,
21:26all that stuff together.
21:28We have the chair ready now.
21:30Finally, it's getting ready.
21:32This is an experience of almost 6-7 years
21:34in the process of building something
21:36from the ground up.
21:38Rajini saw it, right?
21:40You said that the scent was
21:42inspired by your wife.
21:44She loves perfumes.
21:46You wanted to include scent in it.
21:48When you shared it with your team,
21:50how did they react?
21:52Actually, scent is what Intel came up with.
21:54It's new.
21:56We wanted to come and join.
21:58They also became a technology product.
22:00Let's move on to the next question.
22:02If you had to biopic your life,
22:04who would be the best actor?
22:06AI.
22:08Better human potential.
22:10There are a lot of myths about you.
22:12When we did our research,
22:14our team found a lot of myths.
22:16Let's debunk those myths.
22:18It would be better if we ask you.
22:20The first myth is
22:22that the BGM of your film was deleted
22:24one day before the launch.
22:26You had to do it overnight.
22:28There's a myth that you had to
22:30re-compose it.
22:32It's partially true.
22:34In those days,
22:36we used to release it on Diwali.
22:38Once we released it,
22:40it was over.
22:42We had to get musicians
22:44to overdub it.
22:46It was almost an interval reel.
22:48At the end of the roll,
22:50we had to do it again.
22:52It would get locked.
22:54Before that,
22:56the tape would get locked.
22:58That's when Sridhar came.
23:00I think he was sleepless.
23:02He said,
23:04instead of transferring it,
23:06press the format button.
23:08That whole 8th reel went off.
23:10But then I said,
23:12it's no use shouting at anybody.
23:14So we just went,
23:16let's do it again.
23:18It's all about the energy.
23:20I always think of the energy.
23:22Do we need the negative energy?
23:24We have to think about what is necessary.
23:26No matter how much you shout,
23:28the director won't agree.
23:30The job has to be done.
23:32Sometimes it's good to move on.
23:34The second myth is,
23:36I've heard it a lot since I was young.
23:38A lot of people have told me about it.
23:40I just want to check with you.
23:42You've said that it's better
23:44to take it from you.
23:46Because,
23:48as Indians,
23:50our hands are close to our stomachs.
23:52Subconsciously,
23:54whenever we listen to a bengal sound,
23:56we go into serenity.
23:58Is that true, sir?
24:00Maybe.
24:02I like the jangling sound.
24:04I like the bengal sound a lot.
24:06Is this why it's in...
24:08Maybe because of that.
24:10Subconsciously, it's full VR.
24:12Next,
24:14It's controversial.
24:16Are you the one who composed it?
24:18I composed it.
24:20People say you're a Simbu fan.
24:22Of course, Simbu fan.
24:24I like Simbu.
24:26I've known him since I was young.
24:28He's like a brotherly bond.
24:30He used to come and hug me at the back.
24:32So sweet.
24:34You've met Michael Jackson.
24:36You've had good conversations with him
24:38for about 2 hours.
24:40There were talks of a collaboration.
24:42Is that a myth or is it true?
24:44I met Michael Jackson
24:46after the Oscars.
24:48Then I came to Chennai.
24:50I just said I met Michael Jackson.
24:52I was rehearsing with him.
24:54With Shankar.
24:56I was casual with him.
24:58We were rehearsing for a Tamil movie.
25:00I asked him if he was interested.
25:02He said yes.
25:04He called me and
25:06asked me if I would do it.
25:08He said if you say so,
25:10I'll do it.
25:12I met him again.
25:14We were about to meet again.
25:16But the show didn't happen.
25:18So, in the movie Enthiran,
25:20we could have
25:22seen Michael Jackson's face.
25:24Did you have that composition in mind?
25:26No.
25:28It was just a conversation.
25:30What a myth!
25:32Last myth, sir.
25:34Shankar Mahadevan's 3 award winning songs
25:36were recorded overnight.
25:38I don't remember.
25:40But when a singer comes,
25:42I always sing 2-3 songs.
25:44Shankar Mahadevan's energy
25:46is like a lorry.
25:48No matter how much he gives.
25:503 songs recorded overnight.
25:52All award winning songs.
25:54This myth was found online.
25:56A lot of people share these stories.
25:58It's a lot easier to express nowadays.
26:00It's a lot easier to find things
26:02you don't know.
26:04It's a lot easier
26:06to express.
26:08It's a lot easier
26:10to find things nowadays.
26:12You can find new talents.
26:14But sometimes it goes to a point
26:16where compliments become
26:18trolling and trolling becomes cyberbullying.
26:20What is your
26:22thought towards cyberbullying?
26:24Time passes.
26:26We just have to.
26:28I feel like our energy is very
26:30precious.
26:32When I have money,
26:34I feel like,
26:36because I think in a spiritual way.
26:38The holy book says that
26:40if you have money,
26:42you have to show it to God.
26:44So I said, I don't need that much.
26:46I need to buy equipment.
26:48And we need it for travelling
26:50and for a decent life.
26:52If you need something,
26:54at that time God will give.
26:56You don't have to think that
26:58I need to get money extra.
27:00If I need something,
27:02and I'm doing the MetaBand,
27:04then we form a company.
27:06If we don't need it,
27:08it comes in.
27:10Similarly, every thought,
27:12every comment we pass,
27:14what we are judged in future.
27:16You said this and this,
27:18because of that somebody committed suicide.
27:20You said this because somebody
27:22lost their faith in life.
27:24And if we are casual,
27:26what if it becomes serious?
27:28Or somebody gets,
27:30how do you say,
27:32when a mad person goes,
27:34everyone will tease him.
27:36Nobody knows that he is an innocent guy.
27:38Everybody joins and starts.
27:40It's a human deficiency, I feel.
27:42Nobody comes back and says,
27:44why should I do that?
27:46I don't want to do that.
27:48He may be innocent.
27:50So I think we have to look at ourselves
27:52and even though it's not just a like
27:54or a troll,
27:56you have to invest your energy and life
27:58into something positive.
28:00Then shunning somebody,
28:02even if they are at fault,
28:04just move away.
28:06Use your energy for good things
28:08and you will be blessed.
28:10Beautiful.
28:12Do you ever read your reviews online?
28:14Do you check what people say about you?
28:16Or do they come and tell you?
28:18Actually, after a period,
28:20we become the reviewer.
28:22We can tell when we do it.
28:24Sometimes we just do it.
28:26It happens.
28:28Because people are in different mental states.
28:30They have gone through something,
28:32they are listening to it.
28:34Even if it's good,
28:36because of something,
28:38they will put it down.
28:40And after 6 months,
28:42oh, it's beautiful,
28:44they discover it.
28:46That's fine.
28:48Tamil music,
28:50Indian music actually started changing
28:52and technology has changed a lot
28:54since then.
28:56How do you keep up?
28:58I just look how I can express better.
29:00First,
29:02there were samplers.
29:04There were normal analog synths.
29:06My father kept a Korg SH.
29:08And in that,
29:10there was a filter to change the filter.
29:12Then samples came.
29:14Then FM synths like DX7.
29:16Then samplers came where you can sample something.
29:18But the sampler would never change.
29:20It will just play what's recorded.
29:22Then physical modelling.
29:24Physical modelling is taking a flute,
29:26it will have a shift,
29:28overblown, all that stuff.
29:30Now, I think it's come,
29:32there is a combination of many things
29:34coming in together.
29:36Physical modelling has gone to another level.
29:38And through that,
29:40we can do some things which even acoustics can't do.
29:42Because you can have,
29:44there is a physical modelling called SWAM software.
29:46You can have like 16 different trumpets,
29:48all physical model.
29:50And they can play things which are
29:52humanly impossible to play.
29:54So, use the technology for something
29:56which you never heard before.
29:58Rather than trying to imitate what they can already do.
30:00If they can do something,
30:02you should use the original one.
30:04If you can do something more than what
30:06to create a new sound, then use the technology.
30:08Further you need to learn
30:10where to draw the line.
30:12Use the technology for something that you cannot do.
30:14AI's implementation,
30:16even recently in the film Lal Salaam,
30:18you recreated the voice of
30:20Shahul Hamid sir and Bamba Bagia sir.
30:22How was that experience for you?
30:24It was very emotional.
30:28A lot of people cried.
30:30And Shivamani's son,
30:32he came in and he was very emotional.
30:34I said, why are you crying?
30:36No, when I heard this voice,
30:38I felt something.
30:40So, that's a good thing,
30:42to bring back something.
30:44Try to compensate to the family.
30:48Will we ever hear SPB sir's voice recreated?
30:50Everyone is already doing it.
30:52It's impressive.
30:54Ask the family.
30:56Your mother has been
30:58a very big part of your life.
31:00You came to music because of your mother.
31:02At one point,
31:04she dropped you out of school
31:06and asked you to work with Ramesh Naidu sir.
31:08And then,
31:10when you were planning to go to
31:12Panchadhan, you got the role of Roja.
31:14What did you do?
31:16When you told your mother,
31:18you said you had two options.
31:20Actually, I had done that.
31:22I had built a studio above Panchadhan.
31:24So, when I went there,
31:26I set up everything for the rent.
31:28Then he came and said,
31:30Maniratnam or Berklee?
31:32Now that you're a parent,
31:34will you make the same decision
31:36that your mother made for you?
31:38I think they know
31:40what to do.
31:42Yeah.
31:44They're much more smarter.
31:46And the thing which
31:48they're going through is more than me.
31:50If they post a photo,
31:52it gets a million comments.
31:54A million different suggestions, trolls.
31:56So, they have to be more stronger than me.
31:58They can't have a normal life at all.
32:00Poor thing.
32:02If they post a shirt,
32:04I think my son had a shoe.
32:06It had a tag,
32:08he put that,
32:10and I said,
32:12why did he post that?
32:14He's very ahead of fashion.
32:16He knows all the urban stuff.
32:18Does he give you any inputs
32:20on your styling?
32:22No, I think my wife takes care of that.
32:24Ah, okay.
32:26In the movie,
32:28initially when you wrote the movie,
32:30no songs?
32:32He does that in all the movies.
32:34When I come to Bombay,
32:36he's like,
32:38we'll have 2 songs.
32:40Then we'll have 5 songs.
32:42How did you get 9 songs in Alipayuthe?
32:44I think he's a master
32:46in placing songs.
32:48He's a master in
32:50I think the sensibilities
32:52and he started it all.
32:54In Talapathy,
32:56the whole Sundari part,
32:58it started the trend of the big song making.
33:00He started it.
33:02Going to a whole sub-story.
33:04And
33:06so he's a master of many things.
33:08It's a blessing to sit with him.
33:10Nice.
33:12Like this,
33:14some songs,
33:16the director will ask,
33:18some songs, you'll say.
33:20Like in Jivyam sir's movie,
33:22you specifically asked for Mallipoo song.
33:24Do you have any other song like this?
33:26Actually, I wanted that song.
33:28It's not in the script.
33:30Luka Chuppi,
33:32and then,
33:34there's a lot more.
33:36Forget it.
33:38It's not like I did it.
33:40If it's a movie,
33:42everyone has to contribute
33:44to make it good.
33:46Sometimes, they'll even take a good movie.
33:48I said, correct,
33:50because the audience will stand there
33:52and say it's a wrong place.
33:54That song,
33:56Mani sir did it.
33:58I felt the movie was going slow.
34:00I said, let's make it cinematic.
34:02Then he gave it to Jivyam sir.
34:04BBC has said that
34:06Chaiya Chaiya song is
34:08one of the top 10 songs of all time.
34:10How did you get the tune
34:12and vision for that song?
34:14Tell us about that.
34:16That song,
34:18when I did Vandhe Madram,
34:20I just jammed it.
34:22When Mani sir got the tune,
34:24I said, I have a song which is very interesting.
34:26He said, I'm going to do this
34:28with Chaiya Chaiya.
34:30So, everything came together.
34:32Then, Gul sir changed the
34:34song from Chaiya Chaiya to Chaiya Chaiya.
34:36Sukundar voice.
34:38Where are you from?
34:40It is wrong if we don't touch
34:42your experience working with our talents.
34:44Lesha Vasudevan sir, Yogi B. Anna
34:46and Sreedha School.
34:48Tell us about your experience
34:50working with them.
34:52Even Siti,
34:54I want to go explore a little more.
34:56Because, even Rafi Bashir
35:00Actually, Rafi was the first one
35:02who sang Zumba Lekha.
35:04Sometimes, you are stuck here.
35:06But, some people have more talent here.
35:08I think.
35:10I have a few questions for you.
35:12Rapid fire.
35:14We can finish it in a while.
35:16Your top 5 songs in your playlist.
35:20I think, because sometimes we work so much.
35:22We have been doing Ryan,
35:24something for Nidambani,
35:26The Complex.
35:28Dasavatharam.
35:30We have been working on it.
35:32We have been working on arrangements.
35:34Fresh orchestral arrangements.
35:36So, there is no time
35:38to listen to anything.
35:40Since you said that,
35:42I will skip the next 3 questions.
35:44TV show, Netflix addiction.
35:46Favourite spots.
35:48Actually, I saw a very interesting
35:50app called
35:52Tabi.
35:54T-A-B-I-I.
35:56It's a Turkish thing.
35:58Episode 9, I was watching.
36:00From Rumi.
36:02Episode 9.
36:04It's one of my favourites.
36:06Ever. For the past 15 years.
36:08From the first episode,
36:10you watched the 9th episode.
36:12I wanted to see how Shamans and Rumi interact.
36:14I think, there is a whole.
36:16Very peculiar, sir.
36:18Coffee or tea?
36:20Coffee.
36:22Beach side or mountain top?
36:24Mountain top.
36:26Any other hobbies besides music?
36:28Photography.
36:30Photography?
36:32Given a chance, if you can change one thing about your life,
36:34what would you do differently?
36:36Not being born.
36:38Sir, we would have lost a lot.
36:40This is the last tricky question.
36:42Out of your 3 kids,
36:44who are your favourite?
36:46Myself.
36:48Thank you very much.
36:50I got more information than I expected.
36:54Sir, before we wrap up,
36:56can you tell us about your concert
36:58which is going to take place on 27th July?
37:02Concert is a concert.
37:04So,
37:06I think it has all your favourite songs,
37:08hopefully.
37:10And some interesting things.
37:14Alright.
37:16Don't forget to buy your tickets
37:18when the program is over.
37:20AR Rahman Live in Concert, 2024.
37:2227th July,
37:24National Stadium, Bukit Jalal.
37:26Don't forget to buy.
37:28Thank you for spending time with us
37:30in your busy schedule.
37:32On behalf of all of us here,
37:34we would like to thank you.
37:36Thank you very much, sir.
37:38Thank you very much, guys.
37:40See you.
37:46AR Rahman Live in Concert, 2024.
37:4827th July, National Stadium, Bukit Jalal.
37:50Don't forget to buy.
37:52Thank you for spending time with us
37:54in your busy schedule.
37:56AR Rahman Live in Concert, 2024.
37:5827th July, National Stadium, Bukit Jalal.
38:00Don't forget to buy.
38:02Thank you for spending time with us
38:04in your busy schedule.
38:06AR Rahman Live in Concert, 2024.
38:0827th July, National Stadium, Bukit Jalal.
38:10Don't forget to buy.
38:12Thank you for spending time with us
38:14in your busy schedule.
38:16AR Rahman Live in Concert, 2024.
38:1827th July, National Stadium, Bukit Jalal.
38:20Don't forget to buy.
38:22Thank you for spending time with us
38:24in your busy schedule.
38:26AR Rahman Live in Concert, 2024.
38:2827th July, National Stadium, Bukit Jalal.
38:30Don't forget to buy.
38:32Thank you for spending time with us
38:34in your busy schedule.
38:36AR Rahman Live in Concert, 2024.
38:3827th July, National Stadium, Bukit Jalal.
38:40Don't forget to buy.
38:42Thank you for spending time with us
38:44in your busy schedule.
38:46AR Rahman Live in Concert, 2024.
38:4827th July, National Stadium, Bukit Jalal.
38:50Don't forget to buy.
38:52Thank you for spending time with us
38:54in your busy schedule.
38:56AR Rahman Live in Concert, 2024.
38:5827th July, National Stadium, Bukit Jalal.
39:00Don't forget to buy.
39:02Thank you for spending time with us
39:04in your busy schedule.
39:06AR Rahman Live in Concert, 2024.
39:0827th July, National Stadium, Bukit Jalal.