When Rahman Speaks

"It’s not the instrument. It’s how it translates from an artiste. I love the voice..."

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 15:46:00 +1000

“It’s not the instrument. It’s how it translates from an artiste. I love the voice - it’s the most perfect instrument ever heard. It’s God given.”

- A.R. Rahman. Filmfare, July 2001

"Everyday is about choices, and in my case, these choices involve the public. They have the right to..."

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:49:35 +1100

“Everyday is about choices, and in my case, these choices involve the public. They have the right to express their delight and their discontent. I give every song my best, but destiny, that vibration of fate, sometimes fails me. Still, I a m a believer in the Almighty and I leave it to Him to carry me along.”

- A.R. Rahman, Hindustan Times, 26 Jan. 2010.

"I mostly don’t write to specifically defined cues. I just watch the film a couple of times, stop..."

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +1100

“I mostly don’t write to specifically defined cues. I just watch the film a couple of times, stop watching it, then write something that comes to my mind from the film. This way, when I try to sync the music, the results are that much more wholesome. You get something extra that you don’t get when you’re looking at specific points in the timeline. The music is much more organic this way, not jumping cue to cue.”

- A.R. Rahman, interviewed by Divanee, 24th Dec. 2010.

"I try to make the music work independently from the movie I’m scoring, with pieces that are..."

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 15:02:34 +1100

“I try to make the music work independently from the movie I’m scoring, with pieces that are musically independent and make sense even without the movie.”

- A.R. Rahman interviewed by The National on 15 Dec. 2010

"What we were trying to achieve (with the score for 127 Hours) was immense energy, not self-pity. We..."

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:52:00 +1100

“What we were trying to achieve (with the score for 127 Hours) was immense energy, not self-pity. We wanted something constantly uplifting. That’s the primary emotion. But it is very easy to pump it up and go. We thinned it out to get the right temperature. Instead of going more, the music takes a back seat. That’s unusual. Usually you go high, higher, highest. But not here.”

- A.R. Rahman (Interview for variety.com, 17 Nov 2010)

"India… The people make it work again and again. Everything comes together in the last minute...."

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:50:00 +1100

“India… The people make it work again and again. Everything comes together in the last minute. What a great feeling being a part of it (Commonwealth Games 2010 Opening Ceremony). When I was with folk, classical dancers and musicians in the waiting passage that led the artists to the stage, it felt like I was in a mini Noah’s Ark containing all of India’s arts and culture. True bliss watching it and being a part of the performance. Thank you.”

- A.R. Rahman after the Commonwealth Games 2010 Opening Ceremony

"If you understand the essence of religion, it’s about love. Though it’s a cliché,..."

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:07:00 +1000

“If you understand the essence of religion, it’s about love. Though it’s a cliché, it’s the truth, and it’s what I’m trying to do with my music.”

- A.R. Rahman (Here & Now, Sept. 2010)

"In life, the journey is what’s interesting. Everyone has their struggles. Each person gets led..."

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:11:33 +1000

“In life, the journey is what’s interesting. Everyone has their struggles. Each person gets led into a path. We had some trouble and we got redemption through this path (of religion). Religion is a personal thing and I think people respect that.”

- A.R. Rahman (June 7, 2007, The Star)

"I want to include all styles and music like folk, carnatic and western because Tamil is a universal..."

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 06:53:00 +1000

“I want to include all styles and music like folk, carnatic and western because Tamil is a universal language and we should not restrict it with a circle. We should think Tamil language is bigger and use more of it.”

- OneIndia, May 16, 2010

"I like to see a film and then start scoring it in my mind, while doing something unrelated. The..."

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:02:04 +1000

“I like to see a film and then start scoring it in my mind, while doing something unrelated. The mind, the more active it is, the more productive it is.”

- Outlook India, Feb. 22, 2009

"My favourite musical instrument changes from time to time. Eighteen years of composing and finally..."

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 11:45:52 +1000

“My favourite musical instrument changes from time to time. Eighteen years of composing and finally it comes to vocals because it is a God-given instrument. Of course, any instrument player who connects his soul to his instrument is great and that instrument becomes great. The instrument itself is ordinary, but the people who play it make it special.”

- The Journey Home Concert Interview for Darshan TV, June 2010

"In my opinion, everybody has the same soul from God and we are united by that. Outside, our bodies..."

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +1000

“In my opinion, everybody has the same soul from God and we are united by that. Outside, our bodies are different, our faces are different, but inside we are all the same, we share the same feelings of sadness, love, pain… My music comes out of these feelings. Whether it is Japanese music, African, Qawalli, or any other form of music, if it touches your heart it becomes important for me.”

- The Journey Home Concert Interview for Darshan TV, June 2010

"I respect people’s tastes. I don’t say that I’ll only do high society music,..."

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +1000

“I respect people’s tastes. I don’t say that I’ll only do high society music, because that would be condescending of people who want something simple. You can make music that appeals even to a child or an infant.”

- The Journey Home Concert Interview for Darshan TV, June 2010

"I am for everyone, my music is for everyone, because films (and film music) cater to everyone."

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +1000

“I am for everyone, my music is for everyone, because films (and film music) cater to everyone.”

- The Journey Home Concert Interview for Darshan TV, June 2010

"You learn to compartmentalise: When I work there (in the west), I feel excited. When I work here (in..."

Tue, 04 May 2010 06:24:00 +1000

“You learn to compartmentalise:
When I work there (in the west), I feel excited. When I work here (in India), I feel excited. After a while, you learn to compartmentalise and use all the inputs to create a new kind of product. As long as I create music anywhere, I am in great spirits.”

- Times of India, May 3, 2010

"In India we love melodies in the background of scenes. In the west there is a sense that soundtracks..."

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +1100

“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.”

- Interviewed by The Guardian, April 2010

"What appealed to me about Islam was that this is a religion based on unconditional love and a belief..."

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +1100

“What appealed to me about Islam was that this is a religion based on unconditional love and a belief in one god and one love. I was especially drawn to Sufism which has a rich musical tradition. Why is the Azan [the call to prayer] in tune? Why is it musical? Islam has been hijacked by extremists, and what drives me in my own work is to create music that will bring people together.”

- Interviewed by The Guardian, April 2010

"It is important to play music that will be accepted by an international audience but which retains..."

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +1100

“It is important to play music that will be accepted by an international audience but which retains an essential Indian quality.”

- Interviewed by The Guardian for his London Concert. April 2010.

"If music wakes you up, makes you think, heals you…then, I guess the music is working."

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

“If music wakes you up, makes you think, heals you…then, I guess the music is working.”

- Jai Ho Concert Tour, 2010

"If a music artist wants to blossom into a full-pledged person, it’s not enough if he knows classical..."

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:38:00 +1100

“If a music artist wants to blossom into a full-pledged person, it’s not enough if he knows classical music; nor is it enough if he’s well-versed in raagas and techniques. Instead, he should be a knowledgeable person interested in life and philosophy. In his personal life there should be, at least in some corner of his heart, a tinge of lingering sorrow.”

- Citation pending.