An effortless enigma

It was a rainy Sunday when the ‘Mozart of Madras’ agreed for a one on one rendezvous. It is not very often that Rahman agrees to open up and it is always heartening to tune into his rhythm of life and music. It was past midnight and as always the wait to meet him can be excruciating. But this time there was a palpable sense of excitement. There is so much he did in 2010, so the focus was hard to find. An hour later Allah Rakka Rahman warmly greets me in his traditional black kurta pyjama and smiles, ‘have I made you wait for long’? At this point every moment spent in anticipation of his arrival melts away.

First things first! So, how was the New Year bash? “Bash… (Laughs) After a long time, I got time to spend the New Year’s Eve with my family. I had a relaxed time with my wife and children,” he says. He also adds, “But yet a lot of people invited me for parties, I attend them only for a formality. As I promised my kids, I spent the whole night with them watching old Oscar winning movies and indulging in my mom’s great fare.”

Quiz him about the future plans for his son Ameen (who sang in his Hollywood flick Couples Retreat) and eldest daughter Katheeja (who did croon a bit in Enthiran), Rahman says that their entry was not planned and just happened. “My mom played a major role indirectly. She used to cook delicious dosas and other yummies and send it for every teacher. There were a lot of teachers like Nithyanandham who would teach me to read and write notes- the Indian notation and then lot of Western music teachers like Jacob John who have resurrected my home, my music hall and infuse so much confidence into me. All this was possible because of mother’s constant encouragement.” He also says that his children are put to formal training in music. “I definitely want my children to learn classical music. My elder daughter is learning Indian classical music and my son is learning piano. They can make their own choices later on in life.”

“More than my kids the students of my KM Conservatory School who have come from all over India are amazing. I feel so good watching them play,” he discloses. On being nominated for the second time for the Golden Globe for Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours, Rahman says, “Yes, in terms of music, it is a very important film for me. It was for the same filmmaker’s earlier flick Slumdog Millionaire that I was awarded the Golden Globe in 2009. It feels good that my name gets registered in the international arena.”

And is he moving to Hollywood? “I think this rumour is being circulated for the last so many years! This is ‘My Chennai’ where I am blessed with several good things and there is remote possibility of me shifting base from here.” However the Oscar winner admits that he travels a lot for his work and it is purely for professional reasons.

At present Rahman has not signed any new film in Hollywood or in Tamil. “I want to take a break. I want to take it a little easy,” he signs off with a smile.

Thanks : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/tabloids/effortless-enigma-092