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‘I have tried something different’

By January 29, 2011 No Comments
If there is one person who can lend a thousand melodies to one tune, it could only be A R Rahman.

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And the maestro does not wear his genius on his sleeves. The calm and warmth remain unshaken in his voice, which betrays no trace of arrogance.

From the day Slumdog Millionaire heralded him on to the global stage, Rahman topped global charts with metronomic regularity. And it is time to expect another epochal show by Rahman, teaming up as he is with Slumdog.. maker Danny Boyle in 127 Hours.

Talking about his collaboration with Danny Boyle, Rahman tells Metrolife, “Danny thinks young and chooses subjects that appeal to the young. I do the same. I always walk into a theatre and wonder what movie would excite the young and keep them glued to the seat. I too make music for the young.”

Rahman lives in Los Angeles. He has bought himself a house there and he says he shuttles to India whenever he has some work but lives in LA.

While the score of 127 Hours largely remains American, Rahman points out that one track has an Indian darbari tune to it. “There’s just one song that has an Indian touch to it. It’s very catchy and I thought it would fit the sequence really well,” reasons Rahman.

Sound has always fascinated Rahman. When asked whether it’s the actor, director or the script that inspires him to compose music, he says, “It’s  the music that excites me. But it could also be the team or the script which draws me toward making taking up a project.”
Rahman has launched a new music album, Nokia Connections for Nokia Xpress Music devices. The album is one of its kind, with nine original compositions.

“In today’s strife ridden world everybody wants peace and a song called Silent Invocation talks of peace,” explains Rahman and adds, “I was given a budget and a free hand in composing the music. There are three tracks and I have used a bit of Punjabi and what is called the Pongal beats in the jingle,” he explains. What did he have in mind when piecing together the beats, “I was asked to come up with music that appeals to both the young and the old. So with melody as the baseline I have tried something different,” he observes.

Ask him what he finds most challenging and Rahman observes, “The challenge is to pull off the next challenge.”