You scored masterpieces from Mani Ratnam’s trilogy to Taal, to Maa Tujhe Salaam to Rockstar to Chaiya Chaiya and Vande Matraram, and Sir Andrew Webber’s Bombay Dreams and Slumdog Millionaire
Illustration/Uday Mohite
Oh man, ARR, what a fine mess you landed yourself in. Well, your fans will say, you were “led” into it, by a wily British-Pakistani anchor. Your foes, well, you know, they just need an excuse to accuse you of “disrespecting Hindu sentiments”. I’m not getting into the specifics, frankly you opened a door, a door that was firmly shut. Thing is, you’ve always been the unapproachable One, the mystic, tinkering away on your piano, cut off from outside noise, focused only on the sound inside your headphones and your head. The masterpieces that emanated from your Chennai studio, you kind of transcended your Hindi speaking barrier. You scored masterpieces from Mani Ratnam’s trilogy to Taal, to Maa Tujhe Salaam to Rockstar to Chaiya Chaiya and Vande Matraram, and Sir Andrew Webber’s Bombay Dreams and Slumdog Millionaire.
You were ARR, you had mastered both the local and the global stages — but with this one silly interview, you’ve opened the flood gates to an absolutely unnecessary dialogue, one which has the trolls, the “has beens” and the termites, all chiming in, seeking their five minutes of fame, attacking you, criticising you, accusing you of plagiarism.
Shankar Mahadevan’s words resonated with yours, that those who create music and those who control the destiny of that music, are different people. But, then you brought the “R” word into it, the “R” word not being Roja but religion. That you have felt discriminated against because of “community” Sir, in an industry where it’s a common fact that Hindi cinema is not racist, casteist, or communalistic, (how would you justify SRK’s uninterrupted success), it sounded hollow.
In that moment, you descended from atop Mt Everest to the basest of base camps.
Can you really be that naïve as to suggest that the work has dried up because of, you know, your religion?
And, 175 films in 34 years, doesn’t seem like you ever had a dry period. But there you said it, and social media picked it up, and the vitriol went viral.
Rahman sir, also the timing of your statements, you’re on the brink, of a collaboration with the great Hans Zimmer, adding to your glittering silverware, merging your Sanskrit melodies to his sweeping soundscapes for the epic film, Ramayana. Why get into the squalor of complaint?
But allow me a question, a more artistic one, one that I’ve pondered for a long time — it’s about relevance, 30 years after you made your debut, how do you feel as an artiste, is the hunger still alive and kicking?
You’re a diva, but do you feel your relevance is lessening?
Out-priced, and out-prized are two sides of the same coin,
Is Bollywood just looking for new sounds, younger composers with fresher ideas and composers with less iconic statuses, fledgling directors too green to reject your first cut, or pay your fees, or just approach you?
Even in Hollywood, older composers can’t compete with younger talent unless you’re a Zimmer for the big scale sweeping soundscapes, or the Trent Reznor- type David Fincher underground tracks. But anyway, that is another conversation that I hope to have with you some day.
So, where do you go from here, sir, when all the noise dies down, only time will tell whether your legacy will remain untainted in the face of short term pubic memory. I sincerely hope so. Because I don’t believe there has ever been an Indian music gamechanger quite like you. But first things first, get yourself a good PR manager, more importantly’ an interview guide, someone to prepare you both to handle barbs and brickbats, as well as fielding unconcealed guided missiles and all that follows. When you’sre atop the pinnacle, they will try and pull you down. With any means at their disposal.
Go well sir, let music be your language of expression. Jai Ho.
Rahul daCunha is an adman, theatre director/playwright, filmmaker and traveller. Reach him at rahul.dacunha@mid-day.com
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