Hi Vithur, Thanks a TON man for this wonderful script. Indeed its very nice interview; will be watching the video tonight.
Thanks for your great contribution... Cheers, Siraj On 9/3/08, Vithur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Dear All, ( A must watch video also... ) > > > ARR Interview to Sun TV on Sakkarakatti ( Absolutely rocking one ) > > > > My heartfelt thanks to Sun TV for organizing this wonderful interview, and > also for deputing a logical and a reasonable interviewer to interview the > Meastro. He asked logical questions and it was a great treat. > > > > INTRODUCTION > > > > The Interviewer starts off by saying this > > > > " When some one went and asked Swami Vivekanada, as to who is the person > who is always successful in life ?. for which he replied, " Whenever some > one demeans you, be true to yourself. When some one praises you, don get > swayed. That is the hall mark of a true successful man". I keep remembering > one man 's name always, when I remember these words from Vivenakanda. A man > with lot of awards, achievement, rising number of success figures, and > surrounded by praises always, but still unchanged by the same smile, the > same simple laugh, and sweet speech. The man whom I have been referring to, > is not an alien born in some corner of the world. He is our own native, a > person born on the soils of Tamil Nadu, a person who is bringing fame to > each and every Tamilian across the globe, a wonderful brother and is none > other than the Musical Storm " A.R. Rahman". > > > > Come , lets go and meet him. > > > > Q :- There are so many Film Directors waiting for you, to make films, > only if you compose music for them. In your success endeavours so far, > Sakkarakatti has also been listed now. What do you feel about the success of > this film music ? How did you accept this project and accepted the film ? > > > > AR :- I have earlier worked with Kalaipuli Dhanu with Kizhakku Cheemayile. > He was the person, who introduced the Director Krishna of Jillenu Oru > Kaadhal to me. At that time, he was telling me that his son would be doing a > film, and asked if I could do the music for the film. I was busy at that > time. He told, he is ready to wait for any amount of time. Usually, people > say like that, but after three months, they would come and ask for a tune > saying that the heroine is leaving somewhere etc . > > > > But they waited for 1.5 years with patience. Whenever I used to get time, I > used to give them a song. So, its not my success, but its their success that > they waited patiently. It's a success to the trust that they had in me. > Prabhu is also a very patient guy, and he has religuosly spent time for > making the song good, with all graphics. > > > > ( A new version of Taxi Taxi was shown…. Just AWESOME ….) > > > > Q :- You were talking about working with Dhanu Sir. And this is your third > film with him. What would you like to say about the human being Dhanu ? > > > > Ar :- Everyone has his own quality, and the quality in Dhanu Sir, is that > he uses his talent to the utmost extent. Its only certain producers, who > spend so much of energy in highlighting their films to such extent. > > > > Q :- Normally, when people remember the word ' Taxi", they think of a means > of conveyance. But now, people are associating it with the song from > Sakkarakatti. Has this been specially or purposefully laid for attracting > the youngsters, or is it comes natural to you ? > > > > AR :- Every three years, there is a change in the trend. The trend has been > changing since the 90s. 92 it was different; 95 was different and 98 was > different….. Now the trend is towards reggae style, Spanish, etc …So, we > thought of getting all those styles in the song. Actually, this was a last > thought that we got. This song was composed in the fag end. Originally, the > song was of a different tune , like a bhangra type. We had to modify the > same, and in the last moment, a magic happened. We wanted a song like an > engine. > > > > Na. Muthukumar speaks > > > > In Sakkarakatti, I have written three songs. Elay, Taxi taxi , I Miss U da. > . Today, the CDs of Sakkarakatti have been a great hit amongst the public. > Specifically, the song Taxi Taxi has got the rank No. 1 amongst the previous > 20 years of Tamil Cinema. Rahman Sir wanted friendship to be described not > in a negative manner, but still highlighting the negativity in a positive > manner, and gave us the initial lyrics as " Taxi taxi, nanbaa Nee oru > Ilavasa taxi". If you write like this, it would be of great fun also. > > > > Kalaprabu speaks > > > > The Hero of the film SK is Shantanu Bhagyaraj. Vedika and Ishitha are the > two heroines. As I had told before in many interviews, " Rahman Sir has > given us six boons and not merely six songs…". > > > > Blazeee speaks > > > > It was really a blessing to be part of this song, when Mr. Rahman gave the > idea about this song. Everyone would feel like dancing when you listen the > groove. That itself is a magic, in the way, the song was started and all. > When I wrote the English lyrics for this, Kalaprabhu the Director was with > me, and guided me at every step. The Tamil lyrics were written by Mr. > Kalaprabhu like " Ingum Ingum Pengal…." The combination worked well and > of course Mr. Muthukumar also did his job fine. > > > > Q :- You create so many new songs, new lyricists and at the same time, you > have also been associated with old and veterans like Vaali sir in your > songs. Have you ever felt How could he write like this in your songs ? > > > > AR :- Actually, it's the understanding which is important. We shouldn't > distinguish between old and new lyricists. There exists good in old as well > as new, and when we think like this, we can definitely cross all borders. He > has such a wonderful quality in him. He was telling me with confidence while > writing Marudhaani saying that it would become a great hit, and was saying > this till he finished the song. > > > > Hero Shantanu speaks > > > > " Sakkarakatti is a completely youthful movie, and the backbone of the > movie is A.R. Rahman Sir. He has composed the music for the movie. I am a > very big fan of him. It is a very great privilege for me that he had > composed music for my first film." > > > > Q :- Did Chinmayi strain herself for singing the song " I Miss U Da " ? > > > > Ar :- Actually, if we don't create any sort of a preconceived mindset , > while singing the song, it would come out fine. While starting to sing , we > shouldn't have an notion that we should be singing lke P. Susheela, or S. > Janaki. > > > > Chinmayi Speaks :- > > > > " I have sung two songs in Sakkarakatti. All singers would be having a big > dream of singing with Rahman Sir. Even a single line sung with him would be > a long cherished dream of many a singer. For " I Miss U da' he wanted me to > sound innocent ( I guess ) . That is what I could remember very much in that > session. And he gave a special name for that emineee emineee part in that > song . I asked him as to who this Indai Haza was, for which he replied, " > Its you". So, I have a new name, and I guess I will use it somewhere some > time. > > > > Q :- In 1992, because of roja, you became introduced to the Tamil Industry. > You have brought a great revolution to Tamil Cinema. ( AR laughs here saying > that he is also nodding to what all has been said by the Interviewer). What > is the difference between the 1992 A.R. Rahman and the Rahman of 2008, and > how does this rahman feel about it ? > > > > Ar :- First and foremost, if we think and believe that we are zero, then > everything falls on line properly. When we do something thinking that we > know it well, we tend to do the same thing again. When we admit, we don't > know, God Blesses, and that makes it special. Now also, while trying to do > something now, if we think, that we know how to do, based on the belief that > we had done this before, then we get burdened. The formulae is to believe > that we never knew it that time, and will continue to do it with the same > style this time also…. > > > > Dhanu Speaks > > > > This is the third film composed by Rahman for me. It's a hattrick after we > did Kizhakku Cheemayile and Kandukondein Kandukondein. All the two films > before were also great successful films. This companionship of myself with > Rahman has given hits so far. He always tells, " if you are patient, you > will get everything fine and right". My son kalaprabhu observed patience to > a large extent. He waited and now he is able to rule the world because of > this film, and mainly possible because of A.R. Rahman. After seeing the > picturisation of the songs, Rahman spoke to me his heart, congratulating me > for all the way the songs has been picturised.. when Rahman spoke thus, I > felt so elated and blessed to be having a son like Kalaprabhu. That > speciality and happiness, I derived it that day, when Rahman praised my son. > > > > > Q :- Now also, when I speak to you, and see you I get amazed seeing you. A > Man who has 22 Filmfare awards, 6 Tamil araasu Awards, National Awards, > Padmashree . But you appear like a student who has just finished his UG > after college , and who is like applying for a job. How are you so humble > and how does it come to you ? > > > > AR :- For some people , it is a plus and for some it is a minus. When I > take every music that I do, as a blessing from God, I don't take it to my > shoulders. I try to follow the same philosophy always, and it has been doing > so far so good. Actually, there is one common aspect between Music and God, > which is Love. All religions preach " Love each other". And similarly, while > listening to music, you should feel compassionate, and start developing love > towards everyone. You should start developing a goodwill to do good, and > that sort of a music is Divine.. Melody can transform a person, who would > want to kill someone into a love showering one. > > > > Each film is different, and it all depends on the Director's choice. And > for that matter, we cant bend ourselves too much. A mixture of fast paced > and melody songs is a good combination. > > > > Q :- When we asked The Director about the Re- recording, he was telling > that Sir has done a very wonderful job, by taking the film to new heights in > the same. He was telling this wih joyful tears. > > > > Ar :- hmm… Actually, its not only that. Its just an experimentation. If you > happened to see Jaane tu, the film has got a same old story, which has been > said before. But, the treatment, the dialogues, and the scenes were > different, which gave it a complete new colour. > > > > Q :- Amidst your busy schedules, you give an opportunity to give chance to > a new singer. How do you get the confidence that the new voice would be > acceptable to the people of tamil Nadu. ( when there are a lot of singers > who keep giving you their demo CDs etc ) ? > > > > Ar :- Amongst the singers and their voices, people who make me turn back > and listen to their voice would be a choice, as even people would be feeling > somewhat in those lines. Their taste would be better taste than ours anyday. > When a singer's voice clicks, we have a discussion with our team consisting > of H. Sridar, srinivasa Murty, Noel James, and when they say that a voice is > good, then I agree with theirs usually. > > > > Fav Raags of yours > > > > That cant be said in particular. Everything depends on our mood.. Once upon > a time, I was loving desh raga. Sindhu Bhairavi. Now that the school has > started, we are thinking more in western classical side, to bring an > orchestra out of the same. We are doing research in those lines. > > > > Q :- How do you overcome criticism or face it ? > > > > Ar :- we should see to what extent there is truth in it. If there exists > truth in it, we should change it. If an error or a mistake is done, we > should get transformed, and life doesn't end up there . Instead of > rectifying ourselves, if we keep doing the same mistake again and again, > then it becomes bigger. Sometimes, the criticism becomes unwanted . So, we > should decide within ourselves. > > > > Sometimes, when we read the letters in a language, like A B C or even tamil > Letters, it becomes a part of our system. And then , we see as to what could > be derived out of these letters, to see if a poetry or a novel comes out of > the same. Basically, we are all in the basics, and not progressing after the > same. There is nit much importance given to the art aspect in Films, and > people just think that they are filmy people. > > > > Our Km Music company, is going to come out with Thirukural. ( The > questioner says, that this would be a great dedicatory effort to the > Language Tamil itself, for which AR says " Pls don't add burden like that ( > Smilingly )". It will be an enjoyable album. Maniratnam and Vairamuthu have > also liked it. They have heard it > > > > My first and foremost aim and aspiration got accomplished in my first movie > itself. All that is happening now, is just an added bonus. The first film > itself got me so many awards like " Time 's 10 best Soundtracks; It went off > to Bollywood also: National Award". > > > > > > > > > > > -- > regards, > Vithur > > ARR -- The Sweet Cube always > > > >
