I was destined to write about Rahman - when about 20 days ago,i first saw slumdog. I held back that blog superstitiously so that nothing went wrong on oscar day. Infact, i almost felt that my faith in him was on trial that morning.
The fact that he is India's best or a master at his craft is indisputable. The fact that he propogates love or follows sufi-ism is less known. I have always believed that to succeed one needs oodles of good luck and good wishes apart from pure talent. Rahman enjoys unbridled affection from the masses, gratitude from the scores of artists that he has promoted and launched, silent salutes even from his competitors and in general does not attract malice even from hardened critics. ' Cause he himself is apolitical, friendly and work oriented. His own conduct is above board, always. Thats why, he carries with him and benefits from the zillion good wishes of people around the world.
Through the last decade and a half, he has broken 3 radical barriers. First, he shattered the language barrier, that prompted even soaked in rajma chawal kind of punjabis like me to buy tamil cassettes (CDs were not in those days) of Roja, Thiruda-Thiruda, Gentleman and Bombay. This is 2 years before he debuted in Bollywood with Rangeela and Bombay.
Then he transcended the Class barrier appealing to the hoi polloi in Kamla Nagar, Virar & Tamabaram as well as to the swish set in Malabar Hill, GK-II & Poes Garden. Many wd remember how crass hindi film music was in the late 80's and early 90's with the likes of Bappi Lahiri and Anu malik going hammer and tongs at our eardrums and sensibilities. Rahman's lilting ditties came like a breath of invigorating mountain air. Irrespective of whether it was the fast paced -Humma-Humma or Chaiyaa Chaiyya kind of numbers or the slower and languid Tu hi re, Ghanan-Ghanan or Dil Se Re kind of classic melodies - His music appealed ! Period.
Now he has surpassed the geographical barrier. Only time will tell - how successful he will be. But having observed his craft and his attitude, there is no reason why he wouldnt be ruling the world charts in a couple of years.
To me his success has come from the rapidly changing sound of his music - every few years. His first crop of 10-15 films had one kind of sound (Roja, Gentleman, Thiruda-Thiruda, Bombay, Rangeela, etc). Then came Lagaan, Dil Se, Earth, Zubeida, Pukaar, Taal, etc which had another genre of sound altogether. When u felt that this was it - came Saathiya, Swades, Yuva, Rang De Basanti and Guru etc which again changed the formula. The current sound of his music - as in Jaane Tu, Ghajini, Slum Dog and Delhi 6 is perhaps the fouth distinctive and different genre that i have heard from him. In fact, one hears a fresh sound every time that one hears Rahman. Its a sound that your ears and brain are not accustomed to. This i believe is also the reason why his music normally takes time to grow. But grow it does.
The detailing in his orchestration is remarkable. So are the subtle and not so subtle changes in song tempo. For about the last 4-5 years, there is almost an absence of the conventional mukhda and antaras in his songs. Sometimes it is disorienting but at most times, one loves the end product.
Every movie of his has a unique score that just cant be replaced with anything else. Cant even imagine Jodha Akbar or Jaane Tu or Lagaan or Guru with any different music (Jai ho from slumdog is apparently an exception because it seems it was created for a subhash ghai movie who in his wisdom decided not to use it). Have always felt that his music and background scores complement and uplift the onscreen proceedings substantially.
I feel his slower tracks, bhajans, lorees and love ballads are much better than his fast paced numbers. The latest in this series is from Ghajini - kaise mujhe tu mil gayee..
One of the many contributors to the fresh quality in his music also stems from his frequent use of raw singers. Artists of the calibre of Hema Sardesai (Awaara Bhawre), Richa Sharma (a song in Zubeida that i cant recall), Sapna Awasthi and Sukhwinder Singer (Chaiyaa-Chaiyya), Naresh Iyer (Roobaroo..), benny Dayal (Masakali), another new singer(Kabhi Kabhi aditi) have all made their debuts with his music.
What makes him so endearing apart from his work, is his trademark graciousness & humility. Just after the oscars, i heard him comment to one of the news channels that if he cd, he would rip the award into two and share it with one of the other nominees for he admired his work..I have also seen him openly talk about other Indian music directors in an admiring and complementary manner. These are signs - i guess- not just of maturity but of large heartedness, of love and of someone who has transcended and conquered his ego.
To me, his music is a reflection of this clean and endearing personality and thats why i love it.
He has already paralelled what RDBurman has been to millions of Indians for decades. Maybe he will now go beyond and be the new Mozart for billions across the world.
I eagerly look forward to all his new music releases like a school kid. I find his songs difficult to sing though. While it may be too late for me to attempt singing, just wish that i cd become half as gracious and large hearted as him.
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