Chat with A R Rahman!

[leosimha]

Chat with A R Rahman!

Allah Rakha Rahman burst on the national musical consciousness in 1992, with a score for the Mani Ratnam-helmed pan-Indian hit Roja that was markedly different from the prevailing template of film music of the time.

In the 16 years -- and a shade under 100 films -- since then, Rahman has created for himself an indelible place in the minds and ears of music lovers not just in India but around the world.

The year just ended, 2007, was rich with soundtracks as varied as Guru (where he collaborated yet again with director Mani Ratnam), Shivaji (the Rajnikanth starrer for which his music sold in the millions) and co-composer alongside Craig Armstrong for Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

2008 promises to continue the trend of quality married to quantity: The soundtrack of Jodhaa Akbar is already racing to hit status; coming up are his scores for big banner films like Yuvraj, Gajini, Delhi 6 and Rockstar.

Audiences know him, love him, from and through his music alone; the reclusive genius has been reluctant to engage in extended interviews or appear in live interactions with his fans.

That is set to change at 11 pm IST/0930 Eastern, Saturday, February 9, when A R Rahman will appear, live, on the Rediff Chat to interact with millions of his fans around the world. The audience will inevitably be 'standing room only', the questions will certainly be voluminous.

In order that Rahman can answer as much as humanly possible, the maestro has requested that you send in your questions ahead of time -- he will, at the appointed hour, appear live on the Rediff Chat to answer as many as he can.

Post your questions in the area alongside by 1800 IST Friday and watch this space for the link to the chat room, where you get to interact, live, with unarguably India's finest composer.

***CLOSED***: Here is a transcript of the chat (http://mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?p=1278040#1278040)


Link - http://www.rediff.com/movies/rahman08.html

[leosimha]

Please post in your questions here that you will be asking to the Genius ARR.

[Yathu]

So what time is 11 pm IST/0930 Eastern in the UK? I'm not good at time conversions! :lol:

[Ramakrishna]

So what time is 11 pm IST/0930 Eastern in the UK? I'm not good at time conversions! :lol:

I think 5:30 pm

[Yathu]

:ty: Ramakrishna

[Wibha]

I finished asking mine :D :boo:

[thineshan54321]

I finished asking mine :D :boo:

i am just overwhelmed, dunno what to ask. :(

[rsubras]

thinesan..same with me.......

even if i meet A.R.Rahman..i wud only be in awe...without being able to talk anything :D

[rsubras]

anyway the question i asked was

>>Vanakkam anna, sometimes it is tougher to handle victories and stay balanced than handling defeats.. Please tell us how you have managed to stay yourself?

[Wibha]

i asked 2 questions

first one i feel is kinda stupid :? second one deals with technology.........


i kinda doubt rediff :? are all of you sure it will be ARR?
and 11 pm india is 9:30 am PST and not EST..............bogus-a irukumo :?

if its really ARR i still can't get to chat :bangcomp: tennis classse :banghead:

[Yathu]

I'm really looking forward to this! I just hope the site doesn't crash with the influx of people trying to enter the chat room! :lol:

Can someone confirm what 11pm IST means and also 0930 Eastern? I'm slightly confused. Is it 11pm in India, but then what does the 0930 mean? :? I need to know exactly what this time will be in London!

[Yathu]

Its been moved from 11.00 to 11.30.

[Yathu]

well i've been refreshing the page for 20 mins....still NOTHING! :argh:

[littlemaster1982]

A.R.Rahman was performing live in Chennai this evening. The concert ended exactly at 11 PM IST. He should be answering in shortwhile now.

[Yathu]

oww ok thanks for the info LM!

[thilak4life]

Heck, it keeps popping up "11:30 IST", and you loose patience. :angry2:

[Yathu]

YEAH! :rant:

[Yathu]

OMG im in! Hes jus answering pre asked q's! YAY :D

[littlemaster1982]

Wibha is the first hubber to get the answer from ARR :thumbsup:



Name: Arshitha V

Question: Hi Rahman Sir. How are you? As we all know that Technology is having a great impact in the world of music, how are you able to keep yourself abreast with the current technology? Also, do you feel that you need more contributions from the world of science to music? I value your opinion a lot on this. Thank you, Arshitha.V

A. R. Rahman says : I've not seen any great innovation in instruments recently except for a few which is the continium fingerboard and a very unique instrument in north India where a person has combined a violin and a Sarangi.Indian music could have a great scientific instrument emulating all the gamakas and ragas with a polyphonic touch. I might have missed something which is already there.

[thilak4life]

Wibha is the first hubber to get the answer from ARR.



Name: Arshitha V
Question: Hi Rahman Sir. How are you? As we all know that Technology is having a great impact in the world of music, how are you able to keep yourself abreast with the current technology? Also, do you feel that you need more contributions from the world of science to music? I value your opinion a lot on this. Thank you Arshitha.V
A. R. Rahman says : I've not seen any great innovation in instruments recently except for a few which is the continium fingerboard and a very unique instrument in north India where a person has combined a violin and a Sarangi.Indian music could have a great scientific instrument emulating all the gamakas and ragas with a polyphonic touch. I might have missed something which is already there.


:boo:

[Yathu]

Wibha is the first hubber to get the answer from ARR :thumbsup:



Name: Arshitha V

Question: Hi Rahman Sir. How are you? As we all know that Technology is having a great impact in the world of music, how are you able to keep yourself abreast with the current technology? Also, do you feel that you need more contributions from the world of science to music? I value your opinion a lot on this. Thank you, Arshitha.V

A. R. Rahman says : I've not seen any great innovation in instruments recently except for a few which is the continium fingerboard and a very unique instrument in north India where a person has combined a violin and a Sarangi.Indian music could have a great scientific instrument emulating all the gamakas and ragas with a polyphonic touch. I might have missed something which is already there.


Is Arshitha wibha? Goooo Wibha! CONGRATS! :clap:

Hes only answered 3 questions so far tho!

[ajithfederer]

I don't get to see the contents of the chat. The enter chat button in rediff isn't working at all :twisted:

[littlemaster1982]

I don't get to see the contents of the chat. The enter chat button in rediff isn't working at all :twisted:

AF,

Are you using Firefox?. I had the same problem in 'Opera' browser. I closed that window and opened the link in IE. It worked fine.

[ajithfederer]

EKMozillaI ?? :shock: Yes LM now i am able to access the chat contents.. Thanks a ton mate :) . Naanum oru kossteen ketturukein varudhaanu paapom :oops:


I don't get to see the contents of the chat. The enter chat button in rediff isn't working at all :twisted:

AF,

Are you using Firefox?. I had the same problem in 'Opera' browser. I closed that window and opened the link in IE. It worked fine.

[littlemaster1982]

AF :thumbsup:

I'm waiting too :roll:

[ajithfederer]

Aaha!!!!!

Name: Shani George
Question: Guruji.., wot is dat one special thing you would like to tell your millions of fans..??
A. R. Rahman says : Love makes the heart more lighter and makes you see things objectively and hate darkens you and makes you heavy at heart and uneasy. Make a choice. God bless.

[Yathu]

Awwww...hes finished answering already! :(

[Wibha]

thank you guys :D m sooooooooooooo HONORED :notworthy: no idea how happy i am............wen he said just a few questions i was :shaking: apram end la paatha en peru :cool: i was like :redjump: :bluejump: :D


:ty: :ty: :ty: ARR sir :notworthy:

i asked 2 questions under my name..............guess he didn't like the second one :oops: still :boo: arr sir :notworthy: :ty: so much m sooo honored :D

master how was the concert? :D

[Yathu]

[tscii:96cb5c27e8]TRANSCRIPT OF THE CHAT

1.

Name: Arshitha V (AKA Wibha!)
Question: Hi Rahman Sir. How are you? As we all know that Technology is having a great impact in the world of music, how are you able to keep yourself abreast with the current technology? Also, do you feel that you need more contributions from the world of science to music? I value your opinion a lot on this. Thank you Arshitha.V
A. R. Rahman says: I've not seen any great innovation in instruments recently except for a few which is the continium fingerboard and a very unique instrument in north India where a person has combined a violin and a Sarangi.Indian music could have a great scientific instrument emulating all the gamakas and ragas with a polyphonic touch. I might have missed something which is already there.

2.

Name: Amit Iyer
Question: Good Evening Rahmanji. I m your Die Hard Fan from Mumbai. I Love each and every track U have composed right from Roja to Jodha Akbar and have collected Cd's and cassettes of each of ur compositions. I heard U r going to compose some devotional album soon with Ur Guru Shri Dakshinamoorthy. When is it about to be released? And I just want to meet you atleast once. U have come to Mumbai several times but I always missed the opportunity of meeting You. Hope we will meet soon. All The Best For Ur Future Projects. Warm Regards To You and Your Family.
A. R. Rahman says : You are right. Mr Dakshinamurthy has composed a beautiful album from the Tamil Sufi text of Gunangudi Mastan based on Carnatic ragas. Though we have done around six songs, we are still finding it difficult to find the time to complete the other songs. But it's a very passionate project.Do wait for it.

3.

Name: S.Somu
Question: Sir...dont neglect my request....... plzzzzzz.........give me some work to do......anything....i will travel my life with u sir.....i donno more about music.....but can do any kind of work....... Dont neglect this........ Al-Risaiah......
A. R. Rahman says : I never intentionally neglect people, but due to overehleming que in my work, it might seem so. I have all of you in my prayers and love you all.

4.

Name: Chekka Prakash
Question: Why are you not giving music Telugu movies?
A. R. Rahman says : I am in the process of doing a Telugu movie directed by S J Suriya, and starring Pavan Kalyan and the music of Jodhaa Akbar will also release in Telugu.

5.

Name: Sathya
Question: Hi Rahman, I am a die hard fan of you and i am listening to your music since Roja. I have read in your interviews that you do prayer 5 times a day and also its because you love your job you can avoid burnout. But amid such high pressures how are able to do that. Will you get pressurised anytime by producers to finish fast, which can cause you lose your coolness and creativity.
A. R. Rahman says : Like hjow we find time to eat food and sleep, we need to find time for 'spiritual food' too. If we have our mind balanced and light, all other things are easier to handle.

6.

Name: Shani George
Question: Guruji.., wot is dat one special thing you would like to tell your millions of fans..??
A. R. Rahman says : Love makes the heart more lighter and makes you see things objectively and hate darkens you and makes you heavy at heart and uneasy. Make a choice. God bless.

7.

Name: Vineet
Question: Hi rahamn sir....i am a fan of u...i am hearing runours that u are coming to dubai for a concert...is it true??..if it is true...is it a public or a private concert?...we are very eager to see u here in dubai....thanks
A. R. Rahman says : You'll know very soon.

8.

Name: Armstrong S.A
Question: Still i feel that quality and sounds of "Roja" songs are far better than your recent ones. What is the main reason for that? are you missing Sridar and other sound engineers?
A. R. Rahman says : At the time of Roja, the consumer music systems used were of lower qualities and we had to cater to a mono-magnetic tape. Hence we had to exaggerate the high frequencies and use a lot of spacializers. Things have changed in the course of time and we are right now taken a universal approach in the sound quality to make our recordings sound warm and friendly to every system. That covers the recording part. The sounds which you say were inspired from the film of Roja… definitely another film soundtrack will come where you will feel the same or maybe better vibe again.

9.

Name: Aravind AM
Question: Sir, In most of your songs, there are very minute and very fine sounds -which may hardly be noticeable to a normal listener, but if we actually notice them, we appreciate the sheer brilliance. What motivates to to make all those fine nuances in your songs, though the efforts that you put in for beautifying the song may not reach the audience?
A. R. Rahman says : There is a story of Michelangelo -- if I am not wrong -- which I heard recently. It seems that he was painting beautiful pictures at the back of the church. People told him you are a fool because you are not painting in the front where people can appreciate your work. The answer was: I do my work for God to watch it. I think he can watch it anywhere. I thought it was a brilliant answer because everything doesn’t need to have instant appreciation. Even if one of you have appreciated those fine nuances, that is enough for me.

10.

Name: MAHESH LONDHE
Question: I personally feel “ 1947 Earth” is your all time best Music. I am not at all against synthesizer or latest techniques but have a strong opinion that Music is nothing but ‘Feelings’ and therefore a song should be recorded in one go without a break as it was practice previously. What is your opinion ?
A. R. Rahman says : Thank you very much. I definitely have a lot of freedom when I work with Deepa Mehta, since she doesn’t nitpick into every little thing. She just gives the general idea and disappears till we make beautiful music for her and she responds later. Freedom is very important in the process of creating music and songs. There are a lot of issues when we record music together, because even if one person is not right, then the whole recording becomes unusable. Hence, by the use of multi-tracks, we definitely try to simulate the seamlessness in a song. But the practice is still on. The music of Lord of the Rings, the musical, and Golden Age, which I recorded recently were all with a live orchestra in one of the most prestigious studios in London

11.

A. R. Rahman says : I read most of your questions… thought I will just pick and choose the ones I felt like answering due to lack of time. I thank you for taking your time for writing all those beautiful kind words.[/tscii:96cb5c27e8]

http://inwww.rediff.com/movies/rahmanconv.html

[Nerd]

Congrats Wibhs :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Him choosing your question over thousands speaks volumes about its quality :P

[Wibha]

thanks nerd :D

[ThalaNass]

WOW congrats WIbhs :D :clap:

[selvakumar]

:thumbsup: Wibha !! :D
I thought you will ask a pretty ordinary question like "What is ur hobby?" and all.. Neeya intha question kaetta :omg: :notworthy: :clap:
Good question

Only 10 questions.. What a disappointment :(

[Wibha]

:thumbsup: Wibha !! :D
I thought you will ask a pretty ordinary question like "What is ur hobby?" and all.. Neeya intha question kaetta :omg: :notworthy: :clap:
Good question

Only 10 questions.. What a disappointment :( :ty: cha enna ivlo thaana terinjindirukardhu :cry: I am not as stupid as I seem :twisted: I can be sensible at times :oops:

nass :D :ty:

[MADDY]

Only 10 questions.. What a disappointment :(

thalaivar was so tired during the concert only.........he was sitting and playing most of the times......so, i expected the rediff chat will be either called off or be curtailed...... :D