The trademark curly locks are gone but the ace music composer continues to be as shy as ever as he explains where and why he was missing all this while.
AR Rahman, who was in Mumbai briefly, explains where and why
he’s been missing all this while
The trademark curly locks are gone but AR Rahman continues to be as shy as ever. Ask him about the new look and he mumbles, “I had shaved my head before leaving for Haj in January so my hair is still growing back.”
Now that his new look has been explained, it’s time to talk about the one project that he has been involved with for the longest time - the ‘Lord of the Rings’ musical stage version.. “I have been working on this for more than two years,” he says about the nearly $28 million stage epic which previewed on February 4. The musical opens in Toronto on March 28 and moves to London next year.
Rahman has collaborated on the play’s 15 tracks with Varttina, a folk band from Finland. “It was an interesting collaboration, he says, adding, “to those who’ve heard my music before, I’d say don’t expect ‘Shakalaka Baby’ or ‘Chaiya Chaiya’. But would there be any Indian elements in the musical. “Of course, there is a very interesting juncture of the play for which I recorded some alaaps with Shankar Mahadevan,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.
After a long gap, Rahman rocked the nation again with ‘Rang De Basanti’, and he is obviously satisfied. “Even after so many years, it’s nice to hear my work playing in every street in the country.”
So why doesn’t he do more work in Bollywood? “Simply because I don’t have the time,” he says, without skipping a beat. Because of the numerous international projects? “I know that a lot of people are upset that I’ve been concentrating on international work. I’d like to ask them if they wouldn’t have grabbed these opportunities if they had been in my place? Also, at some level, I’m promoting Indian cinema just like Shekhar Kapur or Aishwarya Rai. What’s wrong with that?”
Rahman Update
Returned from Haj in January
Has been working on the stage musical of ‘Lord of the Rings’ which opens in Toronto on March 28
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