Spirituality speaks

A R Rahman after interaction
with media in Nagpur 

Enter A R Rahman. And enter tranquillity. A small man surrounded by tall and strong security guards, he walks to the dais with a contented smile. As Lalit Khobragade makes the introductory speech, Rahman goes through the information leaflet in which it is mentioned that on May 15, Nagpur, the centre of India, will witness Rahman’s first ever live concert in India, after winning the most prestigious Oscars and Grammys.
“In the last two years, I visited as many as 24 nations and coming back home is a great feeling. Great energy, enthusiasm I can feel here. This is something I was missing all this time.”

He weaves small sentences with simple words, and fills the pauses with his signature smile. For most of the questions, he has quick one word answers. For instance, when somebody asks, “After two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, and four National Film Awards, what is next? ,” Rahman quips, “Nagpur!”.

Such quick and interesting answers by the maestro, popularly known as ‘Rahmaniyat’ these days, make the press conference more lively. This is the same attitude which made this man reassert the trademark ‘Mere paas maa Hai’ A dialogue from Deewar while receiving the Oscar, and this is the same coolness with which he moved ahead of the ‘Oscar impact’ so early and started composing  yet another record. “Many ambitious Hollywood projects are in hand with a number of Bollywood flicks, too. After the grand Enthiran, I am working for some Tamil and Malyalam movies,” says the composer for whose music, language has never been a barrier. It is because Rahman considers music as a universal phenomenon. For him, it is beyond the language, religion and nation. Just like God!

“Music and spirituality are not different things. Every music, on its highest note, becomes spiritual and every spirituality, at its zenith, turns musical,” Rahman, one of the greatest exponents of Sufiana singing style, speaks out the philosophy in the simplest words. This simplicity makes him great.
When someone asks him about his dream, he quickly says, “I work all through the night, so no time for dreams.” Ask him about increasing number and decreasing quality of reality shows, and he says, “I would prefer to see singers performing happily on television, instead of watching news of war and calamities.” And ask him why he is not joining any reality show as mentor or judge, pat comes the reply, “Because I have lots of work to do!” Each answer gives a glimpse of the reclusive ‘Rahman wit.’

(All Photographs by Anil Futane)

Soft spoken and short in words, Rahman  turns expressive when he speaks about music and faith. A philanthropist, he owns a Foundation which runs a music school where more than 200 students are getting an experience of the world of music with experts. “Out of these, many are from slums and some from poor families. They are getting free education,” he mentions proudly. “Our family believes that music is not just for earning money, but it is a spiritual cause. Teaching it to youngsters is the best way to say thanks to the Almighty who selected us for this holy work,” says Rahman who is happy to perform in Nagpur for the special cause of Bodhi Foundation’s women empowerment project.

“All I know about Nagpur is that this city is just a flight away from Mumbai,” he laughs, a rare spontaneous gesture from the maestro. “Recently, my mother had asked me to take her to Nagpur to visit Tajbagh. I promised her that we will visit this place after my world tour. And fortunately, as soon as my world tour completed, the first ever concert call I received was from Nagpur. This was like Baba Taj is calling,” says Rahman, who directly went to Tajbagh from the City Airport to seek blessings.“We are preparing hard for this concert, as this is going to be the beginning of our ‘back  to home’ series. We are working on several new concepts, and also thinking to include some local talent in the concert,”

Rahman leaves with a positive note for the city's singers.

Cutting of the same news published in The Hitavada on April 29, 2011