AR Rahman, who has collaborated with Oscar winner Hans Zimmer on Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayan, shared his thoughts on whether his religious identity played a role in the project. During the same conversation, Rahman said we as individuals need to rise above the "petty things."
Speaking on BBC Asian's YouTube channel, Rahman said, "I studied in a Brahmin school, and every year we had Ramayana and Mahabharata, so I know the story. The story is about how virtuous a person is, higher ideals, and all that stuff. People may argue, but I value all those good things - any good things that you can learn from. The prophet has said that knowledge is something invaluable, no matter where you get it from - a king, a beggar, a good act or a bad one. You can't shy away from things."
Rahman added, "I think we need to elevate from small-mindedness and selfishness. Because when we elevate and we become radiant - we become a radiant of that, and that's very important. I am proud of the whole project, because it's from India to the whole world, with such love. Hanz Zimmer is Jewish, I am Muslim, and the Ramayana is Hindu (text)."
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Rahman discussed his high-profile collaboration: "It's terrifying for both of us. We're scoring something so iconic and so important to the world. So in the promo, I think he had a soundscape, then I took that and added the Sanskrit words at the end and everything. What's complicated is that we're taking something so epic, which every Indian knows, and we have to give them something new. We have to give something to the world - from India to the world."
He also shared his approach to the film's music: "We have to unlearn certain things, like how our instincts demand, 'Oh, this is how Ramayana should be done,' but also imbibe the timeless quality that exists in the culture. It's still a process. I'm working with Dr Kumar Vishwas, who is like a pro, almost at a professor level when it comes to Ramayana and the Hindi language. Every atom of his body speaks Ramayana. He comes up with lyrics like that, and he's a very kind person. So we're having fun, and it's new."
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the cast of Ramayan includes Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Ravi Dubey, Sunny Deol, Kajal Aggarwal, Arun Govil, and Indira Krishnan.
