- AR Rahman says he is his own biggest critic and does not expect everyone to like his compositions.
- The composer explains the musical thought process behind Mangal Rang.
- Rahman says Hans Zimmer’s association with Ramayana could attract a new international audience to the epic.
AR Rahman is composing the music for Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming mythological epic Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, working alongside Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer. Bringing together two celebrated composers for a cinematic adaptation of one of India's most revered epics has naturally raised expectations.
However, the music has also faced scrutiny, particularly after the release of Mangal Rang, which drew criticism from some listeners over its musical treatment.
Now, Rahman has opened up about the creative process behind the film's music, the criticism surrounding the song, his experience of collaborating with Zimmer and why he continues to feel nervous about performing live.
In a conversation with The Indian Express, Rahman said he is often his own harshest critic and does not necessarily expect everyone to appreciate his compositions immediately.
“I am my first critic. It is not that I just love everything I do,” he said, adding that the team does not arrive at musical decisions in a day. Sometimes, the compositions are lived with for months before they are finalised.
He further explained that listeners may not always understand the thought process behind a particular musical choice immediately. Comparing the process to making pickle, Rahman said some compositions become better with time.
“Sometimes you need to take anthropology into consideration. Sometimes, you let something be, like pickle: for certain tunes, the older it is, the better it becomes,” he said.
The composer also acknowledged that one eventually has to learn not to be affected by every comment. Quoting Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, he added, “If you want to satisfy everyone, go sell ice cream.”
AR Rahman On The Criticism Surrounding Mangal Rang
The release of Mangal Rang, featuring the Ramayana characters played by Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash, sparked conversations on social media, with some listeners questioning its qawwali-like treatment for a song associated with the mythological epic.
However, Rahman's musical approach was rooted in a combination of classical influences. For the composition, he drew from the shuddh notes of Bilawal, with elements of Maand, a raga often associated with bhajans and wedding songs, along with touches of the romantic Pahadi.
The composer was attempting to find a musical language that connected with devotional traditions while retaining his own creative approach.
Despite the initial criticism, Mangal Rang went on to claim the top spot on YouTube's trending music chart during the week of its release.
AR Rahman On Working With Hans Zimmer For Ramayana
Another major talking point surrounding Ramayana is the collaboration between Rahman and Hans Zimmer, who is known for his work on films such as Interstellar, Inception and Gladiator.
Speaking about bringing the two musical worlds together, Rahman said Zimmer's presence could encourage a new audience to explore the story.
“His name coming in Ramayana would bring a whole set of new audience curiosity. The film has a score and it has songs and it has probably like 10 movies worth of work, where there were five different languages and two different versions: the Hollywood version and the Indian version and also the kind of pressure the whole team had for every note, every tune. That is when one understands that there's so much at stake for them (the makers) that they want to be really sure,” he said.
Rahman also said that seeing audiences across different parts of the country respond to the music has been encouraging.
Why AR Rahman Says He Is A Nervous Performer
While Rahman is widely recognised for his musical brilliance, performing live did not always come naturally to him. The composer revealed that one of his biggest challenges during the early years of his concert performances was translating the layered sound of his studio recordings onto the stage.
The turning point came around 2015, when percussionist Ranjit Barot, his long-time associate, took over as the music director of his live concerts.
Rahman recalled that the change made performing considerably more comfortable. What once felt like a nightmare gradually became an experience he could enjoy. He also spoke about how watching audiences sing his songs back to him changed his relationship with live performances.
“I was completely a non-performer. But then I questioned myself. Would I like to see somebody behind the keyboard hiding or somebody who can entertain people?” he said.
Over time, he began loosening up on stage, joking around, interacting with audiences and singing along. However, the composer admitted that he still gets nervous when he has not rehearsed properly.
What We Know About Ramayana
Made under the direction of Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash in the villainous role of Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. The lineup also includes Rakul Preet Singh in the role of Surpanakha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari, Arun Govil, Vivek Oberoi and Sheeba Chaddha in pivotal roles.
Reportedly made on a staggering budget of Rs 4,000 crore, the first instalment of the mythological saga is slated for a theatrical release on November 5 in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
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