Post the colossal fame and the trappings that came with the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire, Rahman’s finally back doing what he does best –
music. His first Hollywood score after the double delight – Couples Retreat (CR) – has just hit screens abroad and he’s excited that it’s doing well.
Working on a Hollywood score has given the musician a chance to explore a variety of genres. “The music might be subtly mixed in the film, but it serves the purpose perfectly,” says Rahman about his experience, “My primary aim while composing the music was to bring out the spirit of the island the couples go to. At some places, I had to give them what the film required and at some, I gave them the type of music that I’m known for. Getting that balance was quite a challenge.”
LYRICALLY YOURS
One of the highlights of the CR score is that it features a Tamil song titled Kurukuru Kan ... . So, how did Rahman decide to provide local flavour to a global film? “The makers wanted something exotic to suit the spirit of the island,” recalls Rahman, “It could have been African, Indian or anything else. But then, Tamil can be exotic too!”
That’s when the idea of including a Tamil number crept into the ace musician’s mind. “I sat down and penned the lyrics myself,” he reveals, “But honestly, it wasn’t much of a task as I just needed a string of words that sounded interesting phonetically. They loved the track and gave me the go ahead.” So, is this the first time that the musician has tried his hand at penning lyrics? “In a way, yes,” he states.
THE STUDENT PHASE
Used to the routine give-me-a-track-for-the-situation, Rahman found the manner in which Hollywood works, interesting and radically different. “Marks were given to each department once work was finished,” he says, “For instance, once I composed a track, it used to be played out and the unit would judge it and give it points. They would then discuss whether it would work or not for the audience.”
This method of working was something entirely new to Rahman, who feels that it would be great if local filmmakers took a leaf out of their book. “It happens all the time — after a film releases, we have the audience saying things like ‘one song didn’t work, the second half was a bit boring’,” he says, “If an outsider’s point of view is taken before the film releases, it sets the ground for better films.”
PERFECT ‘SON’RISE
The Nana... song is the most popular piece of CR, which features 15 tracks. And, it’s close to the musician’s heart as it marks the singing debut of his son! “Yes, Nana... is the hot favourite abroad,” he gushes, “Making my son sing a couple of lines was not a big ordeal at all. He was fooling around in the room when I was composing the song. And, just as an experiment, I made him sing a couple of lines and recorded it. I used it because it fit the mood of the track perfectly.”
How many marks would he give himself out of ten for his first Hollywood soundtrack, post the Oscar success? “I never rate my music,” he states matter-of-factly.
