| Rahman, the composer puts Rahman, the singer on the backburner but refuses to talk about the assignments he's undertaking | | | popular choice: A R Rahman.
pic/ Atul Kamble | Even though A R Rahman is still in the midst of his score for Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa Akbar and "there is still lots to be done" (as he puts it), he finds himself in a piquant situation. He has been getting singing offers aplenty from other composers!
Director's choice
"It's strange but true. Kailash Kher wants me to sing for him, so does Himesh Reshammiya and Adnan Sami.
It's extremely kind of them to think of me but I can't just sing like that.
When I render a track, I cut myself off from other things. Even for a concert, a couple of days before it I don't pursue my other music stuff, but just concentrate on the singing."
As a result, the musician has kept the offers on hold. "I am working on a new album only after I complete it, can I consider any singing offers." About the album, he says, "It is confidential so I can't talk about it."
The reticent composer, who is not too comfy speaking to the media, refers to Mumbai as North and Chennai as South. His conversation, whatever little, is peppered with what he is doing in the 'North' and in the 'South'.
On Mission Ustaad
Over the weekend, he was in Mumbai for the shoot for 9X's weekend show Mission Ustaad. Rahman features as judge along with Lara Dutta and Javed Akhtar. The reality drama has jodis Roopkumar and Sunali Rathod, Kailash Kher and Mahalaxmi Iyer, Vasundhara Das and Mohit Chauhan, Naresh Iyer and Shweta Pandit battle for the Mission Ustaad title.
Hosted by Simone Singh, it will have the jodis belt out both popular and especially composed tracks. The aim of this show is also to spread awareness about the millennium development goals of the United Nations across the country.
"I have been part of music shows earlier like Channel [V]'s Super Singer and in shows in Hyderabad and Chennai. It has been a nice experience shooting for the show; we have wrapped it up," he adds.
Apart from Jodhaa Akbar, Rahman is also working on two other Hindi films but his endeavours remain confidential a word with which he describes most of his assignments. http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/december/167658.htm
|
Book Talk
Aami Daakini
