AR Rahman: I liked the new version of 'Humma'

ARâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Rahman in an earlier performance in the city. Pic/Shadab Khan

Mozart of Madras, Beethoven of India - one runs out of epithets to express AR Rahman's artistry. He is not confined to genres. The 50-year-old created his own school of music (the Rahman sound). With every album, the composer takes pleasure in outclassing himself; he has no competitors. Even after a career spanning over two decades, the man remains an avant-garde. Recently, Rahman recreated one of his classics - Urvasi Urvasi (Kadhalan, 1994) - for the sixth season of MTV Unplugged. He crowd-sourced the lyrics (in Tamil) from fans through his social media page, and gave it a contemporary spin with references ranging from Donald Trump to demonetisation. As soon as the channel unveiled the song on Wednesday night, social media went berserk with 1.9 million views in just a few hours. Excerpts from a telephonic interview.

Percussionist Ranjit Barot, vocalist Suresh Peters andâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Rahman in full flow during the shoot of Urvasi

Of your numerous cult hits, what made you pick Urvasi?
The band wanted to play the song. I thought, why not? Musicians have been upgrading the song in any case. Since Urvasi was made in 1994, it had become a part of people's lives. So I thought of asking them for new words. We got some really funny ones.

...but didn't you request them to leave out issues like the currency ban and Trump?
There is a reason why we didn't want them to write that; we had already written that part (laughs).

Many criticised Badshah's take on Humma Humma, but others loved it. What are your thoughts?
It is for a completely new audience. The older generation already had the song (when the original came out in 1995). The new song is for the present audience. In fact, I also liked it.

You have numerous melodies that are uncommon, like Kehta Hai Dil (Jeans), Thendrale (Kadhal Desam) and more. Do you have plans to recreate any of them?
For a composer, new stuff is more interesting. I just finished a movie (Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada) in the South. The film had only five songs but all of them were appreciated. You make sense even with new vibrations; you don't need to speak to your old self. This soundtrack says a lot to me. You need to constantly search, step into a zone and present it to the audience. You may fail but that is art for you. At times, we discover things late and sometimes, it happens instantly.

Your music was ahead of its times in the '90s. How did you trigger a composition then, and how do you do it now, in the digital age?
It was quieter back in the day, there were fewer people. Now, there is an explosion of talent. To go beyond this and shine is challenging. You need to work harder. There are no gatekeepers to hold anybody back today. If you are talented, you can post a video on YouTube and become an overnight star. We have seen it happen, but there are also bad things; you waste time checking them out.

When musicians upload covers of your songs and tag you, do you check them out?
I don't check all. At times, it gets mixed up and messy (laughs). But they have the right to do it. It is nice to experiment as long as you credit the person and don't distort the song. I am not the only person who is the owner of the song; there is a director, singer and a lyric writer. They all have a sense of ownership.

Earlier, people would say that Rahman is shy and soft-spoken, but today, you seem to be more reachable and approachable, thanks to social media...
It is amazing to feel connected. Sometimes, you need to see the world. Many tend to go out of context because they don't see the reality before them. We have to match up to what people are thinking and listening to right now, what they like in you now; these things keep changing constantly. There are people who liked me in the '90s but I have new listeners now. They may not like me but they are a new audience. You evolve in life and discover new things, not because you want to sell yourself, but because there are fascinating aspects in an artistic journey.

You are rarely seen wearing shades, but you wore them on air for Urvasi. Are you rediscovering life at 50?
No, it is not like that. It is a fun song, and everyone wore glares. So I said give me mine, I will also wear them (laughs).

How do you react when you hear stories of people equating you with God, and when they touch your feet through posters and photographs?
They are all humans. I take it as their kindness but then, I am also human and I don't consider myself to be God; he created all of us. I will always pray for all these beautiful people who are showering me with love; may they have amazing things in their life and get what they want.

Composers listen to you for ideas and inspiration; whom do you listen to?
For me, I need to get away from what is happening and do something that is fresh and nice. I listen to contemporary music to understand the vibe but code my own path. I liked the work of M.I.A, Ed Sheeran in the West; here, Arijit Singh is talented.