For someone with an Oscar, Golden Globe, Grammy and BAFTA, A.R. Rahman is still passionate about creating innovative art.
The renowned songwriter and music composer has amassed a large catalogue of hits across Tamil and Hindi cinema, reaching South Asians all over the world. He's also composed for big western films, too, including Slumdog Millionaire and Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
He's also branched out into directing and producing, experimenting with technology that expands the audience experience. This month, he arrives in Melbourne for the world premiere of Headhunting to Beatboxing at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.
As a producer and presenter, Rahman dives into the story of the Naga tribe in Nagaland, north-east India. After years of violence related to the fight for independence, the community has found hope and healing through music.
Culture critic Vyshnavee Wijekumar chats to him about the film, as well as his inspirations and influences.
How did you find out about the music community in Nagaland?
India is a very big country … nobody knows about Nagaland … [located in the] far north-east.
We heard stories: 'Oh, they are head hunters; It's very dangerous.' And then suddenly, I get this invitation for the Hornbill Festival [in the region].
The past 20 years, they've been into music, and every street has kids with a guitar, and they're singing … in a very mountainous, picturesque and beautiful place in Kohima.
And so I called one of my friends Rohit [Gupta, director of Headhunting to Beatboxing], who had done The Creative Indians, and [said] 'hey, come here and, and take some visuals'. And so, this whole thing became like, let's do a little documentary.
Why do you think it was such an important story to be told?
I'm a big fan of Mahatma Gandhi and his Ahimsa [meaning nonviolence].
Here you see a very violent past … and how they have changed themselves into artists, musicians, songwriters.
It's a natural thing to get attracted to something which is evolving, something which is transformational, so that it inspires other states and other people in the world.
Your film soundtracks incorporate such a diversity in tone and style. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from the directors whom I work with, they are extraordinary artists and storytellers, and they come here because they get inspired by my work.
I listen to them, what they really like about me, because there are different parts of me. And then, I take clue from there and start taking the story, the narrative, from them.
And it's a teamwork, actually. So, the burden is not entirely on me.
How important has it been to cross cultural borders with your work?
I find that divisions are man-made, and if you understand cultures, understand people's lifestyle, understand the truth, understand their love, we can all enjoy, appreciate and complement each other … and that only comes from sharing culture first, sharing music first.
And so, I was interested in adapting many kinds of styles. Whether you find Celtic influence, Bulgarian influence, African influence. They're all extensions of the basic foundation of what I am — from India.
You're a creator that goes beyond the bounds of established paths. Do audiences or critics sometimes misunderstand your work?
No, they don't misunderstand — I'm evolving. I get bored with things very fast. I've been … a professional musician for the past 43 years. How you fight the boredom is to keep your engine passionate. And you do something which makes you like a child, discovering things.
[In the past] 10 years, we've been evolving into things which are very cool. Like Le Musk is a movie which I've directed and it's on virtual reality … it's got haptics and scent … and it premiered on Cannes XR. Give something new. I didn't want to get into the commercial production yet. I was trying to do the cooler things.
Even [in] my troop, we have young people. I learn from them, they get the experience thing from me, and that way we are having fun.
I am an educator too. The conservatory we have [KM Conservatory] … can consolidate extraordinary talents together. We're thinking of greater ideas, rather than just getting stuck with just movies and songs and dance. What else can you do other than commercial cinema? What is the void? And how can you fill it up? That's my thing.
What do you think about the future of music and technology?
Water takes the shape of the vessel, right? And humanity will … find ways to … beat anything. Because as humans, [we] are the originals … and we create something … that can't take over us.
When they were selling cassettes and CDs, suddenly Napster came in and … destroyed the music industry; but the music is still surviving.
There are many things human beings are doing, [which] AI can do. But the one thing it can't do is physically be present in a place, and having the excellence and the flaws together to making it human, and feeling the soul-to-soul connection for a viewer.
What do you hope people will gain from Headhunting to Beatboxing?
I think it's a great inspiration for the rest of the world to see and for Indians to see that there is a place called Nagaland. Half the people don't even know.
I think this film is as a tribute [to] extraordinary change.
Vyshnavee Wijekumar is a writer with a love of film, visual arts, performance and pop culture. When she's not writing and taking care of her daughter, she's working in the arts across marketing, producing, strategy, community engagement and policy work.
Headhunting to Beatboxing is showing as part of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, from 15-25 August.
