Varnam MY
  • Home
  • News
  • Celebrity
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Music
  • Trailers
  • Culture
No Result
View All Result
Varnam MY
  • Home
  • News
  • Celebrity
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Music
  • Trailers
  • Culture
No Result
View All Result
Varnam MY
No Result
View All Result
Home Music

EXCLUSIVE: AR Rahman Speaks To Varnam Malaysia On His Soundtrack 99 Songs

by Revathi Durai
April 13, 2021
83
SHARES
456
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSend

After two decades as a music composer, with the forthcoming musical 99 Songs, AR Rahman has widened his involvement in filmmaking by becoming a writer-producer.

The Oscar-winning composer recently engaged with 15 media houses from Malaysia & Singapore in an exclusive arranged by Sony Music India & Sony Music Malaysia. This engagement, let to an insightful and inspiring conversation about the movie, which he explains is purely about the journey he traversed for 99 Songs.

He also adds on, that 99 Songs is a musical love story that marks the musician’s debut as a film producer. Rahman said:

“I’m not creating content. I’m creating life, soul, and art.”

It’s a splendid collection of songs with outstanding vocals. The soundtrack, which includes 14 excellent songs in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, was also released in all three languages, which must have been a massive challenge. Each interpretation has its distinct features, and the three musical adaptations showcase a wide range of exceptional singers, artists, and lyricists.

Talking about the spark for the story of 99 songs, the 54-year-old composer said that life and light encouraged him to write what he referred to as a fairytale. He goes through a lot more detail, but we don’t want to give everything away because it’s such a great response.

We at Varnam Malaysia had an opportunity to pose a question to AR Rahman based on his upcoming musical film and here’s what he had to say:

Varnam Malaysia: In all his years as a music director, from 1992 to the present day, there must have been some Raagas that you swayed towards or used more frequently than others. What were those Raagas, and did history repeat itself with you using those Raagas in 99 Songs?

A. R. Rahman: For me personally, I think not everybody can play every Raaga. Some of them have mastered the tune and it can be more than that due to their experience level. I might be wrong in film music but for me, my favorites would be K.V. Mahadevan, Rajeswara Rao, Illyaraja, and many others. 

To answer your question, my association with the Raaga scheme is based on my experience since I’ve worked with multiple music directors early in my career. I still remember, there was one lady who always insisted me to do things with Raagas and not to forget the amazing music director who is fondly known as Babu. For each episode, Babu had consciously made me work continuously around with Raagas.

Each movie is full of Raagas. This kind of stuff is risky but at the same time, it’s exciting to try out.

There was a project where I have worked based on only Raagas. A research-based on Raagas was conducted for the past five to six years but I was waiting for 99 songs film to be released. If everything goes well, I probably will continue making pieces of music based on Raagas. 

And this is where I believe Rahman’s brilliance shone through in the 1990s when he was able to take extremely difficult-to-harmonise ragas like Panthu Varali and create an ethereal yet atmospheric soundscape without having to fit it into any western-style pop song.

Let me, right at the very outset, clarify that a write-up on Rahman’s use of the essence of classical ragas is one must observe with the purity of raaga in the song. It’s all about how the music sounds in your headphones!

https://varnam.my/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/New-video-2-compressed.mp4

Helmed by debutant Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy, 99 Songs depicts a story about the art and self-discovery of a struggling singer who wants to be a successful music composer.

Ehan Bhat features alongside Edilsy Vargas in the musical film, slated to hit theatres on April 16th. Presented by Jio Studios, the film was produced by AR Rahman’s production company YM Movies and co-produced by Ideal Entertainment.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. 

Filed Under 99 songsAR RahmanEdilsy VargasEhan BhatSony Music India & Sony Music MalaysiaVishwesh Krishnamoorthy
Share34Tweet21Send

UPCOMING

Thenisai Thendral Deva Live In Malaysia 2023
03 June 2023

Thenisai Thendral Deva Live In Malaysia 2023

RM99
Find out more
Hearts Of Harris 3.0 Live in Kuala Lumpur
17 June 2023

Hearts Of Harris 3.0 Live in Kuala Lumpur

RM299
Find out more
D Imman Live in KL – Kacheri Arambam
08 July 2023

D Imman Live in KL – Kacheri Arambam

RM121.50
Find out more
Load More

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Music

4 Heavenly Tamil Independent Musicians You Should Know

by Sabita
June 1, 2023
Concert

Sid Sriram’s Heart and Soul 3.0 concert to hit KL this 7th October, Tickets on sale June 1, 11AM

by Sabita
May 31, 2023
Entertainment

Top 10 Songs that Symbolises Thenisai Thendral Deva’s Music

by Sabita
May 30, 2023
Culture

Parai: The Earliest Indian Percussion

by Shamini Priya
May 16, 2023

TRENDING

  1. 1

    Super Singer Junior 9 Auditions Happening On 3rd June 2023 at Sunway Putra Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

  2. 2

    Thenisai Thendral Deva Live In Malaysia 2023

  3. 3

    Xavier; Get To Know The Man Behind Savage Comments!

  4. 4

    Stephen Zechariah Live in Kuala Lumpur

  5. 5

    Sid Sriram’s Heart and Soul 3.0 concert to hit KL this 7th October, Tickets on sale June 1, 11AM

  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2023 Vijandren Ramadass. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Celebrity
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Music
  • Trailers
  • Culture

© 2023 Vijandren Ramadass. All Rights Reserved.