Kittu Mama Solraan

Below is one of the finest Rahman interviews I've read so far. It created a great feeling. I almost felt like walking next to Rahman, as the Interviewer, Mathew explains his experiences in splendid detail. Beware, this post will almost eat your full day, but never mind, you will be elated with joy, reading through every bit of our musical legend, a.r.rahman's interview.

PART1 (THE UGC UK PREMIERE OF WOHE)
First of all,
Thank you to Gopal and Rano for listening to my concerns and most importantly to Vijay for giving me tips on how to react to the sight of Rahman and what to do! It helped. Sorry for the delay on my story. I typed it as soon as I got a computer and you guys will know why I was late. I still cant believe that it happened.

The story is a long one, so please bear with me.

The Story begins like this.

Saturday 7th March 2004

I departed Cardiff for Birmingham New street station. On reaching there at 12:10 pm I slipped to the nearby shopping centre to buy a microphone for the interview. At that point in time I was very nervous. I sat at the McDonanlds nearby and made a call to Boss’s number. What I heard on the other side while my heart was beating was a message, “ Hi! This is AR RAHMAN, it would be quicker if you sent me a text message with your name and number as I
don’t check my mail that often” When I heard this I sent him a text wishing him luck for the show which I had done previously and reminding him that we had a appointment after the show. He replied by saying, Thanks, inshallah!

In the meantime, since I hadn’t seen WOHE and heard there was a premiere at UGC Birmingham , a UK exclusive, I thought I would drop by to watch the movie. I reached the movie theatre at 3:00 as the movie was at 4pm and I had nothing better to do, the concert was at 7:00pm. The movie was shown as a part of a Birmingham Screen Festival or something. When I reached there, the guys upon asking about the movie said that Rahman would be in attendance. I was so shocked that I couldn’t move but then I was nervous to. What would I say, How would I approach him, I ran into the toilet washed my face and
waited in the foyer outside screen 11 where Rahman was supposed to show up!

Now I know what Vijay felt in the aircraft before walking upto Rahman. A guy with a Walkie talkie came up to me and as I was carrying a briefcase and wearing a coat asked me if I was Rahman, I said, hell no……. I don’t have enough talent in me to be half of who he is! A while after that as I sat their waiting, the boss walked in with the new haricut. He had an Indian guy with him (may be Vijay can shed some light on this), I have no idea who he is, but he assists the boss from the looks of it…..very nice guy though. He had a few people from CBSO with him (amongst them a guy called Taz apparently the guy who arranged the CBSO deal and the screening of the movie at the UGC, and some UGC people. They walked into the bar area at the Cinema. From far away I could see boss ordered a coffee. A girl with a few
microphones ran up to the boss and introduced herself, she explained to him when he was to speak and all, the Boss was required to introduce the movie before it started. He was deep in conversation so I felt I wouldn’t bother him just then. They got up and left the bar area and started walking, as I approached Boss, the assistant looked at me to almost stop me or something, I none the less summoned the courage to introduce myself and said:

Me: Hi, asalamwalaikum, Rahman sab its me Shaikh Shaijad Matthew Islam.
ARR: Oh yes, so this is you!
Me: Yeah the interview guy………(DUH ME, WHY REPEAT, HE KNEW!)
We were approaching the movie screen now:

Me: I had no idea that you were dropping in for the screening until a while
ago, and I was so shocked, it nice to have finally met you.

ARR: Smiles. So does the assistant!
ARR: Enjoy the movie and we will speak after the concert!

Me: Yeah, sure, since I wont get to probably see the movie again anywhere, I felt the best way to catch a glimpse was to come here, look at my luck, you ended up here too.

ARR: Smiles and (as we reach the door and people trying to rush him) says when I read your name Shaikh, I thought you were a tall guy with a turban on your head, I laughed hard and so did he and everyone else around.

(FOR THE UNINITIATED, I AM 5ft5.5 and had no turban)

Me: Ah well, sorry to disappoint you, but I am not tall and neither do I have a turban……………….we all laugh again! He says again, enjoy the movie……and walks through the door.

At this point the Cinema staff stare at me and I enter right after him as the assistant holds the door.

We enter the movie theatre and I grab a 2nd row seat in front, the first row was his and the hall was quite full but no one who knew him, that I felt for sure. A set of spotlight flared up and he was standing with a microphone alongwith a girl from UGC……………. She introduced him as………..Ladies and Gentleman as a part of the BSF 04 we are proud to present WOHE with the assistance of…………………..sponsers and sponsers and TAZ who made this screening
possible. The person beside me is a music legend and needs no introduction, we have been bringing you people in each screening with connections to the movie presented and here is Mr. AR RAHMAN…………………IT’S A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE but I felt it was an uninformed on the que type of clapping montage………..I ofcourse whistled and all………………….we sat down……….he sat infront of me and the screen went started rolling the movie……………his score sounded magnificent. He sat there for 15 mins and then, left.

His name came up on screen and my allah did I feel a feeling of joy or what? I enjoyed the movie as he left. I had a great experience, why it was that great for me was because I knew it was pure luck as I was officially scheduled to meet him later in the night for an elaborate interview!

BTW, the movie was a great movie, loved it……………but the movie could have been
better shot as I felt it was a bit unpicturesque.

Anyways, that’s the first part of the 3 part story……………rest coming soon. My hand is aching………………I met him next at CBSO and will review the concert, and then I had numerous encounters with him otherwise which will be the 3rd part of the story and leads into Sunday evening from Birmingham to London and sets up for me an interview later in the week.


PART II THE CONCERT! This part is very long bear with me! NO PART THREE!

Dear friends,
Here is the rest of the story.

The movie was only 1:56 mins long. I came out of the cinema and strolled on the side walks of Broad Street leading towards CBSO and the Birmingham ICC. There was no crowd when I
entered CBSO except a wedding which was going on in the venue. Funnily enough the convention centre was booked for an Punjabi Wedding, I had fun watching the people there. I then entered CBSO 1st floor landing known as Level 3 where I sat in front of door 3. At this point I was anxious to rehearse my questions and what I was going to do with the interview. Hence, I checked the mic and recorder once with my voice and played it back. Things
seemed ok. By 6:00pm the musicians and some CBSO students started setting up music equipments downstairs for the after show music session knows as encore, they apparently do this after every symphony presentation. They rehearsed as I watched, quite interesting. By 6:15 pm the crowd started to trickle in. I then saw 3 HUGE buses park in front of CBSO, I thought it were the symphony musicians but it turned out to be 200 or so people who came
together from different parts of the UK together to watch the show or so it seemed.

They started to spread onto the venue. I made an attempt to enter the halls and some people attempted to enter with me, the doors were unlocked, I think I actually spotted our man on stage pre show but then we were told to leave and come back only after 6:30pm and I was not sure whether it was him. I did so and so did the others. We all sat in our places at 6:30. The staff at the door while I was entering told me that, you guys will love this it’s a
good treat.

I asked the doorwoman whether cameras were allowed, she looked at me and said cameras with or without flash with or without recording facilities are are totally not allowed. But then as my face dropped, she smiled looked at me and said “no on actually cares about the rules and you lot for the past two days have broken all the rules of the symphony hall for this man who you guys so admire, really consider what I said is not applicable to you lot at all” and she winked and said “enjoy the show”. I said thanks and entered.

It’s a grand symphony hall with a great interior and great seats, small but great none the less. I was smack in the middle of the 1st floor arena, the first row at that, and had a great view from there of the whole hall. The crowd were very slow in coming in. The orchestra people took some time but came in slowly one by one and then a whole lot together. They took their seats but the hall was still quite empty and people were talking and doing stuff. No attention. An English lady beside me muttered to her husband (both prim and proper with a heavy English accent over 55 for sure), do these people have o respect for time. A women behind me commented, “do you know its only instruments and no songs or vocals”, the man beside her replied “really, don’t you know anything, orchestras have no vocals, stupid
girl……..”, She retorted, “How boring then!!”. I had a huge chuckle that I couldn’t subdue and they stared at me! The hall was by this time, FULL! The audience expectant but noisy, they wouldn’t stop talking and the orchestra as a tradition plays a bit like a note or something to try and silence the crowd and let them know the show was about to start but well we don’t take a subtle hint we Asians, do we. So the conductor entered and came in a guy, forgot his name and recited what sounded like the Azaan and music played to it. It was a piece we all know as Bombay Awakes from Bombay dreams, the crowd clapped, half heartedly as they didn’t see any sign of Rahman on stage and the show had begun with an unknown person helming the orchestra.

I WILL SKIP DETAILS OF THE SHOW AS OTHERS HAVE POSTED GREAT REVIEWS WHICH
ARE QUITE ACCURATE EXCEPT THE FUMBLING PART AS I CLEARLY DID NOT SEE THAT
HAPPEN< MAY BE IT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST SHOW!

Then came in the bumbling fool of a took, the hostess of the evening, she started of on a great note by introducing Bombay awakes as Love Only from Bombay Dreams, how informed was she. I didn’t like her and so didn’t many beside me. She tried to rouse the crowd but the atmosphere turned electric when AR RAHMAN was introduced and ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE WHISTLES, CLAPS, HOOTS, SCREAMS, VOICES………..THE HOSTESS SAW THIS AND ACKNOWLEDGED THIS. Ar rahman spoke softly, conducting the show twice with pieces from the Warriors of Heaven and Earth, it was the track Lord An’s Empire. He then by public demand sang a version of dilse but sounded off key but the piano accompanying it was great.
He was irked by people actually shouting request such as Vande mataram and Roja at times and asked them subtly not to do so because it was not within the tradition of the orchestra.

What a pleasure seeing him live. He answered questions on stage and cracked jokes at times. Thanked Shekhan Kapoor or acknowledged him in the crowd. The show ended to soon but with a stand ovation. The show was a success, the English couple asked me whether I knew where they could buy his CD, I did mention HMV and a site, they said he was remarkable, the woman behind me was clapping and shouting VAH VAH, that’s great. The husband was bemused.

THE FAN SWAMP

I quickly ran downstairs, most of the crowd was moving out or enjoying the encore. I went into the ground floor part of the arena to meet up with rahman to ask him how I would enter or conduct the interview. I was given no instruction except that Stephen Maddock the CEO of CBSO would let me in as Rahman would instruct him to do so. I didn’t know however how to get in touch with Stephen. As I entered the ground floor enclosure, I saw the Boss now swarmed with hundreds trying to grab an autograph of him, I stood far away and was looking at this from a distance, I took a pic of his to cherish the memory of this madness. People invaded the stage, which was not allowed by the CBSO staff who were now irked. But hey this was an all new experience for them. The boss signed autographs with great patience but it was impossible to sign them all. He posed for pics too with those who requested but things got out of control with people almost crying for an autograph, some left hurling abuses because they didn’t get to go through the crowd. The doors were now being shut as more were coming in hearing the news. I thought at this point it was impossible for me to meet him because I would never get through to him. He left and so did I. I kept calling his cell
phone but it was not ringing and going to the voice mail. I thought I was in trouble without the message and knowing what to do. I went to the backstage entry but couldn’t get in. The guard stopped me. I then went back inside CBSO. I spotted some of the crowd standing in front of a glass door with a girl guarding it with a walkie talkie. They claimed this was where the BOSS was. The guard didn’t let anyone in except some fans who had gotten in already. They came out with smiling faces to the dismay of the waiting crowd. I stood there with my case looking at what was happening. I didn’t know what to say or do. I kept calling but still no response. Then a guy came out and told the crowd that hey, he is not here, he just left the building through the back door. The crowd didn’t fall for it. I looked up the balcony above hard to see was full of artists partying. I thought there is no way that he is gone. With time slipping away , I went up to the girl and whispered in her ear that I had an appointment to meet him, she said with a whisper, I cant do anything, I answered call down Stephen or Taz they would have my name on a list. Then she went in and spoke into the WT, she came out and told me, I have left a message. Boss’s assistant came down and I was standing away from the crowd at a distance and he called me to the door,

Assistant: I know him, its ok.
Me: Asalamwalaikum, Thanks man, thank you for this.

We started to climb stairs as we reached the first floor, he punched some codes and the door opened, the guard inside took a good look at me, I stared at him too.

Assistant: (to the guard) I know him (pointing at me), the other one I did not know at all.

I know knew where I was going----THE AFTER PARTY…………..my heart started beating, as we walked the corridor I asked the assistant, If he is busy, I can schedule another time, may be tomorrow. I also told him, he must be tired and I wont get the time I need. He answerd back:

Assistant: Walk into the room, stick around, he will get around to meeting everyone and when you meet him you can fix it with him!

Me: Cool, that’s fine.

In CONVERSATION WITH THE MAN HIMSELF!

The door flung open……..a crowd of people sitting around, standing, drinks in their hand, all doing something or the other. I was so out of place. It would be very odd if I snapped pictures at anytime here because it would be rude. There were some stars from may be BBC and all. Rahman was talking to someone at the end of the room. The assistant was standing around talking with someone and abandoned me. I was being stared at by some people at this point. MY GOD! I WAS TELLING MYSELF, what the hell am I doing here. I walked to the end of the room and stood at a side, beside me stood Shekhar Kapoor, another shock to my system. I was like how much more of this can I take. I stood there and Rahman walked towards me breaking away from the conversation.

ARR: Did you see the movie? Shakes hand!
Me: Saalam ,Yeah, I enjoyed it a great dea……….
ARR: (Interrupting me) You mean you stuck around for the whole thing?
Me: I had nothing better to do and besides it was great, I felt your music
gave the movie a soul it was great.
ARR: Thanks.
Me: The show was awesome, I loved every bit of it! Every bit of it!
ARR: Thanks.
ARR: Looking around!
Me: So how was………shekhar kapoor and someone walks up and wants to take a pic……..I move away and they snap a picture but the guy trying to take the picture fails to get a good snap……….its the new sony CYBERSHOOT digital camera in sky blue. I think it’s the bosses camera. BTW, the boss owns a Sony Ericsson cell phone the sky blue camera phone with the flip and touch screen! The boss moves away towards the lights where others Shekhar Kapoor
and all join him and he suggests a pic here. Great smiles all around! Shekhar and ARR seemed to be very friendly and I could see they admired each other quite a lot. Shekhar suggested to the boss, so should be leave. Boss says, yeah sure,

ARR: We’ll go straight to the Hotel and then………….I missed this part.
Assistant: Okay.

Me: Seeing them leave I was, now nerve wrecked. I went upto the boss and
asked him about whether we could reschedule,!

ARR: Text me and I will tell you!
Assistant: Call him and come into the hotel in the morning!
ARR: Starts leaving towards the door, says goodbye to all………..
I follow him, He starts saying to his assistant holding the door……….
He (that’s me) and I have something in common, (we both have long names)

Me: yeah, Shaikh Shaijad Matthew Islam is long, we all laugh, me nervously
as he was leaving.

ARR: Laughs, How come the name Matthew?
Me: I told him a story standing at the door of how a friend of my dad in Canada who is a jewish named me Matthew.

At THIS time Shekhar Kapoor is looking for the Loo. He is standing behind me as I am blocking his way, he hears the story and comment what I think was:

SK: Intriguing!
ARR: Lets go!
Me: When can we reschedule for?
ARR: Silent, thinks. Give me another text later and I will let you know!
Me: Okay, that’s cool with me! You see I will need time from you, initially I thought a few minutes but I need you to be relaxed not tired and open to a discussion and I don’t want to pressure you so take your time.
Oh and BTW, Vijay sends his regards and so does the groups, Gopal and Ranojoy too.
ARR: Vijay Iyer, smiles as if remembering a friend.
Assistant: He wants time because he must have a lot of questions from the group:
ARR: Smiles, have you taken a picture yet!?
ME: Nope, will do when we meet for the interview though, you look tired get
some rest and we will have time for that later, Inshallah!

SK: Exits loo looking relieved. Lets go!
ARR: Lets, Shekhar……….
SK: Chale chalo or something……mumbling a tune………I think so! Not sure. Fuzzy
I could careless as Rahman, the boss was leaving again and I had no interview. But I did understand that he was very tired and I didn’t want to pester him.

Me: Ok then, take care!
Assistant: Ok then see you later or something.
An old guy, shekhars friend may be: I like your Sherwani Rahman.
ARR: Thanks
Old guy: It looks good on you!
ARR: Thanks.
SK: THEY SHUT THE LIFT OFF!
ARR: No one shuts anything before we leave, see its open! Laughs, LOL!
SK: Yeah.

Me to assistant before he boards the lift: Should I tag along.
Assistant: No! Text him, and come to the hotel!
Me: Ok, see you then
Assistant: Bye

I exit but I realise I didn’t ask which Hotel! Damn me! Anyways, as I exit, people look at me, fans mostly, wanting to burn me or something, a women actually looks at me a bit drunk and shouts as I walk away, “are you his manager or what?” I tell her with my back turned and screaming out “no lady but I wish I were, I look at her and wink as I walk away” She answers and I faintly hear her shouting……………like you ever could be!

I enter my Hotel, the Copthorne at Birmingham, eat dinner and was watching the Grand prix but in the meantime sent rahman a text asking when I could meet up. Mistakenly I had pressed the send button on my phone twice and the phone dailed Rahman at 12:00 am……………..but I cut the phone. I knew it was too much to bother him so much. But he found a missed call and called me back……………I was shocked………..I said it was me and said when I could come tomorrow……….he was somewhere with a lot of noise of people and he said well tomorrow I am leaving for London…………..I asked could I tag along………..he said I will leave in the morning early and I am fasting…..so, I said its fine let me know when you are available. I say good night and he drops the phone.

I then get a text sometime between at 0:43 am. He texts me with call me at 12 o clock?

While getting ready in the morning, I get another text where he says: sorry, I had to leave for inevitable reasons…when are you in London?

I replied by saying, I am coming over today! I did so and started on my way to London, I reached there by 3:00 text him as the phone was off, I am here in london could we meet up today………….there was no answer. I left London for back home at 6:00 pm for Cardiff. Another 2:30 hours train ride. I came back home and emailed him and thanked him for everything, wished him well and asked for time for Friday next. He mentioned to me earlier that he was here for a while so not to worry! I sent him the text knowing he was busy and not knowing whether after how much I bothered him if he would still be willing to see me!

No answer for Sunday at all. Monday morning 6:08 am the boss texts me……are you still here…I stay awake at odd times! I call him up immediately.

Me: Saalam, How are you? I got your text a while ago, I stay awake at odd times too.

ARR: Walaikumaslam
Me: Sorry I had to leave, my security team didn’t know I was going to London and without their supervision, they asked me to not stay on!
Me: Could we meet tomorrow evening. I can come along! Are you here till next
week>

ARR: it’s the 8th of March……..umm……..Tuesday evening is fine!
ME: Great, Can I have the address……….?
ARR: Umm……..starts and then stops, I am somewhere else now Will tell u where to meet up when, text me!
Me: Okay sure. See you soon, Khoda hafez

That’s where my story stands. Its seems tomorrow will be hard for me because of classes but I sent him another text saying I can come over today, he is yet to answer but somehow I feel we will meet up on Wednesday. I will be free that day.

Sorry to bore you guys with this story but that how it stands. No pics with him but loads or texts and messages………….it still feels like a dream, ofcourse as things unfold my story will continue. But hey I am thankful to god I had this opportunity, Vijay and ARR himself. He truly is a very chilled and humble person. One of a kind, and even for a unimportant person
like me, he responds very very politely. Speaks loads of whom he is! THE MAN
WE ALL LOVE VERY MUCH! He is a busy person but very very humble human being!
I was stunned how soft spoken he is and all!

He knows about the group and I suspect that checks it at times so please
keep your opinions measured.

As and when the interview happens I will share It and the experience with
the group. And so ends for now, MY “MEETINGS” WITH THE BOSS!

SORRY FOR THE DELAY, BUT IT TOOK TIME BECAUSE I HAD TO DECIPHER THE VOICE RECORDINGS.
PART 1 of TWO!

My Third meeting with the most down to earth person in the world!

WARNING!! VERY LONG STORY….SOME PARTS OF THE STORY I HAVE TO LEAVE OUT SINCE THEY DELVE INTO ARR’S PERSONAL LIFE AND PRIVACY AND WHERE HE WISHES TO SPEAK OFF RECORD. BUT I ASSURE YOU THAT THOSE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN SO NO WORRIES. THE interview IS FOR TWO NEWSPAPERS AND THAT IS COPYWRITTEN AS ITS EXCLUSIVE, PLEASE DO NOT REPRODUCE OTHERWISE!

THANKS
Enjoy!


Dear Friends,
This is what happened. ARR- The boss is a great human being. A down to earth person, ARR the person is what the first part of this interview deals with, whereas the 2nd Part is about his projects. The whole experience plus the interview is what I present to you all below and the latter half of my meeting on this day is in another write up soon!! Some details are quite interesting as fans of his you will figure them out.


Wednesday,10th March 2004,
Morning 10:30am I wake up and make preparations to get on a train from Cardiff to London at 12:45. I am very excited, a new day and a very good possibility that I will get some exclusive time with him after the not so exclusive Birmingham experience. But my mind refers back to his prior text message for a request to meet him on Wednesday which reads “Wednesday is possible…though very busy day…eveningish..?” I replied back by saying it was fine, anytime, day, night, early morning? There was no reply! I was getting on to the train at 12:00 but had no idea where he would be in London, I had sent numerous texts to find out where he was but no response. I told myself may be he is busy or may be he left London urgently for something or the other, my heart beats in anticipation as the train starts its 2:37 minute journey to London. I thought I should call him or may be not, I have been such a pain to his peace, I don’t relent and may be I shouldn’t call. The suspense was getting a bit to much for me. By 1:30 pm I decide may be I should call him. I dialled his number…………….DARN! The Voice message, funnily enough though, the message with his voice, I kinda like hearing it. You guys wont understand. But then my mind starts saying, SH**, didn’t he say it was a busy day, may be, he did have to leave and that’s why the cells off, but then I tell myself, no silly, he must be busy and hence not picking up the phone!

Just a 30 mins prior to arriving to London I call ARR up again, this time he picks up……….. (conversations between Arr and me are being recalled as and how I have it in my head and to my best knowledge, the exact words are sometimes forgotten but the gist I remember very well but his responses are quite accurate, so I would like to think!)

Me: Asalamwalaikum, Rahman Ji, its Matthew here, how are you?
ARR: Walaikumasalam, fine thanks, Are you in London?
Me: I am on a train, Yeah, will be in there in half an hour or so!

ARR: Whereabouts in London will you be?
Me: Usually in Harrow.
ARR: Umm, I am at Southall, can you join me here?
Me: Sure!
ARR: See you then!
Me: You too, Khodha Hafez!

I didn’t ask him how long he would be there. I was in shock since I thought I would be meeting him in the evening. My train pulls up to the last station before London at Reading and announces that the train would be delayed by 20 mins. I freak out. Because I would be pulling into central London at London Paddington station, its going to delay me being at Southall. Then it occurs, oh my god, ARR will be waiting and, well it’s not polite to make him wait. I call him again, he picks up!

Me: Hi, Salaam its me again! My train will pull up late to London because of a delay.
ARR: Umm, I am at Ealing Hospital Now, do you know Ealing!
Me: Should I come to Harrow, (mistakenly I say this)?
ARR: Why Harrow, come to Ealing hospital I am here for a while!
Me: Ok, for how long are you there?
ARR: An hour or so!
Me: Ok, I will see you there!

What happens here is I forget to basically ask him about which hospital in Ealing, there may be many and where inside the hospital, since they are huge!

I arrive at Paddington, call a hire car because the tube would take time, while I am walking with a backpack and two other bags in my hand. Someone comes up behind me and snatches my right hand bag and runs away. I have no clue who this is, but I scream “Hey, Stop, What the f*** do you think you are doing?” Duh me, I was being mugged! I shout again while running behind him, “HEY” “STOP” “HEY ANYONE STOP HIM” EVERYONE THINKING that this must be a joke or something just look on! I see the station guards and tell them someone stole my bag, luckily it only had my favourite digital camera, the questions, recorder and other stuff were in my left hand bag. They ask me to fill in a criminal ref complaint. I see time flying and tell them, I don’t want to since I don’t have time, they tell me I could do it later to but that its best for me to do so. I run into a store in the station and buy myself a camera (disposable one). I go to the pick up area with my car standing there and ask him to speed to Ealing. I ask him, How Long to Ealing Hospital. He tells me “20-25 mins”. I am quite nervous that I will miss him again because the road is full of traffic. I ask him, is there only one hospital in Ealing, he tells me, only one NHS public one. I am ok no problemo drive fast sir. He asks me, how come you are so rushed. He is an Indian driver, I tell him Rahman is waiting for me there and that I am interviewing him. He goes bonkers and speeds the car. I text ARR again to confirm where in Ealing Hospital and will he be there? He replies, “stay in hospital….will join you”. I am relieved but where in the hospital!? Anyways, we pull up really late at the hospital 3:10 pm. I ask the driver to drop me at the main reception of the hospital. As I walk in, no sign of him. But that very moment I get a call from him.

Me: Hi…….umm where are you?
ARR: Where are you now?
Me: I am at the Main reception, inside it.
ARR: I am outside, come out.

MY HEART STARTS BEATING. I AM MEETING HIM AGAIN!

I go out and see him getting off a car with someone. I walk up.
I say hello to both of them. He happens to be carrying a polythene bag.

Me: Why are you at the hospital, is everything ok?
The guy with him is a close friends of his, his name is Satyajit, from what I gather he was or is a journalist and a documentary film maker and is helping ARR with press and some other stuff. They seem to joke around a lot and care for each other too.

Satyajit: No! No! Everything is alright!
ARR: Nothings wrong, I am the ambassador for the Stop TB campaign and was visiting to see some patients.
Me: Oh okay, I was worried.
ARR: He is interviewing me for a magazine, he tells Satyajit and asks me again, What magazine are you interviewing me for, I tell him Daily Star and The Daily Lalsabuj in Bangladesh.

ARR continues, with a smile: He is also, Satya, part of the Yahoo group.

Satyajit: Oh, ofcourse, the group.

ARR: Its quite cold! (he says something to that effect)

Satyajit: Lets do that interview before Anjala (or some name he mentions) arrives. You go get the interview done. Are you going to write or record?

Me: I am going to record, I have microphone and recorder.
ARR: Lets sit inside.
Me: Its quite crowded inside………(as we start moving towards the door.)
Satyajit: There must be a café or a restaurant dowstairs. Sit there get it done, she will be here to pick us up in 10 mins.
Me: I will need more time, I have 20 questions in the first part.
Arr: Looks at me! In the nicest of ways though but surprised!
Satyajit: Eat something! (to Rahman)
Me: He hasn’t eaten yet.
Satyajit: No, nothing.
Arr: I have had a burger.
Me: You should have something.
Satyajit: Have what you have in the packet!
ARR: No, its ok, I am not that hungry.
Satyajit, Sit in the café, oh but then they don’t allow outside food, do they?
ARR: Its ok!
Satyajit: So lets get this done and move.
Me: I am not the priority here, besides, I will need time.
Satyajit: Don’t tell me man, AR is his own boss! (we all laugh)
We stand in a corner between automatic doors of the hospital.

Me: How are you? Busy day?
ARR: Very busy day.
Me: Must be boring?

But I get interrupted as Satyajit introduces ARR with someone from the hospitals authority involved with TB. They meet. ARR is very polite and its apparent from the fact that the guy asks what a great idea it would be if an ancillary orchestra of theirs could do with ARR a program for the TB trust. He says it’s a great idea instantly and says it could be further discussed.

In the meantime, I am worried because he will leave in a few mins and I don’t have the guts to ask him to tag along because……well when you are with him you talk less and listen more.

That girl arrives in her MPV and Satyajit asks, lets give you a lift, come along in the back. To show how much priority ARR gave to a nobody like me…….

Satyajit: (tells me) take the back seat (very nicely though and in the best sense. I explain this because sometimes words can convey something else, he is a really nice and cheery guy and I really like him) (There are two back rows in the car, the front seat has Moris a Stop TB Senior Campaigner and the girl in the driving seat.)

Me: Yeah sure, I walk up, open the seat and pull it to the front to go in to the back.

ARR: You seem to have done this before! (giggles)
Me: Quite an expert, I have a huge family back home! (I laugh)

Satyajit takes a middle seat. I go in and
ARR says: move to the side, I want to sit in the back.
Me: Sure, sit in the front its fine by me!
Satyajit: AR you can come up to the front.
Me:Yeah
ARR: No, this way we can complete our very secret interview! (LOL)
Me: Yes! Silently!

Car Starts. We move and all the time I have is till we reach the final destination. ARR asks me something, I say something, Satyajit says something, the lady says something…………but I have no recollection what we were saying. ARR says Hi to Moris and the lady.

ARR: Lets start the interview!
Me: (I start unpacking, my microphone is out and the recorder with it, a digital one by Olympus, new model) Umm, one sec!

Satyajit: Guys in the front if you could be a little quieter, we are having an interview in the back.

ARR: A very important interview! LOL Matthew is from the Yahoo group, Satyajit: yeah I heard that before.
Me: Ok we are ready!

ARR: Nice recorder (or something to that effect.) He asks me something about it and looks impressed by the device we talk a little about it and then he says: Show me the questions. I give him the question sheet.

Satyajit: He said something and ARR too, but I can’t remember, I was busy with the reaction ARR might have with my questions. Anyways to some comment which was about the duration of the interview, I replied softly……..I have travelled 1400kms for this for a week now, I am not going until all my questions are done and will stick as longs as it takes today.

Satyajit: OK…………its going to be a long day……….we all laughed.
ARR: Ok (he read my questions for a short while and then accepts and looks happy with the questions)!

I place the microphone in front of him and I press the record button, in the meantime I explain to him that if there is anything he doesn’t want to answer he is free to tell me to stop.

THE INTERVIEW PART 1 (AR RAHMAN the Person)

In Conversation with a musical genius By Matthew Islam

A SIMPLE HUMAN BEING………definitely a musical genius…yet most probably the humblest person one can ever come by. Ladies and Gentleman,
Mr. A.R. RAHMAN.

Interviewer: How was the experience of conducting a live audience orchestra?

ARR: Very liberating except, I know there are lots to learn in conducting, because it was my own music it was easier for me, it is an art by itself. Just like I finished my first movie I wasn’t sure that I would compose for a film but I stepped into it and went into it and had to take it seriously and the same goes for the show.

Interviewer: How was the audience’s reaction?

ARR: The audience were mostly Asians so anything goes for them (laughs).
Because it was my first performance here and I had not done naythign here before that is why I think they were so excited. They were sweet to me!

Interviewer: Could we expect the CBSO compositions to ever come out on a CD or record? There are many who would like to get a copy.

ARR: I know, but you know what, those compositions were mostly incomplete, I had to do this because of the pressure as I had given dates and most of them were stuff from movies and all so……probably the next one (The conference of the birds – his 2nd CBSO show based on poem by the famous Sufi writer Attar) would be released on tape or DVD and then we plan to do the concerts because then people would know the music which would be otherwise have been completely new.

Interviewer: When is the 2nd concert scheduled for?

ARR: Anywhere between the end of the year or before the summer of next year, whenever it is basically ready, we hope to get it ready by the end of the year though.

Interviewer: What does music mean to you?

ARR: Besides being a profession which it is now, it has been a passion and is still a passion for me today.

Interviewer: Do you find it to be a spiritually enriching experience to compose music?

ARR: There is definitely a connection between music and spiritually but it is hard for me to put into words. Especially, because I am involved in Sufism, (pauses) there is a connection for sure.

Interviewer: Do you ever get influenced by the music you hear? Say you buy a CD, does something good you hear linger in your mind for long?

ARR: No! Different things actually, say you listen to a Pop CD, then I tend to analyse the recording, the production, the voice and all that stuff. So, sometimes good things are taken into account and then I improve our standard. Melody influences are, well I don’t know, very controversial. If you get influenced by melody, they think you are copying, so it is better to stay away from it. In any case, we have enough raags and stuff in India, so we don’t need outside melodies.

Interviewer: USA, CHINA, EUROPE, You have been travelling all around, Do you like travelling?

ARR: I do enjoy travelling but when it gets beyond a certain point your health suffers. Like for my New York (Bombay Dreams debuts at Broadway on 29th March 2004) rehearsals I had to take rest for a week because I had been affected by fever and I had to cancel the 1st Week rehearsal and things started of a bit late.

Interviewer: Seeing so many types of cultures all around the world, do you see commonalities between people, does it fascinate you?

ARR: That’s one point that I realised when I went for the Hajj, there were people from almost all the races of the world there, all on the grounds sleeping, all praying together in the holy grounds of Arafat, so in a sense, it was a very spiritual experience to see people from all the races like Chinese muslims, Asians, Indonesians, Indians, Pakistanis, Americans, Europeans, South Africans, you know, even people from Kazakhstan and Russia were present in one place.

Interviewer: It was quite an experience then?
ARR Yes! I think we are different in many ways but we have a commonality definitely and in a way actually music in my mind when I started composing I had it in my mind that if I could like love stories and say something like the sound of music why can’t they like our stuff if it is done right. It is not that we were totally averse to the melodies of the west, the change is happening slowly now, people are getting into the mould of things now. Though it is very difficult, say for example when you give an orchestra here a raag, they ask, is that a G Sharp? Shouldn’t it be a natural but eventually they all love it and start playing it because such type of mould is very uncommon for them. So, its just a matter of getting used to certain melodies and moulds.

Interviewer: So, you have experienced first hand that music has no boundaries?

ARR: Yeah, there are certain things that are jarring with each culture but more or less there are lots of commonalities which we can take advantage of.

Interviewer: What is the one memory about your childhood that you think inspired you to do music?

ARR: (thinks for a while) Its quite difficult question to answer, when I was a child I could never believe that I could become a nice musician, especially because everything was out of reach for me but I think when MIDI happened, the electronic integration into music, then everything was possible and in your reach, see then if you have a computer then you could probably have a four track rendering without having a musician and you can try out harmonies without having a musician and then you can experiment, that helped in shaping the musicality and creativity. Now, its like I have come full circle – I am going in the reverse direction now, I have learnt through MIDI and going back to orchestral music.




Interviewer: You once mentioned before, that after Roja you thought you would not be able to deliver continuously and that it prompted you to learn music formally, how so?

ARR: It happens when you set a standard and you repeatedly want to reach those same high goals, its difficult and it pushes you to do well but its difficult to actually carry on doing it because you become hollow and things don’t happen you know. At that time my personal standards were very high and I was trying to reach it frequently it was really difficult for me, it was like torture for me when I had to do a new movie, trying to think of different things, new things, I became very choosy even with my lyrics and sounds.

Interviewer: Surely, the pressure that you had with every passing album was growing, how did you handle it?

ARR: I had loads of people bitching around, people bitching about me, Oh he takes to much time, he goes here and there, you will get your music late, but all these things helped me build more records, which I am using now in my concerts, all the hard work then basically pays now you know. It still works, thank god for that.

Interviewer: What is the most important thing that you guru Karimullah Saheb taught you?

ARR: I think what he taught me, wasn’t more so verbal knowledge but spiritual. Sometimes knowledge doesn’t have to be verbally acquired. Knowledge or blessings doesn’t always come verbally or physically, it came to me spiritually also. Karimullah shaheb saw a sight of my future at that time and told my mother that I see you guys going around the world, I see you guys becoming known. The studio he laid the first stone for ‘Panchathan’ became world famous, he foresaw all that at that time. He had a vision right before his death actually.

Interviewer: Has religion helped you musically?

ARR: Actually, to do music, you must have a stable mind and to have a stable mind, you need practice, you need a way of life and I think I learnt most of my stuff from a book which had information from the Holy Quran, Hadis and teachings of Imam Ghazali, the information contained has answers to everything from Bachelorhood, Marriage, Childrens, music, lyrics, so whenever I have doubts about something I refer to that.

Interviewer: How was it to compose music for the President of India?

ARR: Its good that we have a president whom children like and whatever he writes makes sense, so when he called me and wanted me to do this, even despite being very busy I set aside extra time to do this. It worked and that makes me very happy, the kids loved it. Some kids also danced to it. It was a pleasing experience.

Interviewer: Andrew Lloyd Webber wants you to compose for an Opera, any possibility of that happening in the future?

ARR: Anything is possible I guess. But I would have to be pushed into it, like I was pushed into the CBSO thing (laughs).

Interviewer: But the concert at CBSO turned out ok?
ARR: Yeah I guess.

Interviewer: Did you dread it at the start?
ARR: No! I had worked with the Prague orchestra before for Warriors of Heaven and Earth, that gave me a little confidence to be able to pull it off.

Interviewer: Any other orchestral work happening besides the 2nd CBSO gig?
ARR: Yeah I will be in Prague shortly for some pieces to be recorded for Netaji.

Interviewer: Piracy! Well it’s a huge and complicated issue for an aritist. Don’t you feel that the poor marketing and distribution of music is one of the major contributing factors in this ever growing area? Your fans are loyal and go out and buy your CD’s generally but, they are desperate for your music too, with for example tamil albums, they don’t have a wide release, people then use sources such as the net, in countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh our only source to hear your music is piracy, what do you think can be done?

ARR: We are looking into it actually. We are aware of the problem and the issues involved. And also films, some of them are interesting and some of them are really boring and then its not worth the effort because you work so hard and its done so amateurishly that the extra effort to market and distribute it is of no use. Distribution for CD’s should be done in countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan because people like Indian music in these countries. There is a market.

Interviewer: Anything coming out in Bengali soon for your Bangladeshi fans to look forward to?

ARR: In Bengali, may be! Subhash Chandra Bose is coming. There is a Bengali track in there called Ekla Cholo Re! (Interviewer: You mean the Rabindro song, jodi keo dak shune na ashe tobe ekla cholo re?)

Interviewer: Do you think the job of a music director is take for granted in India and see there has been a recent trend where movies have been moving away from songs like Ram Gopal Verma’s Movies what do you think?

ARR: Its good actually, instead of torturing people without any passion. If you have to do film songs, you need to do it with a degree of passion and everything should work. It shouldn’t be like, ok now we need a cabret number, lets have this and that, it shouldn’t be like that.



Interviewer: What type of music do you like?
ARR: Anything which is good. (Smiles)

Interviewer: Who are your musical idols? Whose music does AR RAHMAN like?

ARR: There are so many, so many, life is full of learning, there must be like 10,000 (laughs).

Interviewer: We have heard you have a new Sound Engineer and is he working already with you? And how far has the new studio progressed? Hiring new talent?

ARR: I have, he is actually a trainee assistant sound engineer. He is working already with me. The new studio will be complete as soon as I get some more money (laughs). Its going to open god willing in about another 5-6 months.

Interviewer: Last but not the least any messages for you fans?

ARR: Any message, (thinks deeply)…….I don’t know! Umm, Stop TB (Laughs).

PART 2 (AR RAHMAN AND HIS PROJECTS)

Short Questions regarding projects and short answers about them! Exclusive information.

Q. Bombay Dreams USA, any new tracks in it?
ARR: Yeah, couple of new numbers.

Q. Water, we know its one of your personal favourites, will we ever get to hear it?
ARR: I don’t know really what is happening with it.

Q. Mangal Pandey: The Rising? How far has it progressed, any details?
ARR: We have completed 5-6 tracks for it. Has a very folksy feel to it.

Q. Swades?
ARR: 5-6 Songs have been composed for it already. Over.

Q. Engineer, New, Yelelo?
ARR: Engineer 5-6 months ago the producer was saying he will revive it, I don’t know how he will do it. New is going to be released soon. Yelelo will is definitely on after I wrap up all this chakkar then I will go back to it.

Q. Do you know Naani was out on the net. ARR: FULL TRACKS? No, but 3 were out……….ARR: HOW? (Sounds very surprised). ARR: You mean full tracks, fully mixed and all? Me: Yup. Its gotten a great response, AMMA with the piano solo and Spiderman and the Sing along song! ARR: Doesn’t Matter, it has 8 tracks in total!

Q. Bajirao Mastani? Are you doing it?
ARR: Don’t know as of now, initially we were doing it but its just that the schedule got messed up because he is gonna finish the other one (Sanjay leela Bhansali’s Black) first, if that happens on time we will have a more clearer picture……lets see.

Q. The movie with Rakesh Om Prakash Mehra? Is it on, and when?
ARR: That’s gonna happen definitely, may be by august we will start as soon as Amir Khan is done, he is there in that one too.

Q. Baiju and Tansen?
ARR: Still trying to find finance. It’s a very interesting project. (He clearly likes the idea)

Q. Dil Ne jise apna Kaha? Title is always changing?
ARR: The title is Dil ne Jise Apna Kaha, we have finished 4 songs for this, another two to go, I think.

Q. Paani?
ARR: We are working on that, you heard me on the phone with Shekhar, it was about paani!

Q. Kisna?
ARR: 2 songs definitely. One left to do, so Subhash Ghai owes me more money!!! Laughs!

Q. What happened to Homeland, was the project on at all?
ARR: We started homeland and finished 4 songs then Shahrukh’s dates happened for the back problem.

Q. Always happens with Ghai movies and you, even before taal some tracks happened and never got used?

ARR: Yeah for Shikar.

Q. What do you think about Yuva, especially Fanah?
ARR: Fanah is a stage of Sufism, its about destruction, destroying yourself and mingling with your lover, it can be god or anyone. Yuva is a young film, so its got trance, techno, rap and all that stuff.

Q. I saw the trailers for Yuva they look awesome?
ARR: Really?………cool!! (Giggles).

Q. Hari OM?
ARR: Hari Om I am not doing, he wanted to go for cannes in March and I couldn’t accommodate the time.

Q. Taj Mahal?
ARR: Is happening. Progress…………its almost over.

Q. Ekam Satyam?
ARR: I don’t know, Jackson has to agree for that to release.

Q. Karen David?
ARR: That album is yet to be released. Another two months. A single is out in Germany, but I didn’t do that. I Just did two songs for it.

Q. Lord of the rings, details, progress, tracks?
ARR: hmm. Still composing. There will be about 13-14 tracks in total. Some are being done by Vattiana and some I am doing. Who ever does it the fastest gets more tracks. (laughs)

Q. Rajiv menons next?
ARR: I don’t know!

Q What happened with Shankar? Was its purely a time thing?
ARR: You see he is very passionate and requires more time. With Boys I was here for the shows and all. He needs someone who can stay with him throughout a project so it’s a good thing, he knew about the CBSO thing and so moved on. Se I have been here from February to May, I will be back in India for two days this month.

Q. Any new international movies?
ARR: Nothing in site, except, Warriors soundtrack releasing in the US.

Me: That’s the interview.
ARR: COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL. (Says so in a tune).

END OF PART ONE OF MY MEETING! ]
In the next one I tag along with him for the day and witness Rahman in media action and more…………..will write more tomorrow!
PART 2 of 2

Thanks to Ganpy and Shyam for their appreciation re: the interview but what helped me was a prior warning from Vijay Iyer who said asked me to ask ARR different stuff and variations of two of his question is what features in the interview plus I made the effort to ask him different questions which I know I wanted to know also which he hadn’t discussed earlier. Thanks again to all of you. To all of you who asked me to ask ARR about a London gathering. I was not courageous enough to ask him seeing his schedule, he is about to leave for Prague in a day or two and he is quite busy right at this moment with Paani and all. And honestly I didn’t have the heart to ask him, even though asking him would mean I could see him again. Additionally, I forget most things when I see him. I apologise for that. Sorry again to all of you for my delayed writing, juggling a university schedule with my seconds life as an ARR fan. The 2nd part of this two part version is below.


The interview is over… I say Thank you to all in the car. They all say it was not a problem.

DISCLAIMER
THE REST IS A RECOLLECTION FROM MY MIND, NOT REALLY WORD TO WORD CORRECTNESS BUT GIST OF IT IS THERE AND I HAD A PIECE OF PAPER WITH BULLET POINTS TO REMIND ME. So, hope it gives you an insight about ARR!



Me: Well thank god for the route to your next destination, it gave me time enough to finish the interview.

ARR: Laughs.
Satyajit: Could I see the recorder?
Me: Sure (And I hand it to him).
Satyajit: Nice so this records the voice?
Me: Yeah.
Satyajit: Where is the format button? (Jokingly)
ARR: Laughs
Me: I laugh too……nervously.
The girl driving the car: Hey, That’s unfair, he takes so much effort to get the interview and how mean? You want to look for the format button.

Me: Well I don’t care, if its formatted I will probably do the interview with ARR again and stick around for longer.

We all laugh.

ARR: You know. I have a very funny story that happened to me once. There was this guy who came to me for an interview. It was truly a very good interview. After all the hard work and my responses we find out that he did not hit the record button……laughs all around……..it was so sad to see…….honestly heartbreaking.

We all laugh again. As the car starts moving through empty patches of road, I ask AR Rahman about why he didn’t come to Bangladesh? He was supposed to come last December for a press club thing?

ARR: Well, there were these four people who came to me and pitched this idea. There was this other guy who came into the deal and removed them from the scene and allegedly, arranged for the artists advance for $45,000. They had declared dates in the press and all and as the date came close for the show, one of them informed that they sold of their house to fund the show and I said that was not right at all and he told me that someone basically conned him that amount. I don’t know how true that story is but it made me feel really bad.

Me: Well I know people at the press club, I will enquire what happened. But things like only happen in Bangladesh………..sad but true. But you should come to Dhaka for a concert.

ARR: You think I should?
Me: Definitely, they are absolutely crazy about you, people in out country.
ARR: Really?
Me: Yeah! They love your music, just like I do!
ARR: May be I will, there. There were other offers from BPL and all for a show but that didn’t work out.
Me: Well BPL packed up the Bangladesh market and left long time back.

ARR: Really? (surprised!)
Me: Yeah, Sony and Philips have a bigger market here.

As we talk, someone call up moris on the front seat and asks to conduct an interview on TB.

Satyajit: Guys, quieter if you could……..shhhh, there is an interview happening in the front!

ARR: (Whispering) On the phone with someone!
Satyajit: SHHHHHHH!

We become quite for a while.
After the call finishes!

Satyajit: Moris, you are good at this man?
Moris: Thanks (and then generally criticising some questions and feeling happy about the fact that he could see some of the questions coming).

We all say some stuff but I can’t remember what? I knew though that the car ride was ending and that I had no more time with ARR but I was about to ask for more, regardless of what would happen!



ARR: The CBSO reviews, some are good and some are bad.

All the papers were printing reviews to the CBSO concert on this day! The boss obviously doesn’t like bad reviews but appreciates it because some of them are constructive. The first few he got in the morning were generally bad and mixed. They all commented on his stiffness in conducting the orchestra and the completeness of the pieces but they did comment the same for the guy who was a regular conductor. Shekhar called him up to tell him some were good. He was in deep thought by this time.


I inform him at this juncture about some Anti ARR elements in the media, well known to us fans!
Me: Well there are ones on the papers and there are some on the net. On the net most prominent are Indiafm.com and Sify.com. The criticise everything to no end. They hate your music and predict your doom with every passing album. Taran Adarsh, you know him?

ARR: Nope!
Me: Well he is well known film critic and Sify. Additionally, there are of course those in the Tamil film industry insisting that you have lost your touch and are migrating off soon.

ARR: Laughs.

I of course bring this up later in the restaurant and ask him why they do this, (this will give you and idea of how practical he is) he basically says….well had they not written such a thing…….we wouldn’t be discussing them would we? (Smiles) You see! We don’t know who they are and that’s the only way they get attention. See we are talking about him (smiles). He also mentions, things like this don’t bother him, but it bothers him when people say things like about religion and all. Like CNN claimed Muhammad was a warrior prophet…….he says, its awful and disappointing when people say things without knowing the facts!

Me: You know knowing what the Daily Sun says in the UK about your work will be an indicator of what the welcome will be like in Broadway!

ARR: Really?
Me: yeah, corporations such as BSKYB, Star News India & Asia, Fox and 80% of all the media print and TV are owned by Rupert Murdock. They seem to report pretty much the same thing, so one opinion will tell you what all of them will say.

ARR: Oh…!!!

Me: I swear some of these people are such imbeciles, they know nothing of how to make music or movies and still feel fit to technically criticise an album and opinion is ok you are entitled to it……rest you are not.


Suddenly, I see ARR getting a bit serious, facially.

ARR: You know what Matthew, its not a good thing to swear by anything. Don’t do it anymore. One should take another on the persons word. Swearing by something is not a good habit.

He seemed so serious!

Me: oh, I am sorry……..bad habit….i understand its not good and I will not do it anymore. My mother incidentally says the same thing.

ARR: Its ok!

There are further bursts of laughter in the car as we all crack jokes and the environment lightens.

The Girl Driving the car: Umm, we are approaching the venue for the interview.

ARR: Cool.
Me: Not cool……(thank god no one hears).
Me: What’s the interview for?
Satyajit: Sony Television.

Me: Have you been doing this all day?
ARR: Yup, since morning.
Me: My god, seriously!
ARR: Yup, I am sleepy and tired though!

Satyajit: Well we have been doing press rounds all day for the Stop TB campaign.

Me: Cool, but it must be tiring!
ARR: Yeah it is! Laughs!
Satyajit: Laughs too.

I see at this point our car entering the South Kensington area. I start feeling queasy inside me because our time was coming to a rapid end!

ARR is speaking to Satyajit at this time and I stay quite as we start winding down the darkened circular Car park ring to find a car park for the car to park…Duh Me!

We are at the Garden Hotel Car Park, South Kensignton. Everyone gets out of the car. ARR and I are the last to get off as we were sitting in the back seat. ARR gets of the car prior to me. As soon as I board of the car………..

Me: Can I tag along for the next round? Apprehensively, not wanting to sound desperate to get an opportunity to spend more time with my Boss! But I was kinda expecting a No! and looked very sad already.

ARR: Umm……its fine by me but we should clear it with them (moris, girl and Satyajit).

Seeing us both stop and speak, they all stare at me and think what was going on!

Me: I was wondering if it would be okay if I could hang around for some time.

THEY ALL: Sure, no problem.

The Girl: Its absolutely fine, anyways, we wouldn’t abandon you at the car park, would we?

Me: Thanks. I will stay quite. (But then I add sarcastically add looking around with a filmy paranoid look!!) I hate car parks they are very scary!

They all laugh!

Moris: Yeah, I guess its all those scary horror movies.

Yeah!

We walk up the stairs and then may be a lift but I am not sure or cant remember if there was a lift! LOL

We come in front of the hotel reception door but to my surprise we don’t enter. I was wondering how and where they would shoot the interview. We at that point start crossing the road and come in front of the restaurant Utsav. We all enter this very nicely decorated restaurant. We are greeted by a few people saying Hi to us as we enter. They were generally staff as the restaurant was closed down for the interview shoot. The staff were mostly from India, from South India predominantly as we later find out, so when ARR came in they all had huge smiles and hellos from them!

We step up the staircase to the first floor!

Satyajit: Great décor!
ARR: Yeah, looks nice!
Me: Nice place!

We enter the first floor and we see the video camera all set up with Bina sitting in front of them (the singer from Dam Dam Dola re song, presently a host for View Asia for Sony Entertainment International), waiting are two people manning the microphone and cameras. One guy was actually bina’s husband. There are others who come up to say hello. The manager, a nice lady comes up and welcomes us.

Bina walks up says hi, introduces the crew. As we settle down. The crew starts shooting the first part of the interview with Moris and they decide to basically shoot ARR’s portions 2nd. In the meantime, we get asked for what we would like to eat. ARR asks for coffee. The Chef comes up and introduces himself and gives Rahman a dish he prepared specially for him. Prawn pakoras and some other stuff. Rahman of course being the polite man he is basically says with great feeling that he has quit eating prawn and that coffee would be fine. Moris starts to give his part of the interview and we all are told to quite down. The coffee arrives, I am given a cup as I face ARR and sit on a two person table with him in the rear part of the restaurant with him. Everyone else is with the interview guys. As the person serving coffee asks ARR of how much sugar he wants, he answers 5 cubes. He looks surprised 5 Sir, he says, yes thank you.

We start drinking coffee. I take a sip only…………

ARR: I am tired. I just want to get over these interviews and get some rest.
Do you pray?
Me: Sure, accept after the CBSO show, since I have been travelling so much, haven’t had time and todays prayers are Kajah too.

ARR: I prayed at a local mosque at Ealing. It was a nice mosque.
Me: Oh, really….cool!
ARR: So, How did the name Matthew come about as………..(I reminded him of the story again) Interesting.

Looks impatient.

ARR: May be I should do something different, go catch a movie or something.
Hey Satyajit, wanna watch BombaY Dreams? If we have to then we need to know really soon.

Me: Really, I had plans to watch it again. I watched it three times!
ARR: Three times? Really?
Me: Yeah, its started me off on the theatre love seekers habits!
ARR: (laughs) It was meant to bring in audiences from the east!

ARR: You look very calm for a person who got mugged!
Me: I was meeting ARR in a while, I couldn’t care less about the camera!
ARR: Rich Man….!!!(Laughs)
Me: No, its just that cameras will come and go, this opportunity is unique.
ARR: blushes….feels a bit awkward!
ARR: You know Hariharan got mugged once too. Bina comes in, interview was over with moris. Bina: Yeah , when he got mugged he called us because it seemed quitge serious! ARR: Sad story! Bina: We are set for the interview as soon as you are ready. The Anjala girl: Yeah, we will be ready for the phone interviews soon also.

ARR keeps on drinking his coffee as cameras get ready for ARR!

ME: Did you hear harem? You composition was on it!
ARR: But they destroyed the Journey Home track, made a complete Khichdi of it. (He looked dissatisfied).

Me: I agree, it sounded off key!
ARR: They did a bad job of it!

Me: Do you not sleep much!
ARR: Nope! Why aren’t you having your coffee?
Me: I was a certified insomniac, I am not allowed to have coffee.
ARR: Really.

Me: The Bombay dreams DVD was very informative, I saw your studio for the first time in it!
ARR: You mean the Saalam Bombay DVD?
Me: Yeah!
ARR: (smirks) that wasn’t my studio!
Me: Really?
ARR: Yeah, my studio is on the first floor!
Me: Oh, ok!

ARR walks down the steps and before he sits down in front of the camera, satyajit briefs her and says, don’t ask him about statistics he doesn’t have details yet.

ARR complete a riveting interview. I sat and watched the whole thing. He is so cool and calm, a whole different beat he lives on. Shanti all around!

ARR comes back to the rear and takes pictures and signs autographs for the staff. He speaks by the way almost all the South Indian Languages besides others. Quite a linguist. Likes languages. He even spoke Chinese in front of me. He likes the language, says some stuff to me, which I don’t understand and he laughs out loud looking at me!

Jokes around with everyone, he does loads of phone interviews as I sit on and hear. I then decide that its time for me to take a pic and get my meenaxi CD signed. I ask him.

Me: Its time that I sneak a pic with you!
ARR: Don’t you have any yet!
Me: Nope!
ARR: Sure.

(We pose for picture, that I attach with this mail, taken at the rear of the restaurant)

Me: Lets get three, in case something gets wrong!
ARR: Chuckles! Hey, How come all of the people I meet from the group are always your height, Rano and the others were mostly all your height, uniform heights! Chuckles more this time!

(Prior to this he uses the word paneer for a group picture with the others that he takes, sounded quite funny and we all laughed!)

I kept out some jokes because they are kinda private,so sorry guys!

We get that done and then he gives a few more interviews. We all then settle down and he asks me!

ARR: Hey, Matthew? Do you know where Tottenham Court Road is?
Me: Yeah I do!

We get interrupted for one last phone interview!
We all settle down once again, we have discussions on everything, ARR crack a lot of jokes and we all talk for a while until this girl that ARR was supposed to meet comes over. She doesn’t show. ARR still waits! But she doesn’t show in the meantime. Lots of jokes and camaraderie I spot between him and satyajit!

Me: You asked about Tottenham court road!?
ARR: Yeah, I had to buy some memory for my computer! But I wont go now, since I am a bit tired, I want to get some rest!
Me: Oh OK,
Me: MAC OR PC FANATIC!
ARR: I don’t know, but they are both quite accessible these days!

At this day a very busy day comes to an end for him, he looks like he needs to recharge. He cancels the Tottenham visit. He ask me,

ARR: What are you doing after this?
Me: Going back to Cardiff, wales, with the last train.
ARR: How far is Cardiff?
Me: 2:36 mins by train!

ARR: Oh, cool!

He looks around, calls the girls number. She doesn’t show and we all decide to pack up. We all thank each other.

I thank everyone for their accommodation for me, an outsider. They all thank me back for sticking around.

We step outside the restaurant. ARR doesn’t have a ride to the apartment where he lives, so while satyajit hitches for a ride for ARR with Bina and Crew, ARR is actually off to the side of the road hailing a cab with his thumb sticking out. Satyajit, we have a ride, don’t worry. ARR still hails as a caab crosses him.

I go up to ARR and

Me: It was a pleasure, thank you for everything for being so kind and accommodating me into your day. Thanks, my honour entirely. And best of luck with the trip to Prague and the Bombay Dreams debut at Broadway! Its going to be great, don’t worry!

ARR: You are welcome, it was my pleasure, (as he shakes my hand) Wish you luck with everything, and give my regard to those who are in the group.

Me: Will do! Thanks very much (to satyajit), it was nice of you to let me tag along and for being so kind to me!

Satyajit: Hey, it was nothing, it was a pleasure, had fun! No worries at all, its fans like you that keep him going on!

Me: Thanks! Take care guys, I will catch you sometime later. (as I walk away to the tube station), Allah Hafez.

I left with a new perspective on the man that I adore and about his way of life. He loves doing what he does but he loves more the fact that he has the opportunity to connect with so many people all around the world. Breaking boundaries in his career is what he strives to do and I got the feeling the day he feels he has done a lot and gets bored, he will leave composing to others. He mentioned the fact that he keeps on doing new things is because he doesn’t want to do same things and it bores him, and if he is bored he won’t do it.

He is a man of few words. Has a fighter’s spirit. Criticism inspires him but then his fans mean a lot to him too, that balances the mean mindedness of the critics, many a times. He is polite. Respects people no matter who they are. He is a man of his own making, he is humble and down to earth in a way that I can’t put into words. He keeps his commitments.

Some people hate him because he is so good………..
He doesn’t care, really overlooks everything negative and stays away from people who he feels is negative. His eyes tell you how fragile and susceptible he is to manipulative people, like the ones in the film industry. But he soldiers on even after the worst with not even a scratch.

He is religious and religion inspires him, but for him, so does art, life and if he gets passionate people to work with that shows in his music. Sometime things don’t work but that he hinted happens when mostly people ask him to do things which he knows wont work but he has to because he usually has earlier committed to may be another interpretation of a vision.

So is Rahman a musical genius? That he is, but more importantly in an age like ours, I know for a fact now that he is probably one of the most beautiful and soulful person walking this planet. It was an honour for me to have met him.

Thank you all for staying put all throughout my first assignment as a journalist, your support, encouragement and love kept me going on! I love this group and more importantly I know our man appreciates our support too.

Take Care all!
Best Regards to all!
Matthew Islam………….Signing off!