‘WE ALL ARE SUFFERING TOGETHER, AND WE WILL RISE TOGETHER’
Amid the Covid-19 crisis, Oscar and Grammy winner AR Rahman feels people need to stick together, move towards healing
It might be getting tougher, with each passing day, to handle the agony amid the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, but music maestro AR Rahman feels the days of healing are not far away. The Oscar-winning music composer says that it’s important to clutch on to hope to get through the rough tides of time.
“We always need hope, just like we need food, air, music and inspiration. Today, we’re all suffering and struggling together, and soon we’ll rise together,” he asserts.
He feels that, today, people are better prepared to face the adversities, unlike last year when the pandemic hit humanity all of a sudden. “People have learnt how to struggle, and how to emerge alive from the crisis. We need to support each other and we need to march on,” he adds, praying for things to get better, and using social media to urge people to raise funds to aid the healthcare battle.
Just when the second wave of the pandemic began showing its rage, and hit theatres again, Rahman released his longpending film, 99 Songs, on the big screen in some parts of the country, instead of opting for the OTT route. The Grammywinning composer says it was meant to send out a big statement that “we’ll fight and be the hope”. “We’ve to show resilience, that, against all odds, we will survive,” says the 54-year-old, who was associated with the film as a composer, writer and producer.
Ask why he didn’t opt for a digital release and avoid the uncertainties, and he reasons, “It’s a movie made for theatre experience. I didn’t want to take away the sound and music... People who watch content on OTT keep the sound so low.”
Talking about the industry, Rahman feels the musical narrative is missing from storytelling now. He says, “Half the people are avoiding songs. They’re not investing time in composers and just doing remixes. While there are some who’re committed to the craft, some just aren’t. They want to put in money, make a movie, and drop it on the OTT.”