AR Rahman’s Q&A from The 2009 Oscars

Brut India

On the birthday of arguably India’s most famous musician, a throwback to when he won the original score and the original song Oscars in 2009. Jai Ho!

Transcript

00:00The score is for Slumdog Millionaire, and the song is Jai Ho.

00:03We will start with 245.

00:07If we can get her a mic, please.

00:15AR, congratulations.

00:17How do you think that your use of music

00:20is going to hopefully revolutionize

00:23the way music is used in Hollywood films from now on?

00:27It depends on the vision of the director

00:30and what film it is.

00:32It's worked out very well in this film

00:34because of Danny's vision of music.

00:37And so it's a teamwork.

00:40And I hope if people like this kind of style,

00:43maybe I'll go further with this.

00:47We're going to come down to 34 and then back to 241.

00:49241, I need you to leave that number up.

00:51Hi there.

00:52What to you are the best qualities about Indian music,

00:55and particularly about the music that you might find in Mumbai?

00:59What are the best qualities?

01:01Mumbai actually is rediscovering itself.

01:04There's a tradition, and there's contemporary film music

01:07happening.

01:08But it's got a wealth of extraordinary musical culture.

01:11Different states have different nuances and all this stuff.

01:14In this, 0.1% is what I've used, what is available.

01:19I think there's a huge treasure there.

01:23241 and then over to 104.

01:25Right here.

01:26Congratulations.

01:27One of your, the other nomination you had for best song,

01:32you had a co-writer, MIA, wondered

01:36if you could talk about whether she was able,

01:39whether there's any talk about her performing with you tonight,

01:42and how that all came about.

01:43There was.

01:44And I think there was much more important things

01:46in her life, having a baby.

01:48And that was good, actually.

01:50She took care of the baby.

01:52I wished her well.

01:54And 104 over here, which will be the last question.

01:57To your right over here, AR.

01:58To your right.

01:59Congratulations tonight.

02:00Nice score.

02:01Were you at all worried about being up

02:04against industry veterans like James Newton

02:06Howard and Danny Elfman?

02:07And had you known about their music, studied their music,

02:10known much about it?

02:11Did you think at all you'd ever be

02:12able to kind of crack into this industry at all?

02:18I think music appeals when the film and music go together.

02:23And of course, they had lovely scores in the movies.

02:27And I had very low expectations when I came for the Oscars.

02:30But I'm really happy that they voted for me

02:32and grateful for that.

02:34Congratulations.

02:35Congratulations, and thank you.

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