Anu Malik

It’s big day for composers, singers, sound technicians. The Oscars for Rahmanmake me very proud. It has opened doors for everyone. The right word for Rahman isa genius who deserved his due many years back. I remember when I first heard ChotiSi Aasha it was mindboggling -- a composer was born to my mind. 

Rahman inspires me to do better work. He makes me respect my music more. I remember how impressed I was withSatrangi Re. And lately in Jodha Akbar when Javed Ali sang, I thought it was Sonu Nigam only to find it wasa fabulous new singer. Rahman broke the mould of safe singers. 

I don’t think Slumdog is necessarily Rahman’s best work. I preferredRoja and Bombay but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s donesome mind- boggling work. He also happened to be at the right place at the right time. And he’s made use of technology to enhance sounds. Rahman has been different from others and entirely focused on hiswork.

He dreamt and God fulfilled his dream. Rahman believes in variety in music, variety insingers voices, variety in sound production, and there are no limits he admitsto. I read somewhere that he approaches his work spiritually. All this has made him reach where hehas. 

He was not committed to the mukhda-antara format -- he chose to make an antara the mukhda .He turned world music into Hindi music. He moulded himself to bedifferent. He did not conform to any old idea. His knowledge of technology is immense andinspiring. 

The Oscar should not be a yardstick for him. He has done great work before and the Oscar will not limit him from doing greater work henceforth.

As told to Lata Khubchandani