Shaan

At a personal level, it’s anabsolutely great achievement for Rahman which he totally deserves. It’sanother feather in his cap. Whether Indian music will be globally recognizedafter this is still speculation .We’ll have to be more pro-active. 

Rahman has always thought out of the box where he didn’t limit himself to the mukhda-antara format or for that matter in his dance songs youwon't have the typicalmusic. 

The aura of Rahman...what he created from his very first film was,"O my God, this is Rahman!"  

He refused to shift to Mumbai, stayed in Chennai,recorded in his own way. That aura as a composer works for him. Honestly sometimesI may not be too attracted by a song but as soon as I know it’s a Rahman song,I want to hear it again and I let it grow on me. 

Producers, directors would notgive the same freedom that they give him to other composers. So it’s the auraof Rahman that has worked for him. We listen to him because it’s Rahman. 

Alsohe does the big projects, so the songs are pumped heavily, because there’s a lotof money riding on the project, so they grow on you while  another composermight have to hold your attention with one  hearing alone.

My favourite Rahman song: The entirealbum of Bombay and Dil se was fabulous. I  loved 1947 also.

I haven't worked much with him. Butwhatever I’ve  seen is that the track you are singing on for mostcomposers is the final track but, with Rahman, maybe the  whole track willchange and you yourself won't know what the final song will be like. He isinterested in getting the best vocals from you and finally you may be surprisedthat, my God, did I sing it like this? He does something like an online editingand he picks out the good lines, drops the bad ones and before you know it thesong is done. 

There’s a lot of positive energy in his studio which is amazing.

As told to Lata Khubchandani