Ive put myself to test

Not really. The idea struck me a couple of years ago when I was thinking of expanding my musical horizons. But it wasnt completely formed. Only when Mick Jagger offered me a chance to become a founder-member of SuperHeavy did it open up a new thought. I realised that apart from collaborating with some of the most talented musicians,Id also be able to address a world audience.

The band was originally Dave Stewarts idea,wasnt it?

He was my link to the other members of the band. Dave has known me and my music for some time. He and I wanted to do something together. Joss Stone and Dave had collaborated with Mick in the past and Mick,like Dave,liked Indian music. So he arranged the meetings and brought the whole band together.

You are known to be reclusive. Didnt you instinctively resist the idea of working with others?

I was going through a dark phase when the offer to become a member of the band came by (in 2008). The Mumbai terror attacks had taken place,I had lost my sound engineer H Sridhar. I found myself sitting with the band and making music while promoting Slumdog Millionaire in the US. I was glad for anything that could bring me out of that zone. It liberated me in many ways.

Did the name of the band come up during a jam session?

Actually it did (laughs). But Ill be honest: I was not very comfortable in the beginning it sounded like it was inspired by Mohammed Ali. I thought it was a bit too much at first. But there are some things you need to get used to. A band is a collaborative effort and now I associate us with the name.

All five members Dave Stewart and Mick Jagger (rock),Damian Marley (reggae) and Joss Stone (soul) represent different styles and genres. What genre does SuperHeavy belong to?

I wouldnt call it world music. All six of us have done distinct but simple music. Merging them together,I suppose,makes it popular music.

Is Mick Jagger the band leader?

Yes and no. He is,of course,the senior-most member of the band and so we give him that respect. But it is not as if he always wants to be a part of everything we make or do. He gives everyone their space but also takes keen interest in everything. For example,when we were working on Satyameva Jayate,he wanted to know the Sanskrit words,learn them and croon them. Its his personality that in a way drives the band.

Tells us about how the band first collaborated at Jim Heson Studio in Los Angeles. Apparently,you all wrote 29 songs in a 10-day gruelling session.

I remember my first day as a member of SuperHeavy. I was in Los Angeles to promote Slumdog. We met around noon. We were all doing the set-up and trying to get comfortable. I was feeling good about making music together. We had elaborate jam sessions,which were all recorded. Some songs were made without me since I was also busy promoting the film. We would then figure out whatever we thought was working out well. We again met a few months later,this time we travelled on a yacht,on a journey spanning Turkey and Greece. The recordings helped since they allowed us to revisit the music later and work on it.

How different is it to be a band member?

Becoming a performer has been a gradual process. I was always very conscious of appearing in public and would not even look at my audience (laughs). But doing my own shows helped me open up.

What is that unique thing that you bring to the band?

It is good to discover a musician for what he or she is. My strength probably lies in discovering new ways of making music.

Tell us about how the band created Satyameva Jayate.

I had wanted to do something with Satyameva Jayate for a while. I realised that working with musicians like Mick,Dave,Joss and Damian would be a great opportunity to give this phrase a new touch. I mostly composed the song and that happened during our stint at the Jim Henson studio. But it was important that I explain to the other members the relevance of the words. And they were all very impressed with the fact that our national motto says,Truth Prevails. It is also what got them so interested in the process. And then Mick wanted to sing the words in Sanskrit.

Does the band always make music together or do you all contribute individually from wherever you are?

It would be rather tough to collaborate if we were making music only when we met. Satyameva Jayate,in fact,was recorded all over the place. Composed in LA,I recorded my vocals in Chennai,Micks were done in the US,whereas the chorus was recorded in Mumbai.

When you make music,are you aware of the impression the world has of India and its music?

In my belief,Indians are extremely versatile. They are not just about the popular song-and-dance music or the ragas.

So I intend to look beyond all of that,go further than genres and search for music that takes root in our culture but can push the boundaries.

How far ahead has this band taken you?

The band has put my creative boundaries to test; lets see if I can break away from them.

You have redefined Indian music,you have bagged the Grammy,an Oscar,and with SuperHeavy,you are now associated with some of the biggest names in music in the world. Does that leave anything more to be desired?

I am just focusing on enjoying the process. There are fans from all over the world who make our world audience. And that pushes me to be more creative,to be able to connect with all of them. Its hugely liberating as I discover the other side of me. The fact that I have achieved so much helps me push my limits further because Ive got nothing to lose.

How does your family feel about all this?

Well,they always feel Im not home enough. My mother called me a few days ago and said,The house feels deserted without you. But if you are happy,thats good enough.

Indian fans can be as demanding as they can be giving. Do you find yourself under pressure at times to live up to their image and expectations of you? Do you ever wish to be able to start afresh without being judged?

That is true,but then they have supported me throughout and I wouldnt wish them away. Sometimes though I wish theyd realise Im human too. I am a musician but also a family man,and the principal of a school (KM Music Conservatory in Chennai). I try to pick and choose,and take up less things so that I am consistent and do not disappoint them.

He needs to satisfy the artist in him

AR Rahman has always innovated. And now,he is looking beyond being a Bollywood artist,says musician Karsh Kale

Evolution,thats been the key. AR Rahman is a great performer and singer. His sense of gayaki is god-gifted and he is a musician in the true sense of the word. He can make music on a harmonium and then take it to the orchestra. He is an innovator: he plays the continuum,an electronic music instrument,like a veena. Its a very modern instrument but he performs Carnatic music on it instead.

When people see him as a Bollywood artist,they cant see all his aspects. AR is a master of his art. He was not born a Bollywood musician,he was born a musician.

What keeps his music going is the emotional connect he has with the audience. He keeps an eye on trends even though he rarely follows them. From Roja to SuperHeavy,its a different generation and he keeps that in mind.

He brought emotions back to music. He revolutionised it by giving space between vocals and instrumental lines. He gives the audience space. He treats us like someone he speaks to.

In the West,musicians know him more because of Slumdog Millionaire and that opened doors for him. With SuperHeavy,he is allowing himself to be part of a collective. After Slumdog,he was flooded with accolades. But he probably thought where do we go from here?

We tend to forget,he is a young musician and India put him on a pedestal at a very young age,when encouragement to do better was what he needed. That kind of acclaim,when someone is in his late 30s or 40s,can also be limiting. Before Slumdog,he scored for films in China but no one was mapping his music. Now people scrutinise him a bit too much and thats not fair to him at all.

With SuperHeavy,he is not in the drivers seat. He is one of five members. He is one of the five pieces of a puzzle. The fact that he has been able to step out of the music directors shoes speaks volumes. Its not easy to stop being in control. But AR can step into any kind of situation and adapt. Its okay not to please a few people he needs to satisfy himself as an artist.

(As told to Somya Lakhani)