AR Rahman, the Oscar-winning composer, has shared insights into creating the timeless music for the film 'Lagaan', which marks 25 years since its release on Monday. He stated that the intention behind the album was to craft something that would endure through time.
Global Recognition Through 'Lagaan'
Rahman, who later won two Oscars for 'Slumdog Millionaire' in 2009, credited 'Lagaan' for helping Indian film music gain wider global recognition. The film, he said, opened doors to many international projects for him.
Released in 2001, the period sports drama directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starring Aamir Khan earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film and widespread acclaim for its music.
Rahman's Vision for Indian Music
"From my first movie, my intention was that my music should go out into the world. One of the reasons we worked hard on sound production, lyrics, presentation, credits, storage, and mastering was so that it would endure into the future. I even had to turn down movies because of that approach. I wanted Indian music to be cool so that the whole world could enjoy it," Rahman told PTI in an interview.
He noted that 'Lagaan' led to projects such as the Chinese production 'Warriors of Heaven and Earth' and international ventures like 'Elizabeth: The Golden Age'. "'Lagaan' actually got me many films. It is a milestone because it was one of my first movies to receive an Oscar nomination. In a way, that's a milestone. The whole world would have seen it," he added.
Creative Process and Collaboration
Set in 1893, 'Lagaan' follows villagers from Champaner who challenge a British officer to a cricket match for tax exemption. When Gowariker approached Rahman, there was no fixed musical template, and the soundscape evolved organically. This marked their first collaboration, leading to films like 'Swades', 'Jodha Akbar', and 'Mohenjodaro'.
"Usually, how I work is that I have a palette of things, and I let the director respond because the director is the one who has the whole picture and the vision of the film. Sometimes they lead, sometimes we lead, and sometimes we both find different things, like happy accidents," Rahman said. "But I knew it was a period film. On the journey, we kind of discovered it together. I played him various melodies, sometimes not even connected to the movie, then he responded. We formed the whole soundscape of the movie that way."
Music Production and Challenges
The soundtrack was crafted with lyricist Javed Akhtar and singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Alka Yagnik, and Udit Narayan. Despite a busy schedule, Rahman took two to three months to compose the music. "I was doing Rajiv Menon's projects, 'Taal'. This one came just after that. I was on the verge of finishing all those projects when Ashutosh came in. He would come to various studios and hang out with me. During break times, we'd discuss something. You could say we almost lived and enjoyed the process," he recounted.
To capture the film's rooted setting, the team traveled to Bhuj and interacted with folk musicians. "We wanted to get the feel of the whole movie because it was also fiction. Even the music responded to that idea," Rahman said, adding that they used modern elements like bass guitar.
Adapting Earlier Compositions
Rahman revealed that popular tracks like 'Mitwa' and 'O Rey Chhori' were adapted from his earlier compositions. "When I played both of these tunes for Ashutosh, he liked them. So, we changed those tunes to the soundscape of the movie. Then 'O Paalanhaare' came in, 'Radha Kaise Na Jale', and 'Chale Chalo' was the last tune we composed," he said.
Among the eight tracks, 'Ghanan Ghanan' was the most challenging due to multiple singers. "Each character had a personality that had to come through in the tune as well. Sukhwinder Singh, Udit Narayan, Shankar Mahadevan, Alka Yagnik ji, all of them brought different vibes to make the final song," he said.
Singing 'Chale Chalo' and Working with Asha Bhosle
Rahman lent his voice to 'Chale Chalo' at the director's insistence. "Ashutosh has voices in his mind. He has a very classically sensitised personality; he loves Indian classical music. He said, 'I think you should sing this song'. 'Maa Tujhe Salaam' had come out about two years before, so he felt I should sing this motivational song and I accepted it," Rahman said.
He fondly recalled working with the late Asha Bhosle on 'Radha Kaise Na Jale', saying her presence elevated the song. "When a great singer comes in, we always want to push even the composition into another zone. You think, 'Oh, she's singing so easily, so why can't we make this even more complex?' More nuances and modulations spontaneously come in. You hear a word and think, 'This word is nice, but it's in a lower tune. Why don't we move it higher?' All this stuff instinctively happens," he said.
Javed Akhtar's Contribution
Rahman credited Akhtar for enriching the album. "For every song recording, he'd be sitting there, enhancing to the tune, or sometimes asking me to change something to match his words. So, it was a truly collaborative creative process," he said, adding that 'Chale Chalo' evolved from an earlier version, 'Nasha Nasha', thanks to Akhtar.
