Singer-composer AR Rahman performed a version of 'Raga Dance' from 1995's Rangeela at the World Soundtrack Awards the other day. Film Fest Gent organised the award function in Ghent, Belgium, and it featured Rahman as a Guest of Honour. On the occasion, Rahman gave insights into his work process as a composer. Responding to a question about how he writes a song, Rahman said, "The song is based on the story." He also said that today's filmmakers use songs "as a vehicle to bring in audiences," due to the dwindling amount of theatrical viewership.
Rahman said that the viewership factor also affects his work as a composer. "So, we have to find its formula sometimes. Sometimes, it is based on lyrics. Sometimes, it comes from a character. Sometimes, it plays a role which is like a character for the movie."
AR Rahman also spoke about the difficulty involved in composing a song, saying it is when there is pressure of making it a hit right from the get-go. "The hardest one is when you do a hit and they say, 'Do another one like that.'" He attributed this to the effort involved in coming up with another approach to composing based on a hit song. "Sometimes, I run away to London or America so that they do not get me," the composer quipped.
