Blackpink's Jisoo, Seo In-guk to Star in Netflix K-Drama 'Boyfriend on Demand' 13 hours ago

Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman ("Slumdog Millionaire") continues to push creative boundaries with his latest score for the historical film "Chhaava," while simultaneously spearheading ambitious plans to revolutionize India's musical theater landscape.

The globally acclaimed musician, speaking with Variety, reveals how he approached the score for director Laxman Utekar's historical epic following their previous successful collaboration on "Mimi." Produced by Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films, "Chhaava" is emerging as one of the Indian hits of the year with more than $33 million at the box office so far.

"I worked with Laxman and Maddock previously on 'Mimi,' and it was such a big hit with 'Param Sundari' and all the songs," Rahman recalls. "When they came with this movie, I had just finished [Mani Ratnam's] 'Ponniyin Selvan' 1 and 2, another historical. But they said, 'No, no, this is a completely different take on it. We want a very global sound to this story.'"

The composer describes "Chhaava" as inherently music-driven, though his approach was deliberately subtle. "When people come out, they just feel the movie. They don't say how great the music is, they say, 'What a great movie, what a great performance.' That's what music should do. It should enhance in a subliminal way where everything is heightened -- the action and the characters."

"Chhaava" is headlined by Bollywood star Vicky Kaushal as the legendary Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Rahman says his creative process began with crafting the protagonist's theme. "The first thing he [Utekar] wanted was a theme for 'Chhaava,' when his glory has been emphasized," he says. "I tried a couple of themes, and he really loved the one we have. He was so excited, saying 'this is enough for me, I'll go and shoot this.'"

The score also features "Jaane Tu," an emotionally resonant ballad that serves multiple narrative functions. "The ballad was probably one of the first tunes which came. We went all around trying different ideas and then ultimately came back to this tune," Rahman explains. The song found deeper purpose in the film's climax. "It becomes like the voice of his wife coming back -- their spiritual relationship, almost like telepathy, how she thinks what he thinks at the most challenging moment of life."

The composer's approach to the historical genre required careful balance. "It was basically not to repeat any of the ideas I've done before, but to give the visual and the story a contemporary kind of feel where today's audience can enjoy it, at the same time not going out of the box too much."

The "Chhaava" soundtrack is on Sony Music India, with whom Rahman has had a long relationship dating back to 1997 studio album "Vande Mataram," which remains the label's largest-selling Indian non-film album. "I started with Sony, and Sony started with me. I was doing a very Indian album, and then suddenly it got picked up for an international release. I didn't even know how huge it was," Rahman says. The success of the album and its videos ensured that Rahman was recognized on the streets of Paris and London, he says.

Beyond "Chhaava," Rahman is pioneering ambitious initiatives to develop India's musical theater infrastructure. In collaboration with VGP Group, he's working on a 3,000-seat theater in Chennai, with additional projects in development with the Tamil Nadu government. His educational initiatives include introducing a musical theater curriculum with faculty from Broadway at his KM Music Conservatory, where they are developing an amateur theater production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "School of Rock." Rahman and Webber famously collaborated on "Bombay Dreams," which opened at London's West End in 2002 and transferred to Broadway in 2004. The composer also teamed with eminent director Shekhar Kapur to create Expo 2020 Dubai commission "Why? The Musical."

"We need to build something monumental, not just like a shell," Rahman says. "Every theater in the world, they have such pride. It's like a monument. In Baku, Zaha Hadid designed the Heydar Aliyev Center and [also] take the Sydney Opera House," Rahman adds. "For India, everything is Taj Mahal. It's high time we concentrate on art centers which could become the monuments of the future and display beauty."

He emphasizes the importance of harnessing India's architectural and design talent that often find outlets abroad. "We have such great minds, architectural minds, design minds, but they're all working for people abroad, like Apple and Intel and Microsoft. I think we just need to bring those minds here and start that magic here. That's what I'm trying to do, with the help of great designers, AI and everything, designing monumental structures, for the future of India. Other than music, this is my passion."

Currently, Rahman's plate is full with diverse projects, including Mani Ratnam's "Thug Life," Ram Charan's "Peddi" and Anand L. Rai's project "Tere Ishk Mein." He's also scoring for UAE director Naila Al Khaja's "Baab" and developing "Secret Mountain," a meta band project that excites him with its expanding possibilities.

Reflecting on how streaming platforms have transformed music discovery, Rahman maintains his characteristic optimism. "I sometimes come across new artists. Some of the Spotify playlists are wonderful," Rahman says, mentioning his discovery of Indian origin singer Abhilasha Sinha from New York, who eventually sang a song for him for the "Mili" soundtrack. "It's giving a voice to all this new parallel industry of music, which is very good, because music should not be tied down to only cinema," he continues. "Instead of trying to be an Adele or a Taylor Swift, I think they try to be themselves and they pop out in that. That's the renaissance I'm looking at. I think it is happening slowly. They're discovering a new sound, having confidence to lean in, [rather] than trying to make a cover song of Western artists."

The composer's enduring creative drive stems from his view of artists as society's mirrors. "Artists actually reflect the void, and they try to fill up the void," Rahman muses. "The void is sometimes art, beauty, poetry or a vibe, which will transcend people from the mundane lives... If I don't have music, life is mundane for me."

He remains excited about the creative possibilities offered by new technologies: "The tools are immense now, the tools are amazing. Everybody's empowered with something. If they still sit around doing nothing, it's their fault... You're empowered completely. Nothing should stop people from creating."