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Rehman
has always evoked awe about his intuitive approach
to making tunes. He has the innate ability to
judge the mood and fashion the score mixing different
musical genres. This mixing does not seem like
a khichdi but a smooth blending chakkarapongal.
He is credited with bringing Western influences
and intrinsic rhythmic patterns in Tamil film
music. If Ilayaraja
was the king of melody, Rehman
was the badshah of beats. His songs however were
not just for the party hoppers, but include many
soulful tunes as well. The album Vande Mataram
created on the occasion of the 50th anniversary
of Indian independence, holds the record for the
highest sales figures amongst non-film music.
He
has always worked only with leading directors
like Shankar,
Priyadarshan, Ashutosh Gowitrikar(Lagaan) and
this choosy nature makes him produce assured hits
because he enjoys immense creative freedom under
these directors. He crossed the seas to work in
international projects like Bombay Dreams and
the Deepa Mehta films Water and Earth. He has
projected the sensitive core of Indian music to
the world and that is why he is preferred by discerning
directors.
An
intensely shy and reticent man, he does not give
interviews or wax eloquently on stage. Instead
he lets his music do all the talking. His favorite
line, Ella pugazhum iraivanukke(all praise to
the Lord) shows his humility despite scaling the
peaks of popularity.
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