Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman has responded to the mixed reactions to his music in Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming epic, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, saying creative decisions cannot be guided by the expectation of pleasing everyone.
The composer, who has faced criticism over the musical arrangement of his song Mangal Rang, said he does not believe in reacting to every comment or opinion about his work.
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Quoting Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Rahman said, "If you want to satisfy everyone, go sell ice cream."
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ALSO READ | 'Sounds Like Kun Faya Kun': AR Rahman Criticised For 'Qawwali-Like' Ramayana Song Mangal Rang
In an interview with Screen, Rahman discussed his creative approach and explained why he prefers not to judge a musical composition prematurely. He said creating a piece of music involves several rounds of reflection and refinement, with some compositions taking months to reach their final form.
The composer also revealed that he is often the first person to critically assess his own work.
"I am my first critic. It is not that I just love everything I do. We don't decide something in a day. We live with it for months sometimes. There's a thought process," he said.
Drawing a comparison with pickles, Rahman explained that certain musical compositions, much like pickles that develop richer flavours over time, need to mature before their artistic value can be fully appreciated. He urged listeners to be patient and look beyond their initial reactions to understand the thought behind a musical arrangement.
"Sometimes you need to consider anthropology. Sometimes, you let something be, like pickle: for certain tunes, the older it is, the better it becomes," he said.
Rahman also pointed out that listeners sometimes focus on individual elements of a composition without considering the larger creative vision behind it. He said allowing music time to grow on audiences could help them understand the reasoning behind particular artistic choices.
"But people sometimes see one side. They don't see the whole picture, right? So sometimes you just have to be patient. And they discover it and say, 'Oh, that's why you did this' or 'that'."
His comments come amid the debate surrounding Mangal Rang, which features vocals by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal, with lyrics penned by Kumar Vishwas. The song, which depicts the wedding of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita, received mixed reactions following its release.
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The musical arrangement drew criticism from several listeners, particularly over its perceived qawwali influences. This sparked a debate over whether the style was appropriate for a narrative based on the Hindu epic. While some listeners felt the composition should have incorporated sounds more closely associated with Sanatan Dharma, others questioned the electronic rendition of the Ravana tandava sequence, saying it lacked the intensity they had expected.
The lyrics also became a point of discussion, with some listeners questioning their emotional resonance and the poetic depth they traditionally associate with Rahman's compositions.
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