Oscar-winning Indian music composer A. R. Rahman visits Jordan

AMMAN — Oscar-winning Indian music composer A. R. Rahman arrived in Jordan on Monday for a two-day visit to the filming team of the Malayalam-language movie “Aadujeevitham”, to which he is penning the score.

The shooting of the film, based on the eponymous novel of noted Malayalam writer Benyamin, is currently taking place in Wadi Rum.

“Aadujeevitham” (Goat Days), directed by Blessy and starring Indian actor Prithiviraj Sukumaran, portrays the harrowing ordeal of a migrant worker from the southern Indian state of Kerala in a Gulf country.

Despite his tight schedule, Rahman decided to join the team at the filming location.

“This movie is very special; it’s about humanity. A director like Blessy has given everything to this film. The whole team has a sense of commitment. I am passing by the location as a gesture of encouragement,” Rahman told The Jordan Times upon his arrival in Amman.

Elaborating on the project, Rahman said scoring the film has not yet started; only individual songs have been completed.

“The songs are mostly situational, more like a lullaby, lament-like, in addition to a love song. Even though I was supposed to do one song, I ended up doing three to four songs for the film,” he said.

As talks progressed about Jordan, Rahman, currently on his second visit to Jordan, recalled his first trip through the Kingdom in transit from Egypt to Baghdad as a pilgrim with his mother in 1997.

“I remember I bought a handicraft with colourful threads from Jordan, and I still have it in my studio,” he said, adding that “everything here has changed now”.

When asked about his itinerary, Rahman said: “Petra is one of the places I wanted to visit.”

Reminiscing on his life journey from the busy music studios of Chennai as a child prodigy to the global stage, Rahman, also known as the “Mozart of Madras” said: “It still seems surreal. Is it a dream or a reality? I think it’s a blessing I cherish.” 

Touching on inspiration, the maestro said: “When you dive deep into an art, you don’t know where it comes from. It’s like a treasury, all you have to do is be prepared for it. Empty your mind… which is to keep the mind clean, so you can resonate with what the movie requires and what the soul of the movie is.”