Nikhil KamathA.R. Rahman: The Genius Who Took Indian Music Global | Nikhil Kamath | People by WTF | Ep 15
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 3:17
Bangalore–Chennai roots and first reflections on music
Rahman and Nikhil begin by bonding over South Indian roots, Rahman’s Chennai upbringing, and his early proximity to film studios. The tone is warm and conversational, setting up Rahman’s lifelong relationship with studio culture and sound.
- 3:17 – 8:25
Losing his father at nine: trauma, responsibility, and emotional imprint
Rahman recounts his father’s death and the chain of grief and instability that followed. He explains why he rarely speaks about his father and how those memories later reframed into inspiration and a standard for humanity.
- 8:25 – 10:30
His mother’s resilience: survival, equipment rentals, and pushing him into music
Rahman credits his mother’s strength for the family’s survival and his early professional path. She preserved his father’s instruments, built income through equipment rentals, and ultimately pushed him into full-time playing when that model declined.
- 10:30 – 13:30
Apprenticeship in the studios: playing for top composers and learning arrangement
Rahman describes a decade-long stretch playing keyboards for major composers across languages. Over time he moved from following written notes to being trusted with arrangements, building the core skills that later defined his sound.
- 13:30 – 24:00
Jingles, “scratch” culture, and early experimentation with production
Moving into ad jingles gave Rahman end-to-end ownership of music-making. He explains the ‘scratch’ process in advertising and how his work eventually became final output rather than disposable demos, sharpening his production instincts.
- 24:00 – 26:36
Panchathan Studio and the breakthrough with Mani Ratnam (Roja)
Building a home studio in 1989 becomes Rahman’s empowerment moment—privacy, speed, and creative freedom without judgment. Mani Ratnam’s listening session at the studio seeds the sound of Roja, leading to overnight transformation.
- 26:36 – 31:00
Resisting the industry’s consumption: doing less work to keep evolving
After fame, Rahman repeatedly feels the urge to quit films and protect his ‘soul’ from a thankless system. He chooses fewer projects than peers, escapes into new environments (London/Hollywood), and studies broadly to stay artistically ahead.
- 31:00 – 34:29
Redefining 90s Indian film music: global ambition, production, and time as a weapon
Rahman explains the shift triggered by Roja and his intention to make local-language songs global. He outlines what he “addressed” (production, vibe, recording, language barriers) and why taking time—rather than formula—was essential.
- 34:29 – 40:00
Classical music, gurus, and making tradition immersive—not preachy
Rahman argues classical music needs elevated positioning and better presentation to connect widely. He emphasizes the guru’s spiritual ‘transfer’ beyond technique and speaks about modernizing performance experiences and identifying new maestros.
- 40:00 – 43:18
AI and contrarian creativity: beating predictive models while protecting jobs
Rahman views AI as empowering for people with vision but also potentially destructive for livelihoods. He stresses contrarian creativity as a response to predictive models, and argues for human-set rules to prevent harm and job displacement.
- 43:18 – 47:15
Practice, singing, and evolving at any age: craft over “talent”
The conversation turns practical: how to learn, improve pitch, and build skill over time. Rahman shares his own late-stage vocal improvement, teacher advice, and why sustained practice beats waiting for the ‘right time.’
- 47:15 – 53:33
Global purpose work: UN role, founding a music ecosystem, and education as legacy
Rahman recalls being appointed UN Stop TB ambassador and how travel reshaped his priorities. Concern about the future of instrumentalists in India leads to KM Music Conservatory, later expanding into an institution with global exposure for students.
- 53:33 – 56:15
Fame, privacy, and human limits: navigating recognition without losing yourself
Rahman describes the cost of constant recognition—especially in transit and family settings. He contrasts Indian celebrity culture with stricter boundaries abroad and explains how he limits public exposure to preserve personal life and studio focus.
- 56:15 – 1:14:12
DM collaborations and tech curiosity: from creators to AI founders
Rahman shares how online DMs lead to surprising connections, including Spike Lee reaching out. He also discusses meeting AI leaders (Perplexity, Sam Altman) and positions his projects as a model for combining top AI with top human craft.
- 1:14:12 – 1:29:40
VR, ‘meta’ futures, and the Sacred Mountain virtual band concept
Rahman outlines his long-standing interest in VR, including directing a VR film and translating it to dome projections. He then explains Sacred Mountain: a multicultural virtual band with consistent characters, live human music, and scalable performance formats.
- 1:29:40 – 1:35:40
Reinventing entertainment: theatres, immersive tech, symphony halls, and musical theatre
Rahman argues theatres won’t die but must evolve beyond the rectangle screen and passive viewing. He advocates immersive venues, multi-sensory experiences, and building India’s cultural infrastructure—symphony halls and world-class musical theatre ecosystems.
- 1:35:40 – 1:43:54
Inner life: altruism, Sufism, and protecting attention from the news cycle
Rahman discusses spirituality as service, kindness, and surrender—reducing jealousy and ego while focusing on deeds. He describes Sufism as ‘dying before dying’ (killing greed/lust/jealousy) and ends with a practical philosophy: prioritize family and local goodness over doom-scrolling news.
- 1:43:54 – 1:47:52
Tu Hi Re origin story and a spontaneous musical sign-off
Rahman shares how ‘Tu Hi Re’ emerged from a half-sleep melody captured on tape, with Mani Ratnam’s visuals amplifying its magic. The episode closes with a brief live moment as Rahman sings while Nikhil plays simple chords, ending on a warm invitation to visit the studio.
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