Resul Pookutty Remembers When He First Heard of AR Rahman: “I Was Riding a Train in the Nineties” | Exclusive

We always know we are going to be in for a treat when Resul Pookutty and AR Rahman work together. After working on a number of films together, the pair is reuniting for Blessy’s highly anticipated movie, Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran. Rahman has spent more than eight years working on the movie’s script. When Pookutty talked with News18 about reuniting with Rahman before the movie’s premiere, she had nothing but admiration for the actor.

Together, we have worked on several films. While working on this picture, I finally heard the Rahman that I knew in film school,” Pookutty said after a long period. Recalling his first encounter with a young Rahman, Pookutty reminisced, “I was returning home on a train during vacation back in 1991 or 1992. I asked the person seated behind me who was the composer after hearing some lovely music. I had never heard of him before. Later, while we were learning about operatic music, I heard another piece by Rahman. I discovered that [his music] was influenced by British opera,” Pookutty said.

“Rahman is a superb sound technician. Writing is only one of his many talents. He, in my opinion, created the modern Indian music sound. I find him to be a more reliable source than anyone else. After all these years, I feel like Rahman is back,” he said. Pookutty said, “Rahman was always there, but he was ahead of our times,” as to why he believes there has been a lapse. I see that Aadujeevitham has two Rahmans. That’s just how Blessy worded it. There is a journey, whether one is aware of it or not.

When it comes to technology and modern music, some listeners still favor original creations, while others appreciate the culture of remixing. But given the way we’re going, artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable additional instrument for composers of music. In response to the question of whether AI poses a problem for sound engineers and artists, Pookutty said, “I don’t think so, as long as we use technology as a tool.” You may express yourself in different languages. Due to a lack of use, certain languages have become extinct. In a same vein, I see technology as a tool. You pick it up and use it for expression. When it comes to technology, I can perform significantly more accurate work than I could ten years ago.

However, Pookutty acknowledged that he also finds technology confusing. Additionally, technology confuses me a great deal. I’m faced with a ton of options. Your preferences for art, history, and what you hope the next generation sees and hears will all influence these decisions. Therefore, technology can  only enable you to make [your] decisions significantly more careful as long as you are [the one making the choices]. And AI is going to do it,” he said.