There is a reason why AR Rahman, one of the modern day greats of Indian film music, often collaborated with the legendary KS Chithra, who seemed to always find a newer facet of her talent while singing for the composer. Their first collaboration happened right in Rahman’s blockbuster debut album, Roja. However, that wasn’t the first interaction between Rahman and Chithra. Reminiscing on the first time she saw Rahman, Chithra said, “I saw him while singing for Ilaiyaraaja sir. He was such a small boy, a child. In fact, I was really shocked to see such a person play music. It was a studio in-charge who informed me that he was Dilip Kumar, the son of RK Sekhar sir.”
In an interaction with O2 India, Chithra revealed that despite meeting Rahman during many recordings, both of them never interacted owing to their reticent nature. “We never spoke until Roja happened,” said Chithra, who holds the record for most National Awards for female singers. Talking about the difference between working for Rahman and other composers, the singer said, “While working with other music directors, we hear the final version soon after recording. However, with Rahman it was different. You get maximum liberty, you can experiment with expressions, improvisations, etc… But we can hear the final song only when it is released. I wouldn’t know which version of my song would have made it to the final cut.”
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As a singer, KS Chithra understands the talent of the singer in AR Rahman, and believes there is something magical about his voice. “You know, some songs sound nice only if he sings them. Take, for instance, Mustafa Mustafa from Kadhalan. We can only imagine it in his voice. One other song that falls under such a category is Khwaja Mere Khwaja (Jodha Akbar). I admire him as a singer also.”
Chithra, who has been witnessing the growth of Rahman, right from his days as Dilip Kumar, to the Oscars, and the dizzying heights of today, believes it is the human side of Rahman that she admires the most. “He respects all artistes, singers, and musicians. He makes sure there is recognition for everyone’s work. He was the first one to mention the names of his musicians on the cassette and CD covers. He always recognised his musical family,” said Chithra, who revealed a rather interesting facet about Rahman that makes him the legend he is.
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“Say, he records a musician for one song, and then uses a portion of his work in another. He ensures the musician gets paid for that other song too. Sometimes, musicians receive a cheque, and they have no clue why they are being compensated. It is only when they reach out to Rahman’s office they are told about it,” said Chithra, who pointed out that it is something unimaginable in the world of music. “All I can do is pray for him and his family, and hope that they are blessed abundantly.”