A R Rahman Releases A Song About Demonetization – The Flying Lotus!

A R Rahman is Bollywood’s most celebrated singer-composer. He has been bestowed upon several awards and even the Oscars for his inspiring and exquisite music. The nation will witness the first anniversary of one of the biggest economic exercises in India on November 8 – the declaration of demonetization. And, the musician has composed and released an entire song titled the Flying Lotus which is a 19-minute track dedicating it. It will surely a soulful and interesting track considering Rahman's track record of producing songs!

In an interaction with a leading daily, Rahman said, “I don’t see any politics in the move. I personally believe that historic moments like these need to be recorded artistically. For example, the initial motif of Beethoven’s (18th-century German composer) Fifth Symphony is credited with symbolic significance as a representation of fate knocking at the door. Similarly, when the Prime Minister made the announcement, it was a big moment for India, and the rise of the country and I felt like talking about it through my music. The song is open to interpretation.”

“I thought the common man felt extremely good about the move. I like to live a very normal life, and I live in a normal neighborhood. For this song, my voice is their (common people’s) voice,” says the composer. “Sometimes, I traveled economy class to understand what people thought about it. You can’t live a comfortable life and then try and have an opinion about something. You have to see both sides of the world, and then derive your opinion from it,” he added.

Giving examples of legendary musicians including Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley and English singer John Lennon, Rahman said, “People still have a connection with the kind of songs written by Bob Marley and John Lennon.” He added, “Even in [Indian] history, people still listen to, and relate to songs written during the freedom struggle. And doing stuff like this gives a composer the visibility that they might not get when they’re composing film music.”