A R Rahman was recently at the Bharat Pavilion in Cannes to support an upcoming music documentary, Headhunting to Beatboxing, that follows the Naga tribe as they go through a musical renaissance in Nagaland. A regular at the Cannes for several years now, Rahman spoke to us about his many learnings at the film festival.

Cannes has seen a lot of Indian representation, and this year, an Indian film is also in competition for the Palme d’Or. 

Rahman explains that finding a spot on the global stage is crucial. “Already our documentaries are winning, we’re winning Grammys. I think in movies, fiction is where we are lacking. This year, India has one movie (in competition) at Cannes after 30 years – it’s great progress and I hope it wins.”

Rahman adds that Indian filmmakers need to look at their work through a global lens. “I think Indian filmmakers should look at India through western glasses. And then we will understand how to gaze at our talent, and how to tell our stories in a way that the whole world can enjoy. I’m seeing that change happening. I see a lot of young (Indian) directors at film festivals. I’m sure that they know how to make a movie from India to (be presented to) the world. What intrigues me is the magic of cinema – what it does to you.”

Rahman, who has been visiting Cannes for years, shares, “At Cannes, you meet like-minded people, and you get a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood here because everybody is coming with a dream in their mind.”

What does he think the challenges are for Indian filmmakers? “I think we have money, we have equipment, we have talent. It’s just that we need focus; smart work is important. Hard work is not enough (laughs). Smart scriptwriting, knowing where our place is intellectually and culturally – understanding what aspects of our culture are great for the world to see. What does it take to be at the core of world cinema? It is not just content or talent; it’s geopolitics, psychology, art. It’s about telling the right stories to reach there and using the right tools. We are in an interesting space, a renaissance that is almost coming.”

The documentary Rahman supported at the Cannes, Headhunting To Beatboxing, traces the journey of the Naga community, which moved away from violence to create music. Rahman says that he decided to tell this story because it’s not just about Naga music but also about independent singer-songwriters, and could inspire the world. After 99 Songs (2021), this is the second project that he is backing and discussing at Cannes.

He says, “I want my (production) space to be non-intrusive in my music-making process. Because getting into production is a whole ball game altogether. It’s very exhaustive and sometimes humiliating. So, I just want to do certain things in my capacity.”