AR Rahman says he was 'pigeonholed' in Hollywood after Oscar wins: Oh Indian stuff...

AR Rahman has earned international recognition after winning two awards for Slumdog Millionaire in 2008 – Best Original Score and Best Original Song. In a recent interview, the music composer said that he feels "pigeonholed" in Hollywood. He also talked about his directorial debut, Le Musk. 

3 things you need to know

• AR Rahman started his career by composing music for documentaries and jingles.
• The musician went on to win a National Award for his debut film Roja. 
• His directorial debut Le Musk premiered at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. 

'It is very difficult in Hollywood'

Speaking to Forbes, AR Rahman said that despite his diverse work, such as collaborating on international projects like Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours, Million Dollar Arm and Pele, he observed that he was often sought out only for "Indian stuff".

Rahman shared that he loves to do something that is completely unrelated to India. "As an Indian composer, winning an Oscar and all that stuff, there is a pigeonhole you are put into. 'Oh Indian stuff, let’s go to AR!'... But I also love to do something that is completely unrelated to India, as a creative expression. To get those is very difficult in Hollywood, all the places are already taken," he said. 

More about Le Musk

AR Rahman also opened up about his directorial debut in the same interview. He said that Le Musk emerged from a creative jam session between him and his wife. He stated that the inception of the VR film was a result of the duo's collaborative storytelling efforts. He further spoke about how his vision went far beyond Indian boundaries and questioned why creative endeavors couldn't transcend linguistic and cultural confines.

(A poster of Le Musk | Image: IMDb)

In conclusion, he said that the decision to craft the film in English, with a global perspective, carried some risk. But he was driven by the desire to explore new horizons.