Rahman to go into exile in 2011!

A R Rahman will go into voluntary exile in 2011.

Nettled by all the flak for his disappointing work in 2010 (Robot, Raavan, Jhootha Hi Sahi, the Commonwealth theme-song), A R Rahman has decided to take a sabbatical from film scores in 2011.

This prolonged period of rejuvenation might do a wealth of good to Rahman’s creativity. But it’s causing a panic attack among Rahman loyalists in Bollywood like Ashutosh Gowarikar, Mani Ratnam and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, who work with the Oscar winner.

After waiting for Rahman’s nod for months Gowarikar finally gave up and found a new music composer, Sohail Sen, for his film. Mani Ratnam too is caught in a dilemma. And Rakeysh, who is working on Run Milkha Run, will shoot the film’s sequences without songs for now.

He will only add songs and music once Rahman returns to recording. Says Rakeysh, “To me it is inconceivable to make films without songs and music. And to have music without Rahman is a bit of a contradiction for me. Unfortunately, Rahman is not doing any music scores this year.”

But explains Rakeysh, “Anyway, I never shoot sync-songs. No one sings in my cinema. The songs are always in the background. So getting Rahman to do the songs later in Run Milkha Run is not an impossibility.”

Let’s hope this partnership creates its magic again.