1996

Welcome back to "Brothers in Music: The A R Rahman Edition"—Season 2 is here, and we're diving straight into 1996! No formalities, no prelude—just you, right in the middle of our conversation, as if you’re sitting with us.

1996 was another groundbreaking year for Rahman, one that saw him experiment, redefine genres, and push boundaries in ways only he could. This year gave us an eclectic mix of soundtracks—some instantly iconic, others quietly influential.

We start with Love Birds, an album unlike anything Rahman had done before—sui generis in every way, filled with sonic textures that were ahead of their time. Then, we take a deep dive into Indian, Rahman’s first collaboration with Kamal Haasan, where grandeur meets rebellion in a score that still packs a punch.

From there, we shift gears to Kadhal Desam, an album that was youthful, peppy, and radically fresh, capturing the pulse of the 90s like few others. And while Mr. Romeo may not have set the world on fire, it has its share of gems worth revisiting.

Along the way, we briefly touch on Rahman’s instrumental albums from the year, Fire and Andhimandharai, which, while not central to our discussion, still showcase his range and versatility.

So, settle in as we unpack another year of Rahman’s genius—this is "Brothers in Music," and our journey through A R Rahman’s ever-evolving soundscape continues with 1996.

This podcast was edited by the amazing Nihar Mamidipudi.

Show Notes: 

1. Hariharan and Chitra singing Malargale live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJNDzVeSCmM
2. While Tabu doesn't walk with cherry blossoms (?) around her as Swaroop mentions in the podcast in the Kalloori Salai, she does it in the movie. In the song, there are generic shots of other women walking around flowers. 

Podcast Insta: @brothers.in.music

Swaroop: @tnagartornado on X and Instagram.
Sharan: @sharanidli on X; M R Sharan on LinkedIn.

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:45 Love Birds
• 23:05 Kadhal Desam
• 50:05 Indian
• 1:17:09 Mr Romeo
• 1:25:58 Fire + Andhimandhaarai