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Music transcends religion…it heals’: Rahman at IGF London
During a fireside chat, the musician talked about unchaining art from traditional confines of formats, expectations or institutions.
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Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Mon, 23, Jun 2025
- 02:51 EDT
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A.R. Rahman was in conversation with Vani Tripathi at IGF London. / PR Newswire
The final day of the India Global Forum London 2025, on June 22, witnessed Oscar winner AR Rahman indulge in a conversation about art and the importance of inclusivity. Rahman summed up the conversation in the final moments of the discussion by highlighting the enduring universality of music, saying, "Music transcends religion. It heals. It connects. It's a shared soul."
The forum formed a part of IGF London 2025. With over 100+ speakers, 1,000 participants, and events across iconic venues in London, IGF London 2025 encompasses a spectrum of topics - from technology and trade to culture and commerce.
Rahman stressed upon the urgent need to preserve traditional Indian music, asking: "Where is the next shehnai player? Where is the next Bismillah Khan Sahib? Unless we find them, recognize them, and let the world see them—they'll vanish. That's where the inspiration for JHAALA came in."
JHAALA, Rahman's initiative to platform and preserve Indian classical arts, seeks to make the invisible visible—through technology, talent discovery, and global exposure.
Rahman called for a national cultural renaissance, he said "If you look at South Korea and K-pop, it emerged in the last 10 years because of government involvement and economic growth. It was a collective movement. That needs to happen with Indian music too. We need to reinvent the wheel."
Rahman also talked about his pioneering immersive project, Le Musk.
The experience, coming to London for a year, brings scent, touch, and narrative together to entice the audience with Rahman's magic.
Talking about the idea behind his project, Rahman said, "In cinema for over 40 years now, I was bored with the same rectangle form. It's just seeing and hearing—what else can we do?"
He continued, "The idea came from my ex-wife who loved perfumes. I thought, why not create a theatre experience with perfume and haptics?"
Discussing technology, Rahman talked about embracing AI with a hint of caution. He said, "AI is like Frankenstein—it just steals from human experiences, human knowledge, human art, and then puts together multiple thoughts. It's copied from us. And now it gets faster, because we feel with emotion—and it just runs on data."
He added, "We should use it for what it is—for speeding up the mundane. Don't fear it, use it."
"The most important thing about art is freedom," Rahman stated. "You can't do that with a film studio."
Rahman's words made it clear that he hopes to unchain art and create an artistic space that is beyond the limitations of formats, expectations and institutions.
ALSO READ: Piyush Goyal champions UK–India collaboration at IGF London 2025
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