EXCLUSIVE: Raavanan tune idea was used in this Ponniyin Selvan: 1 song - A.R. Rahman and Mani Ratnam reveal! WATCH VIDEO!

Mani Ratnam and A.R. Rahman are leading icons of the film industry who are well-known across India. They have worked together for 31 years, with A.R. Rahman being a part of every single movie made but the versatile and ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam from Roja. Their recent work was the two-part film Ponniyin Selvan. The second part of the film is set to be release this weekend.

The blockbuster combo of Mani Ratnam and A.R. Rahman gave an exclusive interview with the National Award-winning critic Baradwaj Rangan, the editor-in-chief of Galatta Plus. They revealed some interesting details about the making process of some of the evergreen favourite songs from the films and about how the making and their friendship have evolved over the years. The interviewer asked as there are Six songs in PS 1 and seven in PS 2, which song took the longest time to compose and which song came instantly like that? The music composer says “Actually, nothing came easily. Because we went through three four layers. The first was how PS should sound. South Indian, Veena, Tabla, Mirudhangam and all the stuff. I didn’t respond to any of those and then I realised he is really ambitious and he wants to expand it. Because, when you think of PS, Shivaji Ganesan, MSV, KV Mahadevan, Thillana Mohanambal and everything just come to my mind. I said it's the 9th century who would have heard? It could be imaginative and we could have a soundscape yet be grounded. So it was a conscious decision. I knew that people are going to abuse me but I felt the soundtrack was very important for Tamil cinema to rise above." A.R. Rahman then said "even though there were some limitations and expectations we need to follow some cultural things so we thought of a balance between expanding the sensibility and retaining the core."

When asked which was the hardest to crack, A.R. Rahman said “Actually, we went to Bali I did many tuned, I headed back and thought is he gonna like any of those? And after three months he said I like this first and even all the stuff from PS:1 came from the Bali thing and we had one idea for Raavanan and he said can you bring that back." When Baradwaj Rangan asked "you remembered." The director Mani Ratnam said “That’s my job,”. "You remember tunes form 10 years 15 years back", as the interviewer amusedly. The director said “I don’t remember. Some tunes just stay back. And, it just keeps coming back." The Music composer then went on to say “It was a similar situation in this one that was Raavanan and this was Kamsan. So, I said ok. Took that part of what he likes and brought it back. This is Ratchasa Maamane and they confirmed."