Welcome back to Brothers in Music: The A R Rahman Edition. It’s 1997, and as always, we’re starting you off right in the thick of it—no prelude, no buildup. Just the music, the conversation, and the joy of revisiting Rahman’s incredible journey.

This episode, we’re joined by journalist and writer Sowmiya Ashok (@sowmiyashok
 on Twitter/@sowmiyashok.writes on Insta). 

In Part 1, we tackle two albums that sit at completely different ends of the Rahman spectrum—Minsara Kanavu (or Sapnay for Hindi listeners) and Daud.

Minsara Kanavu is lush, layered, and bursting with invention. It’s Rahman in a whimsical, almost theatrical mode—full of choral highs, playful detours, and an emotional core that sneaks up on you. It’s also one of those albums where everything—from arrangement to vocal casting—feels just right.

Daud, on the other hand, left us scratching our heads. It’s offbeat, chaotic, and hard to pin down. And maybe that’s the point. Remo Fernandes’ eccentric title track sets the tone for an album that refuses to play by the rules. Whether it fully lands is up for debate—but it’s Rahman trying something wild, and that’s always worth a listen.

1997 was a year of flux—a time when Rahman was beginning to stretch the limits of what mainstream film music could sound like. And as we’ll see in the rest of the year, that journey was just getting started.

So settle in, hit play, and join us for a year that’s strange, soulful, and never boring. This is Brothers in Music, and this is 1997.

This episode was edited by the amazing Nihar Mamidipudi.

Podcast Insta: @brothers.in.music

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