PremiumThe Goat Life sound designer Resul Pookutty interview: 'I had some horrible experiences with some South composers'
In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty opened up about The Goat Life aka Aadujeevitham and shared insights into his creative camaraderie with AR Rahman.
Last Updated: 05.37 PM, Mar 27, 2024
Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty is quite upbeat about his latest movie, The Goat Life, also known as Aadujeevitham , which is due in cinemas on March 28. Especially, he is always overjoyed when he gets an opportunity to collaborate with fellow Oscar-winner AR Rahman.
Resul and Rahman bagged the Oscars for their maiden collaboration on the 2008 Hollywood film Slumdog Millionaire. The duo have frequently collaborated since.
In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, Resul revealed that he has a very deep personal bond with Rahman, which also allows them to complement each other while mixing the sound for the movies they work together on. And Aadujeevitham seems to have largely benefitted from the creative camaraderie between Resul and Rahman.
"We have managed to create a pretty impressionable soundscape for the film, not just as a soundscape but also using sound for narrative purposes," Resul told OTTplay.
Resul Pookutty talks creative partnership with AR Rahman
Resul noted that there are very few composers in India who actually give sound designers a collaborative space in shaping the auditory experiences of movies. He revealed that he had even walked out of a few projects in the South Indian film industry when he felt that he didn't find the required creative space to practice his artistry in sound design.
"I have had horrible experiences with some South composers who can only hear their work in their film. They can't see or hear anything else. And they don't think that being open to collaboration or considering alternatives is necessary," rued Resul.
Resul explained how the production value of a movie will be enriched if the composer and sound designer work in tandem in service of the narrative.
"In the case of Rahman, for example, he calls me, we sit together, we listen to a score; I send him my track design, he listens to it, and he scores accordingly. And then we decide, here we go with music, here we go with sound. Muting the music is not a problem for him. If he gives me some score, and the director decides, I have to go with sound design here, he has no problem. Very few composers are that generous about their work," explained Resul.
Sounds of Aadujeevitham
Resul noted that, in Aadujeevitham, sound will play a very instrumental role in providing an immersive experience of the protagonist's journey through the unforgiving environment of the deserts. "In the desert, you can't think of many sounds or different kinds of sounds. There's only one sound, which is the wind," he noted, underlining the challenges he faced designing the sound for Aadujeevitham.
However, he revealed that he is content with how he has managed to create a soundscape that encapsulates the hero's life and the passing of time in the desert. "I feel after a long time Rahman and I have come together and created something special," he added.
Aadujeevitham is director Blessy's long-nurtured dream, and it stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and Amala Paul in the lead roles.