Cannes 2024: A R Rahman shares teaser of Music Documentary ‘Headhunting to Beatboxing’

A R Rahman, an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Grammy-winning music composer and record producer, has unveiled the first look of his music documentary titled ‘Headhunting to Beatboxing’. The doc-feature was debuted at the Bharat Pavilion during the ongoing prestigious 77^th Cannes Film Festival.

Directed by Rohit Gupta and produced by A. R. Rahman, this feature-length documentary explores the journey of rhythm and sound, tracing the evolution of music across different cultures and tribes, and its impact on societies over time.

This documentary particularly follows the Naga tribe of Nagaland, a north-eastern state of India; which was once engulfed in violence and how it has experienced a renaissance through the transformative power of music.

Rahman has always been intrigued by the music of the north-eastern region. The inspiration of ‘Headhunting to Beatboxing’ occurred to him while on his visit to Nagaland’s famous ‘Hornbill Festival’.

"The germ of the idea came up when A.R. Rahman visited Nagaland to be part of the legendary Hornbill Festival. We knew we had to be part of it. The film is a collaboration of many creative minds, especially the TaFMA, and masterfully captured by director Rohit Gupta, said Abu Mehta, an advisor to the Chief Minister of Nagaland.

He further added, “The real heroes are the musicians of Nagaland, who tell stories that go back to times immemorial and their music exemplifies the ambition of our youth."

In an interview with Variety, Rahman reveals that he had known a certain narrative for years, but now he sees a transformation in young people who have embraced music and are expressing it openly.

“It was like a dreamland for me. I said, ‘Oh, my God, this exists and nobody knows about it”, says Rahman.

The film took five years and many hours of footage to capture the true essence of what the team had intended to. The team behind ‘Headhunting to Beatboxing’ includes executive producers Abu Metha, Adam J Greig, Theja Meru, Rohit Gupta- who is also the director, Sheila Houlahan, and Rohhit Daas.

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