Oscar Thamizhan 'Isaipuyal' AR Rahman News/Updates

[SoftSword]

Happy Birthday to Ramakrishna!
Wish you soar higher and higher this year!!

[m_karthik]

ARR Ajay

[ajaybaskar]

Jai Ho-Toronto Pics


http://albums.phanfare.com/slideshow...y&a_id=4843675

[A.ANAND]

Review of ROJA music...one of the early writeups

One of the earliest write ups on ROJA

From The Week dated 10 Jan 1993 article by VINCENT D'SOUZA

MAGIC AT HIS FINGERTIPS

His "Little Desires" have catapulted A.R.Rahman into the top league

Someone called Rahman strolls down the road in crowded Kodambakkam to his usual haunt- the roadside tea stall. But now, more than his favourite brew, he silently enjoys the hum on the lips of most of the stall's patrons- porters, autorickshaw drivers and even beggars. Chinna Chinna aasai... the hum slowly grows to a chorus, as the yoi8ng man slips away unnoticed, unrecognised. Meet A.R.Rahman, the 24 year old creator of the lilting song for tamil film ROJA, Mani Ratnam's latest block buster.

The simple song has been lingering on everybody's lips even a 100 days after the film was released. The rickshaw puller, the executive, the housewife and the giggly teenager sing it to themselves, or join the heroine in the darkened theatre as she drenches herself in the waterfall. The simplicity of the melody is so captivating that like the childhood rhymes, it refuses to fade from memory.

A quirk of fate forces the heroine of the film to abandon her juvenile dreams and marry another person. In the thick of subsequent battle in unfamiliar territory to save her husband, she matures far beyond her tender years.

It was also a quirk of fate which saw the maturing of the young man who put the song on her lips. The sudden death of his father pushed Rahman into the thick of the battle to sustain the orphaned family. Rahman is the only son of the late R.K.Sekar, an assistant music director in Malayalam who had a hand in the music of the classic CHEMMEEN. " I used to accompany dad to the studios and i guess music was in the family, I certainly had an ear for it," he says.

Instinctively he turned to the recording studios after dropping out of eleventh class. This time it was not to listen but to work in jam sessions. From studio jam sessions he quickly graduated to composing jingles. IN 1987, he was recruited by Viji Manuel, music director Ilayaraja's main keyboard player. That was his initiation to keyboards and synthesizers and computer music programming. " I was literally pushed into this field and forced tolearn the art of computer music programming," Rahman says, lovingly fingering his beloved Roland keyboard.

Work with M.K.Arjun in Malayalam and with Raj-koti, the telugu team, and a stint in kannada films, found him where he belonged - the world of film music. The Telugu film industry doyens loved the way his fingers danced over the synthesizer and coaxed magic out of it. " People like them and Mani Ratnam are able to appreciate off-beat music. Thats why its been great working with them," says Rahman.

But somehow, except for his music group colleagues and friends in the recording studios, nobody really vibed with Rahman. Or spoke his language. And that is why, even after the songs of ROJA became a hit, he preferred the confines of his unpretentious house, the facade of his new, fully computerised recording studio - PANCHATHAN RECORD INN.

But that didnt prevent the paparazzi from going to town with wild speculations of how Rahman's computeriserd music wizardry would swamp the reigning maestro Illayaraja out of business. From the gossip columns, one got the impression that Rahman was a cocky upstart who held his comtemporaries ion contempt.
Meeting him at his home, one cannot miss the hurt in his eyes. A hurt and an apprehension that his sudden fame would be his undoing. It makes his mother shield him with a protective arm. Rahman does not like being compared to Ilayaraja whom hge holds in high esteem.

Talk of his tune in ROJA and he is all humility. "Nothing really," shrugs the chubby faced youngster in a loose green shirt and rolled up trousers. "I composed the tune and practised ot ans then put on the switchboard. It was my grounding in electronics that helped."

You can get nothing further from him. But he is willing to talk at length about how he has absorbed all kinds of music- rap, jazz, fusion, the wailers and Bob Marley. And a little but of it all has come across in ROJA.

Rahman has played jam with US based double electric violin maestro L.Shankar and his orchestra. He played the Roland for MAdras pdp group NEMESIS AVENUE. "Its fun working with guys like Rahman," says NEMESIS AVENUE's Sudhin Prabhakar.
Rahman's yuppie image is deceptive. He is a deeply religious person. His "PANCHATHAN" is strewn with Islamic icons and symbols. Phil Collins and the cresent moon and star have pride of place. He wears a chain with an inscribed locket. Ask him the reasin for his success anbd he will lift his hands sporting Urdu inscribed rings heavenwards. It is believed K.Balachander who produced ROJA rechristened Dilip as Rahman, just before the film was released.

The kid who bought a Roland for Rs.1000 at Burma Bazaar (madras's smuggled goods market) has come a long way. But he is modest avout his success. Says Rahman: "Already so much has been made of my computerised studio that it has become embarrassing for me." He can no longer hop on stage to play for rock concerts with Nemesis Avenue. If he plays in public now, he will have to think up something new, something different.
He is missing the fun and all that jazz of the pop music scene. But he also knows that there ius nothing like big apple of film music. Especially since he's taken a large sized bite out of it. "Just look at the reach of film music. Lakhs of people casn listen to or sing film songs. As they did with Roja," he says.

The ROJA album has yielded record sales for Lahari Music Company. And Rahman's work has increased. So, composing jingles is out. His last jingles were for thr Allwyn and Prudent ads.

He is presently working on Suresh Menon's (actress Revathi's husband) film PUDHIYA MUGAM and on Mani Ratnam's THIRUDA, THIRUDA. With his obvious western music leanings, it might be a little difficult for Rahman to score typical Tamil Film Music. "IN the long run, we'll have to see if Rahman can get to the core of Tamil isai(music). Like Ilayaraja had done in Thevar Magan," says Viji Manuel, adding,"but that dosent detract from his talent."
Meanwhile, people all over the south continue to hum CHINNA CHINNA AASAI...(little, little desires). "It feels great to see thwat just a siongle song of yours is sung by a rickshawpuller as well as an executive. What more would you want?"Rahman asks. Sounds right.

source:arryg

[SoftSword]

great read....
thanks for sharing...

[vijayr]

Anand, great find. It would be interesting to see read more perspectives of musicians on Rahman from around that time, the early years.

[jaiganes]

nice adaptation of "endrendrum punnagai"

[sathya_1979]

http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/art-culture/the-man-who-refused-aamir-khan

A tabletop is crowded with bouquets, presumably sent to commemorate the National Award. The barest bouquet, with red roses and carnations, is from one AR Rahman. The card reads ‘Congrats, love ARR’. Receiving this bouquet didn’t just make Amit’s day, “It’s made my career!” he says. “I can chill for a few months now, because it validates my journey so far.” Amit was 13 years old when AR Rahman debuted as a music director with Roja. ARR has inspired him ever since.

ARR - nee kadavuL

[Sunil_M88]

CWG - Opening Ceremony - Live, Rise, Ascend And Win -



Way to go thalaivar, nice trendy trainers

[sathya_1979]

As usual Thalaivar pinni eduththutaar!