THE COMPLETE SOUTH INDIAN MOVIE MAGAZINE

BRINGING HOME OSCAR GLORY

AR RAHMAN

BOXING GLOVES- GORGEOUS STARLETS

TURN ACTION CHICKS

ANJALI RAJGOPAL

FUNRAISERS! COMEDIENNES OF THE

YESTERYEARS

DIVA IN THE MAKING

GIRLS, HOLD YOUR HEARTS!

YUMMY KARTHI IN THE HOUSE

MARCH 2009 VOL 2 ISSUE 12 MONTHLYS$4.00 Rs.40

TM

ARR’S QUOTES ON THE HONOUR- AN EXCLUSIVE!

AWARDS FEVER- A PHOTOBOOK

FRIENDSHIP, ASSOCIATION, EXPERIENCE- T. SELVAKUMAR ON BEING ARR’S BUDDY AND PARTNER

GOLDENTHE MAN

GOLDEN

THROUGH THE EYES OF ASHANTI- THE TRI-NATIONAL WRITER’S STORY ON ARR

A WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL

PHOTOGRAPHY: G. VENKET RAM PICS COURTESY: ‘S’ MAGAZINE, SATHYAM CINEMAS

MUSI

GOD SPEAKS!We were saving this great man’s gyan for a ti me like this, a ti me when he has shown the world that he is among the planet’s bests when it comes to making music. It is understandable that we were literally dying to hear what double Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman’s take on technology is...“Apple products are defi nitely cooler than any others,” he says, while talking of friend and colleagueT. Selvakumar’s Apple and Steinberg training centre, Audio Media Inc. In our own conversati ons with ARR, we found out that he is a lover of technology. With the help of his close friends, he researches, tries out and buys equipment, soft ware and technology like no one else in the industry. (Which is probably why he has the fi nest recording studio in the country!) “I use a lot of technology, be it in my recordings or in processing my music. And why not?! This is the age when we imbibe traditi onal elements like voices, instruments and mood into music that is ulti mately, digitally mixed and mastered beauty lies in the ears of the listener!” True. Thus, A.R. Rahman’s studios house only Mac products, from wide screens to editi ng soft ware to plugins. We can’t think of a bett er ambassador for Apple products!

Ok. We can give you a whole bunch of the usual pitch of how good this very cool phone is:It’s got amazing stereo speakers, so even a hands-free experience is superb. It has a built-in 2mpx camera which zooms to 2.5mpx and has some impressive imagery features like photo fi x and picture blogging and more. The phone has Bluetooth 2ADC stereo and the music player plays MP3s as well as AACs and has TrackID and PlayNow technology. Add to this, some cool everyday stuff like complete web browsing technology, 10MB memory in the phone with a compati bility of up to 4GB on external memory disk.But the hott est thing to do today is not a great uti litarian phone, but a phone that is equipped for moti on gaming. Yes, move the phone around as if it were a Wii dock and you’re all set for some virtual thrills with mobile gaming. The Sony Ericsson F305 comes with 11 pre-loaded games. On the gaming list are everything from sport to adventure to thrills, like Bowling, Bass fi shing, Jockey, Johnny Crash™ Stuntman Does Texas, Tropical Madness™, Racing Fever™ GT, The Sims™ 2, Jewel Quest™ 2, Lumines™, Asteroids™ and Quadrapop™ Roboti cs. Didn’t we say it was cracking technology right around the corner from your home? Well, it is. And that just adds to the xtreeeeeem coolness of this gadget.(The Sony Ericsson F305 is available at Univercell Mobile Showrooms across the region. Price on request. Univercell, you mobile expert.)

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24 GALATTA CINEMA |MARCH 2009

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SIMPLYTHE BEST

A.R. RAHMANTHE YOUNG MAESTRO SPEAKS OUT MUSIC, LOVE

AND THE AWARDS FEVERIt is unimaginable how down to earth, intelligent and sensitive a man of such superstardom

could be. But AR is all of that and he makes you believe that music, love for people and an innate spirituality truly make this man; and make him so great, says SHAKTHI GIRISH, who recounts her conversation with him and words from the heart of this young super-achiever.

The Oscars have brought me great respect and my family and country great happiness and honour. I am thankful for that. But one of the most important things all these awards have brought me (and us) is the number of avenues opening up for international collaboration and greater realms of making music. A while ago, it was not very easy to work with music stars from different cultures - they wouldn’t even have the time to look at an appointment - but now, they are calling us, they are exposed to our culture. It is a boon for passionate musicians like me.

It would be childish to try and choose between albums and talk about whether the Slumdog soundtrack is better than the others and therefore worth winning an Oscar for. It is not the music alone or any other technical aspect, it is how each part of the movie contributes to the entire movie itself. The essence and message of Slumdog Millionaire is hope, optimism and love; qualities I myself have chosen in my life.

These Oscars are my babies; like two babies I have carried back home all the way from Los Angeles! But winning them made me a little poetic and sentimental (or is a better word, philosophical?). Which is probably why all that stuff about my mother, God and family came out of my mouth! But it’s the truth...

It is heartwarming to see my fans’ adoration. It is satisfying to see the musical avenues all my awards have opened up for me. It is thrilling to work with different musicians and different music influences to create melodious magic. It is security to know that my family and friends are there to support me. What more can a person like me want! My passion is music and through my spirtual learnings, I have learnt to embrace peace and love within myself and for the people around me. I truly believe this has enhanced my music influences. I don’t just believe in God, I have the greatest of faith and unshaken loyalty to him.

YELLAAM PUGALUM IRAIVANUKKEY - ALL PRAISE IS TO THE LORDTO ME, MUSIC IS THE EYE OF THE HEART

MERE PAAS MA HAI - MY MOTHER IS WITH ME, AS ARE HER BLESSINGSALL MY LIFE, I HAD A CHOICE BETWEEN HATE AND LOVE. I CHOSE LOVE.

IF MY MUSIC BRINGS PEOPLE CLOSER, IT IS THE GREATEST AWARD

- WORDS FROM A.R. RAHMAN’S HEARTI WANT MY MUSIC TO CREATE PEACE AND HARMONY

GENIUS FACTOR... ALL IN THE FAMILY

A HONOURING A TRUE GENIUS

1966: On January 6th AS Dileep Kumar is born to music composer RK Shekhar. Little did his family realise that they had welcomed a musical genius into their family.

1989: Dileep, becomes Allah Rakha Rahman as his entire family converts to Islam. He then joins drummer A Sivamani in the band Roots as a keyboardist. But with budding aspirations, it’s not long before he starts his own band Nemesis Avenue, for which he plays the keyboard, piano, synthesiser and

1977: Dileep, who lost his dad when he was nine, has a family to take care of and he joins Maestro Ilayaraja as his keyboardist. He also plays for other legendary musicians such as M. S. Viswanathan, Ramesh Naidu, Zakir Hussain, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and L. Shankar. He then earns a scholarship to Trinity College of Music in London, where he graduates with a degree in Western classical music.

1998-2002: His first crossover film was Deepa Mehta’s Fire in 1998. Then came Dil Se, di-rected by Mani Ratnam and starring SRK. 1999 saw Subhash Ghai’s Taal but it was Lagaan (2001) that fetched ARR his first National Award for a Hindi movie. Beauti-ful Alaipayuthey (Mani again) came in 2002.

2002-04: Non-Indian shores beckon - music for the Chinese movie Warriors of Heaven and Earth, with Andrew Lloyd Webber for the West End show Bom-bay Dreams and with a Finnish band for the BG score of Lord of the Rings. Plus, he gets his 4th National Award for Kannathil Muthamittal.

2005-07: Time for technology and paral-lel cinema. AM studios came into being in 2006, as did his music label KM Musiq. Rang De Basanti topped charts, Deepa Mehta’s Water, Jag Mundhra’s Provoked and Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Golden years for him indeed!

2008-2009: This was the time for some of his best works - Jodha Akbar, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, Ghajini and Slumdog Millionaire for Train-spotting-fame Danny Boyle. What started as a BG score, ended up as an album and movie that won Golden Globes, BAFTAs and of course, the precious Oscars.

Much before the Golden Globe-BAFTA-Oscars hype, ARR was everyone’s favourite award-winner with unmatched acclaim for his indigenous and international work. He is a 4-time National Award winner for movies like Roja, Minsaara Kanavu, Lagaan and Kannathil Muthamittal. He has won 7 Civilian Awards for his contribution to music, which includes the Padmashree Award in 2000, the Mahavir Mahatma Award by the Oneness Foundation in 2005 and the Stanford University Award for his contribution to global music in 2006. ARR is also possibly one of the most frequent receipients of the Filmfare Awards, given that he has received, upto 2009, a whopping 180 Filmfare Awards in the field of music! In his homestate Tamilnadu, ARR is a 6-time State Award winner. Smaller, but also prestigious awards too add to his trophy collection. He has won the Express Screen Award 9 times in various music-related categories for his work in Hindi and Tamil. His non-“filmi” Vande Mataram also won him a Screen Award in 1998. At the International Indian Film Awards (IIFA), he has been lauded with eight awards for his music in movies such as Taal, Lagaan, Saathiya, Rang De Basanthi and Guru; while his music for Rang De Basanti won him two Global Indian Film Awards (GIFA) in 2007. If this weren’t enough, ARR has also won a host of other awards including nine Zee Cine Awards, three Dinakran Cine Awards, four Cinema Express Awards and four Kalasaagar Awards. But asked about all this acclaim, all this reticent musician has to say is, “The love of my fans is more precious, but now, I need a bigger display shelf!”

ACCLAIM AND ACCOLADES

She wasn’t just the singer in Sivaji The Boss’ Balleilakka; but from a young age, ARR would practise his music-making skills on her by making her croon to his composi-tions. Even today, she is one of the first people he turns to as a sounding board for his ideas.

RAIHANAH - SISTEROnce a devoted student and fan of his famous uncle, G.V. Prakash has now made a name for himself with his signature mildly AR-inspired, yet original music for Tamil cinema from the time he was a mere teenager, like in Veyyil and Pollaadhavan.

G.V. PRAKASH - NEPHEW

MOMENTS OF GLORY

WINNER’S JOURNEY1996-97: ARR wins his second National Award for his musical compositions for Rajeev Menon’s Minsara Kanavu, which also gets a Bollywood adaptation and brings singer KK into the limelight. His rendition of the National Anthem for Bharat Bala’s video commemorating 50 years of Independence is a massive hit.

1992-93: Indian cinema tastes the thunder of Rahman’s sensational music, first in Roja[Tamil], Mani Ratnam’s critically acclaimed master piece and second time in the Hindi adaptation of the same movie. ARR was a force to reckon with from the start. Did we forget to mention the twin National awards he won for Roja(Tamil)?

1994-95: ARR continues making waves in Indian music, this time around with the Tamil and Hindi versions of Shankar’s Kadhalan starring Prabhudeva. But it’s in the fag end of 1995, that he stuns Bollywood’s biggy music composers with his first original album in Hindi, for the movie Rangeela! Yai Re and Tanha are run away hits!

SHY GUY OPENS UPIt is no secret that A.R. Rahman is quite a reticent person and not given to garrulous media speeches. But when he speaks, it’s clear that it’s all straight from the heart. For Indians the world over, especially Tamilians, it was such a heartwarming moment when he said his praises to the Lord in Tamil, in front of millions of international Oscar-fans. At every other award ceremony too, be it the Tamilnadu State Awards or the Filmfare Awards or even Golden Globes or BAFTA; he keeps his words short and simple and always remembers to thank his family, colleagues and Allah for showing him the way of love through music.

GOLDEN GLOBE - 2009

THE OSCARS - 2009

THE FILMFARE AWARDS

AT THE BAFTA AWARDS - 2009

NEW YORK CRITICS AWARD - 2009

SUNFEAST MUSIC AWARDS

?!Did you know? Just before ARR was to return to India, our ancient entry rules posed a problem and as per duty-free alllowances, ARR would have had to pay the price of one more Oscar statuette as duty for his honour, as well as tax on any cash award given... that is, until former Finance MinisterP. Chidambaram intervened and recommended a waiver. Wha-aat?!

38 GALATTA CINEMA |MARCH 2009

ROUND & ABOUTWORDS OF PRAISE

38 GALATTA CINEMA |MARCH 2009

This boy has brought pride and honour to this industry and the nation. From the time we worked with him in Sivaji and even before, we knew he is one of the most talented and brilliant musicians. Now he has proved us all right and proud. I heartily congratulate him for his personal success, the pride to his field and the avenues he has opened up for other deserving talent.

He wants us to use our own skills and do what we want at the mike. But he cleverly guides us in our own way into his direction, thereby achieving the sound he wants! Which means, while we’re getting our song piece right, he is thinking of its nuances in the entire score, the big picture! He is a good musician and a great guru!

NOELL JAMES- MANAGER, BUDDY

I know AR since the time we used to play music together. It is a matter of great pride, affection and nostalgia to see how he has ‘arrived’. His energy is limitless and for people who are close to him and understand him, there is no better place to work!

Music is my passion. And while I have worked for many years in traditional music arrangements and systems, typical “kacheri”-style technology, I wanted more, edgier dimensions. I wanted to go wild a little, I think. Which is why the combination of traditional and modern music and technology is so appealing to me.[It seems contrary that someone who has found peace, spirituality and the concept of love over hate so young... can also talk of “going wild” and exploring different musical arenas.]I love collaborations. On a score-by-score level or on a full album or project level. I like to hear different sounds from different artists and cultures. That’s me.

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER- FILMMAKER

He is one of the most versatile music composers I know. I would be so proud if I am known more for having introduced him to the Western cinematic world than through any of my other work!

MR. AVM SARAVANANAVM PRODUCTIONS

SINGER CHINMAYI

PIC COURTESY: AKIN AWORANWWW.AWORAN.COM

WORKS OF A MASTERMUSIC FOR THE WORLD

“A great soundtrack is like ‘Laura’s theme’, the ‘Love Story’ theme, ‘Chariots of Fire’ and all those sorts of things, where it stood by itself,” he said. But recently, he’s noticed a changing mood. “Now it is becoming too abstract and more ambient and more... I don’t know, soundscape-ish, more than melody. People are afraid of melody: ‘Oh, that melody is distracting my scene,’ it is becoming like that.And that brings fresh challenges for the makers of film music.”

- A.R. RAHMAN,AS TOLD TO CNN

Rahman doesn’t even write what’s thought of as world music. He writes a world of music - so broad and deep, so instantly likeable and lastingly satisfying, it IS the whole world. I hope that, sometime soon, our part of the world catches up with Rahman. Until we do, an important part of our internal jukebox will be bereft.

- RICHARD CORLISS, FOR TIME

“Even John Williams had to wait for four years between one Oscar and the next. But Rahman went there with three nominations in one year and returned with two Oscars!” There is no bigger felicitation than being honoured by one’s own family, the music family. He is the man who has been chosen to receive the honour for India itself! I am proud of him.”

- MAESTROILAYARAJA

It was a thrill to work with A.R. Rahman, during Elizabeth - The Golden Age. His is modern, restless music. Craig Armstrong (totally different style!) and he would sit together and just jam. From this came great music. It was awe-inspiring!”

- SHEKHARKAPUR

SNIPPETS FROM 2 DECADES OF MUSIC

So long ago! Listening to the concept from director Shankar

This is how it all began - the keyboard that became his passion and vehicle for his exceptional tunes

Friends, mentors, loyalists - Mani Rat-nam and poet Vaali

The wisdom of Kavignar Vaali

WONDER YEARSAs a refreshing change from all the Oscar blitzing we’ve all been having over the last few days, we thought we’d walk you through A.R. Rahman’s younger years, where he sought guidance from veterans in the cinema field, even as he stunned them with his simple musical genius. Here are some glimpses into the life of a superbly skilled young man who is now internatioanlly acclaimed as a world master of music...

Making music for Thenaali - with Kamal Haasan and director K.S. Ravikumar

Great men, great words - with M.S. Viswanathan Tabled views - with K. Balachander

GALATTA CINEMA | MARCH 2009 41

ARR, who has the whole world grooving to his tunes, shouting out Jai Ho, started out as the keyboardist and programmer for several legendary Indian musicians. The Punnagai Mannan theme music, that still rings in your ears and on your moblie phones, is probably one of the early hints ARR gave us that he would soon thunder onto the cine scene. He was for a long time, a shy musical genius and two Oscars later he has metamorphosised into a more extroverted guy, with witticisms fast coming in. From Ilayaraja to M.S. Vishwanathan, Chitra to Sadanasargam, Vairamuthu to Vaali, everyone he’s worked with were awed by the young hardworking Dileep, that’s whom they knew then. And now the world looks up at him, his music and his humility in complete awe. There shall alway be naysayers, who choose to be deaf to his notes, but may they all take note, that he has never been touched by their jibes, especially now with the world tuned into him!

THE VISION OF ARR

KMMC - A VISION & DREAMPart of ARR’s small and trusted circle of friends and partners isMr. T. SELVAKUMAR, MD of KM Music Conservatory and head of the state-of-the-art training school AudioMedia Inc. He knows ARR for years and is his most trusted source for technology guidance and partner-ship. Here he speaks of his experiences, their history together, on being KMMC’s MD and in sharing ARR’s dreams every step of the way.

My relationship with ARR goes back to 1994; I used to be a Rhythm Programmer for Raj Koti, for whom ARR was the main Keyboard Programmer. I hail from Madurai, where I did my schooling in TVS Lakshmi Higher Secondary School and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music at Sathguru Sangeetha Vidyalaya, then came to Chennai in 1986 to start my career as a musician.

I have done over 18 albums for HMV, consisting of 5 volumes of

the then-famous Ulavum Thendral Series (remixes of old Tamil hits), Nila Nila Odi Vaa (Tamil Nursery rhyme project) with Mrs. Latha Rajinikanth and also did a pop album for Shalini. In 1993, I stated Audio Media, one of the earliest hard disk recording studios. In 1997, we started Audio Media Inc.; this company was the first distributor in India for Steinberg, the company which made the Cubase VST and Nuendo software, and we got in the business of setting up audio studios for musicians and music Directors.

This is when I started a strong rapport with ARR, a music technology wizard. We used to spend hours together discussing technology. As a seller of music software and hardware, I travel all round the globe to tie up distribution for the latest music technology software and ARR used to be the first user of all my products.

Subsequently, we developed a strong business relationship with Apple Computers, and got in video and visual technology markets as well, In August 2003, I attended the Apple Pro Training in Singapore, became India’s first Apple-Certified Trainer for Apple Final Cut Pro Video editing software and started Audio Media Education, which is India’s first and only Apple Certified Training Center to offer Apple Certified Courses for FCP Editing, Shake for Visual effects and Logic Pro for Music Production. I also worked as Software Beta tester for Apple Final Cut Pro and Cinema Tools, for Steinberg for Nuendo. I have also designed and produced the Indian Samples and Styles for Yamaha’s latest Indian Keyboard I 425.

KM Music Conservatory, A.R. Rahman’s dream, is now a reality. It started in the last week of December 2007, when I met ARR at his A.M. Studio to discuss our favourite subject – music technology. He was just asking me how my school was doing; I said that it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Then he talked about his long-cherished dream to start a Music School in Chennai. We jointly decided that ARR will start a Music School and his students will learn Music Technology at Audio Media Education. We invited some experts in to get their opinions to start a Music Conservatory in Chennai; most of them said it would take at least two years to set up such a project. Knowing ARR well enough over the years, I knew if he wants something, he wants it NOW and will not wait for two years. So he asked if I could head the school as its Managing Director and start the school in time for the next academic year (June 2008).

The six month-period from January to June was an unforgettable experience in my life. Initially, we did not have

My relatgoes bacbe a Rhfor Raj ARR wKeybohail froI did mTVS LSecona Bacin MSangthenin 1car

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the then-famous Ulavum Thendral Series

any other faculty or staff. It was just two of us, we spent sleepless nights trying to figure out a school that would fulfil our vision and at the same time give students an unforgettable music education.This is a period where I had to shut myself from all activities; I even had to forget about my own company Audio Media. ARR and I used to meet, usually late at night, to discuss our vision of the school.

We revealed the idea with our first press release on Jan 6th 2008, his birthday.The most unforgettable experience was producing our KMMC promo video. First we had several versions, but ARR was not satisfied with any of them. So he was personally present for over eight hours to finalize the video edit. Then came the sound; he was not satisfied till he was convinced that it sounded good. So we got our promo video ready at 6 a.m. on the day of the press conference. Both of us had to arrange everything from cars for the members of the Advisory Board (Mr. Ghulam Ali Mustafa Khan and Mr. L. Subramaniyam) to arranging for food and beverages for the press. We finally landed in the hall as zombies, as we had not slept for 48 hours to get everything in place. We finally did it! We had over 500 applicants, of which we auditioned and selected 40 students for the full-time music foundation programme and 60 Students for the part time preparatory programme and opened the school in July 2008. Our first International faculty was Mr. Joshua Pullock, an American citizen from London, who has a Master’s degree in Violin. Through him, we got in touch with Robert Koolsra from the Netherlands for Harpsichord and Piano, Shata Elinboggen for Viola from Canada and Edith Martin for Cello from Scotland. Through ARR’s friend Mr. Srinivas Krishnan, we found Michale for Percussion and Alison for Harp and Music Theory from USA. We also got Ms. Kavitha Baliga from USA through ARR’s old musician friend Mr. Guitar Prasanna. If you go to our site, www.kmmc.in, you can get all your info on the school and its people.

Audio Media has produced excellent technicians for the Film, Video and Visual effects industry in India. We have Certified more than 125 students on Apple Pro Applications who are all working in Media Houses like AVM Studios, Prasad Studios, NDTV, Sun TV and Pixion to name a few. Director Gautham Menon is our Alumnus, and Music Composer Vijay Antony was working as a Sound Engineer for over two years in Audio Media before he got his first break in the film industry. In addition to this qualified faculty at KMMC and Audio Media, we have weekly workshops conducted by music

industry professionals. From the start of this year, we had workshops by veteran musicians like Dr. L. Subramaniyan, Selva Ganesh, Rajesh Vaidhya, playback singer Hariharan, Leslie Lewis, Kalz Broyl from USA (Han Zimmer’s Keyboard Programmer).

At KMMC, the students undergo music training in both Western and Indian Music, as well as intensive music technology training. The idea behind this is that today, in this competitive digital world, every musician, whether a singer, violinist or a pianist, needs to have strong Music Technology background. So we offer the best of both worlds to students so every student always has a fallback plan. There is a great demand for Music Producers in today’s industry; today’s Audio Engineer has to be a good musician to be successful. When ever I go to ARR’s Panchatan studio, I see hundreds of CDs lying around, which are demos sent by aspiring playback singers from all over the world. Unfortunately, he does not have time to listen to all of them, but every month, he listens to all our KM student performances which alone is a rare privilege for aspiring singers and musician. If ARR spots talent, he does not hesitate to use them immediately. The vision of KM Music Conservatory is to make ARR’s dream a reality in having an orchestra with our own students. We are working towards that dream and it will soon be a reality. You can find out more on KMMC and Audio Media Education at www.kmmc.in and www.audiomedia.in

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Top: A.R. Rahman and students of KMMC who took part in the Martin Luther King III concertBottom: Editing training room at AudioMedia Inc.PHOTOGRAPHY: T. SELVAKUMAR

FROM CHENNAI TO

A.R. RAHMAN- IN GLIMPSES ALONG THE YEARS...

He’s been described as many things: Chennai’s Tchaikovsky, an adored son and brother, an exemplary husband and father, the list goes on... With nearly 200 awards, ranging from an honorary Doctorate to Padma Shri and most recently, the coveted double Oscar, the Golden Globe and the BAFTA on the international platform – the absolute highest honours a film composer can be awarded.

I’ve caught many glimpses of ARR, as he’s fondly known to his legion of fans around the world. Every meeting is like a divine blessing – he fills the room with energy, positive vibes, goodwill, compassion and humour.

It is not just his spirituality which sets him apart; he is genuinely a special human being – he is one of those few who totally surrender to their spiritual teachers, allowing their hubris to be removed while spreading the word of love as opposed to hate. He is also somewhat a chosen one, a man sent to educate, build and even work towards eradicating poverty.

In the decade I have known him (thanks to world percussionist A. Sivamani introducing us), there is one prevalent factor in his psyche – he is kind and generous, a trait his benevolent mother has imbibed in him, an attribute all his family members possess. From a first encounter in London where meeting a personal hero couldn’t have been more special with all my expectations met, to catching him just after his BAFTA win (again in Central London), the man behind the genius has not changed one little bit.

ARR keeps himself well-grounded, and while innovating at every step of the way, be it music or marketing, there is a sheer brilliance to every step he takes. While reinventing the sound quality of Indian films back in the early nineties, technology was always his friend. In fact, he shared with me an early memory of buttons – his father had been an enthusiast and thus his son carries on the legacy. Many a conversation has been had about the latest gadget and I proudly treasure a fabulous audio device he presented to me after an interview.

Experimentation is another consort of ARR – he layers voices and sounds, creates sounds like broken glass, asks for only the wind of a flute to be used instead of the full throttle, works with acapellas and 4 part harmonies, layers Jazz chords over Carnatic melodies, mixes Ragas (modes) to produce heady melodies with just enough of the Classical juxtaposing with Contemporary. Fusion had already come to Tamil film music, but he took it to another level, especially working with his trusted friend and Sound Engineer, the late H. Sridhar, whose knowledge of Occidental and Oriental music combined with ARR’s genius created – sheer magic.

While making one incredibly comfortable in the studio, having the patience of a saint and pushing singers and instrumentalists to find their ultimate limits, ARR always worked to create a unique sound. Once the belief that extraordinary things can be achieved is imbibed in one, incredible sounds can be produced. Allowing musicians the freedom to express themselves (and thus become a part of the music intrinsically) makes his music appealing even to the most untrained of ears. Thus his fan base grows with the African listener embracing songs like ‘Minsara Kanna’ from Padayappa

LONDON WITH ARR BY ASHANTI

ASHANTI OMKAR is a writer and lover of music. In her years in the media fi eld, where she has written for several online and offl ine publications, she has interviewed and done stories on several international celebrities. She is of Sri Lankan birth, now Londoner, almost-Indian and defi nitely global in outlook. WIth her husband, photographer AKIN AWORAN, she breathes freshness into her stories, with intriguing angles, a personal touch and Akin’s fabulous visuals. Ashanti has known ARR for years and here are Akin’s and her words on their friendship withA.R. Rahman...

and ‘Marghazhi Thingal’ from Sangamam while the Americans dance to the sounds of ‘Jai Ho’.

Sharing a story about recording every sound in the studio from a cough to a laugh to a riyaaz (Lata Mangeshkar’s ‘Jiya Jale’ from Dil Se) to a baby crying (his niece, GV’s sister Bhavani, who cried in perfect pitch), he is never afraid to then mix and use unusual sounds in moulding songs. Every time one hears a song of his, something new can be gleaned – a factor many of his fans rave about. However complex the track, he gives it an edge that allows the regular listener to glean and enjoy the beat, the melody or the brand new voice they have been presented with. He also innovated by crediting musicians on his CD covers and also following the Western model in terms of music copyrights.

Working with international musicians like Andrew Lloyd Webber, M.I.A., Kylie Minogue, Vanessa Mae, Värttinä, Christopher Nightingale, Craig Armstrong, Reena Bhardwaj and also finding and building an international team has been one of A.R. Rahman’s divine foresights. From his London-based lawyer Simon Long to his Los Angeles-based agent Sam Schwartz, he has made the best decisions which are not normally monetary-based. Especially in the case of Slumdog Millionaire – his Oscar winning work – he chased the dream of producing his best; his work ethic, which is second to none, meant that God showered him with accolades.

I recollect watching the Hindi film Taal (By Subash Ghai, starring Aishwarya Rai, Akshaye Khanna) with Andrew Lloyd Webber, his wife Madeline, A. Sivamani and his wife Krashani. Andrew sat next to me and constantly proclaimed A.R. Rahman’s genius during the background music and songs as he was working on Bombay Dreams. Andrew also recounted a story of Shekhar Kapur giving him hundreds of Indian music tracks and how Andrew consistently picked A.R. Rahman’s works, thus leading to Bombay Dreams happening. It changed the UK’s view on all things Indian; thus in Central London cinemas today, Tamil and Hindi films can be watched alongside Hollywood films, consistently topping the box office charts.

Submission to a higher power is something all humans strive to do; ARR does this in abundance; thus his achievements grow and grow. A man of his word, he has made so many sacrifices; with no bad habits consuming his time, with his willingness to learn, he is a man of pure heart. Another thing I have learned from him is the value of reading, he is exceptionally learned – from Sufism, music, magazines on the latest technology, to internet articles, he’s constantly criticizing himself while also learning how to better himself at every stage.

He frequently scours the internet for fans’ feedback and wish-lists, which he then strives to fulfil with more new and innovative music. He will give up things he loves just to gain willpower – he will starve, forego all material things and makes it a point to spend a lot of time

48 GALATTA CINEMA |MARCH 2009

PICTURES IN THIS ARTICLE AND IN THE COVER FEATURE ITSELF

HAVE BEEN SHOT BY AKIN AWORAN

with teachers who keep his ego in check. This is what I believe allows him to come up with pioneering music.

In fact, the very first article and interview I did was for a reggae magazine. Suffice to say, it included a lot about A.R. Rahman. From his bringing Indian music to London via Bombay Dreams to Apache

Indian, my first interviewee spoke about his experiences with A.R. Rahman for the film Love Birds. I had emailed ARR about the piece and his words of encouragement kept me going from a career in IT to being a full-time journalist – I’ve indeed been honoured to interview him a few times too.

The A.R. Rahman/ Apache Indian song ‘No problem’ which professed: ‘Ulagamellaam namma Tamil paatu’ certainly was fulfilled on the Oscar stage by uttering 3 Tamil words, ‘Ella pugazhum irvanukku’ and made history for the Tamil Diaspora all over the world!

3 young musicians give their insights into A.R. Rahman

Bindu Seetaa Subramaniam (Vocalist, Songwriter – Bangalore)

I had the opportunity of meeting A.R. Rahman and playing some of my music to him because of my father Dr. L. Subramaniam. My father has known ARR’s family since the 1960s and ARR has often expressed respect and admiration for the work my dad has done over the years.

ARR was kind enough to listen to a couple of the English tracks that I’ve been working on for my album and was extremely encouraging. He really listened and in addition to being appreciative, he offered constructive advice and the use of his fabulous studio. I was incredibly touched and felt blessed by the interaction.

T. Pirashanna (Percussionist - London)

Watching ARR’s Dubai concert as a teenager in my West London home was my first real dalliance with his prolific vastness. I had never before seen a concert of that magnitude. After watching that concert, I decided to pursue music and I am now en route to this being a career. Over time, songs like ‘Jagge Hain’ from Guru, ‘Thamizha Thamizha’ and his qawwalis are constantly playing on my Ipod.

Recently, I have been deeply moved by ARR’s philosophical side. His simple ideas of one being honest and focusing on giving one’s best to work proves that awards and accolades will come without one pursuing them.

Fortunately, I have had the pleasure of meeting ARR twice; at his fabulous AM studios Chennai and in Central London, where I interviewed him about the film Provoked. On both occasions, the first thing I had noticed was his simplicity and level-headedness.

Sometimes it baffles you to see some one of his stature to be so simple and down-to-earth – a surreal experience. I adore is his attitude towards encouraging new and young musicians in a competitive, volatile industry. Now there is a definitive bridge between the East and the West, a pathway for musicians of tomorrow. He simply chose to love everything in his life, how very profound. Thank you, ARR.

S. Pavani (Vocalist, BMus Trinity College, London)

I still have vivid memories of sitting on my dad’s lap as a toddler in cold and gloomy East London, watching Tamil movies and dreaming of this faraway beautiful land where the grand and extravagant music of A.R. Rahman filled the air. My first favourite song of ARR’s was ‘Pudhu vellai mazhai’.

ARR’s music was extremely influential in my decision of taking up music full time. I learned to understand and make connections of how film music had its roots in classical music. In my journey of pursuing an Indian music degree in western society, I find many strong parallels.

Dr. Balamuralikrishna, one of my gurus, often tells me, “Carnatic music is what is beautiful and melodious to the ears.” This also stands for a lot of beautiful compositions of ARR which fit the Classical bill. I often find myself discussing ARR’s achievements with Carnatic vocalist Sikkil C. Gurucharan while we eagerly work towards taking classical music to the world peaks.My wishes and prayers are to the Almighty for many more special achievements and blissful musical moments for ARR and his family.

(Read Ashanti’s works on www.omkari.com and see Akin’s visuals on www.aworan.com)

IMMERSED IN HIS PASSION FOR MUSIC

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RAHMANIACS ON THE NETO

RKUT

500,000

Started way back in 1999 by a young man named Gopal Sreenivasan (he of the courteous, soft-spoken demeanour and absolute faith in the music of ARR), this Yahoogroups community was one of the first ever officially endorsed fans-pace for A.R. Rahman. Now numbering nearly 15,000 dedicated members who enjoy getting together online to talk Rahman shop, this group also has the unique honour of being recognised and embraced by ARR himself. In fact, the group’s members involve themselves in a lot of pro-Rahman musical activities and even meet with the man himself once in a while. Says Gopal of this baby he founded: I knew this would be a great forum to get every ARR fan together. I didn’t know just how interactive and huge it would get! It’s great!

OVER 14,000 GROUP MEMBERS

One of the 1st ARR Internet fanclubs

It is logical that a man who embraces technology as much as A.R. Rah-man would also have a huge fan following on the Internet. Well, did you know that ARR’s online fanbase is bigger than even Rajinikanth’s, many times over (the Superstar has the biggest for an Indian star)?! It is a plea-sure to feature here, some of the single biggest and most interactive ones.

The Communities section on Galatta.com is but a few months old, but here too A.R. Rahman has several growing communities!

n on Galatta.com is but a few months old,

GALATTA COMMUNITY

FACEBOOK

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With a whopping 5 lakh+ members, this ARR community on Orkut is probably the single largest on the Internet. Group members here are of all ages, with Rah-man being their common god. Many of them are also members of other groups, some almost as large as well (from 200 to 2 lakh members). The Rahman up-dates on this forum are sometimes even faster than the official site!

WHO’S IN IT:DIE-HARD

RAHMANIACSTHE WORLD OVER!

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YAHO

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A.R. Rahman’s online presence is not restricted to just huge communities on popular network-ing sites. There are thousands of individual blog pages and websites put up by dedicated fans who post some of the most interesting ARR in-formation, either from all sorts of obscure press reports or sometimes from personal experiences. Music lovers and intellectuals too, like Ashanti Omkar in London, have dedicated a lot of their online space to this great musician. It is truly awe-inspiring to see such devotion to one man!