Congrats, A R Rahman

In the video film, Chithra said Rahman took Tamil Film Music across the oceans. S P Balasubramaniam said it was Rahman's father Sekar who gave him his maiden opportunity, in a Malayalam film. Vaali was at his best when he suggested that Rahman should never forget his Tamil roots even when he is experimenting with Western music.

It is great to win a Lifetime Achievement award at forty. And yet, Rahman was, as usual humble. "What are you going to teach your children?". And he said, "My wife will teach them." "And what will you teach your wife?". "Oh, she is teaching me a lot", said the one and only Rahman. Incidentally, his wife was there too.

What music does he like to listen to? All kinds, especially those of the early sixties. "There are times when I cut myself away totally from music", said the prodigious composer and song-writer.

RAHMAN'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

He was born on January 6, 1966., in a musically inclined family. At four, he started learning piano. At nine, his father died, leaving on his young shoulders, the burden of supporting the family. He cut his musical teeth at eleven in Ilayaraja's orchestra, as a keyboard player.

With Ilayaraja and subsequently with other troupes, he travelled around the world. In between, he won a coveted degree in Western Classical music from the Oxford University. He has worked with internationally reputed artistes and groups.

This Asian Mozart's music had sold millions of copies worldwide. This melodic genius has brought about a freshness to film music. Apart from Carnatic classical, he is an amazing master of Western Classical jazz and rock. Who else could be a bigger representative of Indian Music?

It all started with Roja in 1992.. He has never looked back. He started redefining contemporary Indian music and continued his colossal stride with memorable compositions like those in Bombay, Dil Se, Taal, Lagan, Kathalan, Indian, Duet, Minsaarak Kanavu.....the list is unending.

His Vande Mataram is unforgettable. His collaboration with the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber created history with their �Bombay Dreams'.

Padma Shri Rahman is highly philanthropic and that made him an honourary Rotarian. He has many decades of music still left in him and we wish him many more years of immortal compositions.

Courtesy:chennaionline.com

Bollywood-themed musical coming to town : Bombay Dreams kicks off on April 6

Bombay Dreams, a Bollywood-themed musical, is all set to create ripples at the Alhamra Art Council from April 6 to April 20.

Originally, the play was an Andrew Lloyd Webber production, created by famous Indian music director AR Rahman. The plot has been written by Meera Syal. Directed by Shah Sharabeel, the current play is an adaptation of the original one in accordance with the local scenario.


The story of the play revolves around an ambitious young guide, Aakash, who is brought up by his mother and lives in the slums.

He fantasises about being a Bollywood star. The story unknots two Sikhs, Honey Singh and Money Singh, announcing that they will build elite apartments on slum land.

Meanwhile, a young lawyer named Vikram arrives along with his fiancée, Priya. He offers his services to save the slums. Priya later offers Aakash a shot in Bollywood and takes him to Mumbai, where he experiences a side of the city he had never imagined. Complications arise as Akaash faces the reality of showbiz, fame, his love for Priya, and his obligations to his family, friends, and his paradise slum. The play beautifully hints at the identity issues confronting human beings. Bombay Dreams is being staged in Lahore for the first time, after enthralling audiences in Islamabad.

Director Sharabeel said that the play was one of the most expensive plays put on in Pakistan, costing Rs 3 million.

The play comprises a huge cast of 75 characters – 25 female and 50 male artists. “The play has been coloured in a local fashion to make it look like real. Though the play is in English, it proceeds in such a fashion that a person not familiar with English can very well understand it. The actors have been working hard and we hope to have a big crowd in the support,” said Sharabeel.

Interestingly, all the actors are from various educational institutions, and none of them is a professional. Students form the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), National College of Arts (NCA), Beaconhouse National University (BNU), Lahore School of Economics (LSE), Kinnaird College (KC) and Lahore Grammar School (LGS) are participating in the musical. “The play is known for its rhythmic tones composed by AR Rahman and will definitely cheer the audience,” Sharabeel concluded.

Courtesy: dailytimes.com.pk

A.R. Rahman launches first Indian orchestra

After waiting for seven years, India’s most famous contemporary music composer A.R. Rahman Wednesday launched his first full-fledged orchestra. It has been named “Global Music” and is the first homegrown orchestra. “I kept hearing someone is setting up an orchestra and waited for seven long years for someone else to set up an orchestra like the New York, London or Budapest Philharmonic in India. But it did not happen”, Rahman, whose recent works include music for “Guru” and “Jodhaa Akbar”, told the media here.


“Whenever I want to compose for an orchestra, I have to go to London or Budapest,” he complained.

The music maestro announced setting up of the orchestra along with the launch of his KM Conservatory, a music school for professional musicians in the outskirts of the city.

The orchestra, to be fully operational in the next two years, will have both Indian as well as Western musicians. “It will play combinations of two kinds of instruments. There is so much talent in India, but we have no symphony orchestra,” Rahman told the media.

He also said the orchestra was expected to bring more professionalism even in film music and introduce millions of Indian music-lovers to “opera and concert as entertainment”.

The symphony orchestra will be in the western mode, both as a resident studio orchestra to perform his own composition for the music industry and for the people in Chennai and elsewhere in India.

This orchestra will be populated by professional musicians of international standard, both from India and abroad.

The KM Conservatory of Music, in collaboration with Audio Media Education, an Apple-authorized training centre, which opens in June this year, will concentrate on instrumental and vocal music, both Indian and Western, and music technology.

“In order to bring the music culture to India, where music can be taken as a serious professional option and flourish in the coming generations, training young professionals is essential,” Rahman said.

The accomplished composer, who is trying to create opportunities for Indian wannabes, has carved a niche for himself outside the Indian film industry.

He collaborated with international composer Andrew Lloyd Webber for “Bombay Dreams”. Then he teamed up with the Finnish folk music band Varttina and composed for “The Lord of the Rings” theatre production and also did a piece, “Raga’s Dance” for Vanessa Mae’s album “Choreography”.
Courtesy: ThaiIndian.com

A.R Rahman: 'War is about power'

ONE of the world’s biggest composing, production and musical names A.R. Rahman spoke exclusively to BBC Asian Network’s Gagan Grewal this week sharing his views on war and his career.

Rahman, the man behind the musical score of countless Bollywood films as well as West End productions including Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bombay Dreams and Lord of the Rings spoke about his latest projects and war – something he’s rarely spoken about in public.

A.R. Rahman scored his 1st Bollywood song ‘Roja’ in 1992 which went on to be listed as one of the top 100 songs of all time by TIME magazine, yet Rahman says it’s hard to define a favourite song.

In 2003 BBC World Service ran a global poll, asking its listeners for their 10 favourite tracks of the last millennium. A.R. Rahman had two tracks in the top ten, Vande Mataram – a rendition of the Indian National Song made it to number 2.

Said Rahman: "I felt I should do something as a personal expression and I teamed up with my school mate Bharat Bala, a talented film maker, and he thought of this idea. I wanted to complete this album with the thought of belonging to the motherland. Though it was a controversial theme, I think the way it was put together made it acceptable to every community".

On the topic of war, on one of Rahman’s CDs, he says the world spends 730 billion dollars on war.

"The ultimate fight in humanity was actually for food. But now it’s not about food anymore or healing anybody…....It's about power, who's more powerful and who can control the world. Everybody's become a control freak, that’s the reason why we are spending so much of money on war, and so that’s the reason, why it was put on the sleeve of 'Pray for me brother' album. It's a simple thing, we don’t think about that, but when we see the reality we feel disgusted about it".

Rahman says he enjoys working in England as it gives him a platform try something non-Bollywood.

"It's completely different from what I do for movies because here [UK] there is different kind of audience, the whole platform is reputed and credible. My first entry here has been great with 'Lord of the Rings’ being the second musical, but completely western, completely non-Bollywood, non Indian, a good diversion for me to go deeper into this kind of music. "

Rahman has won recognition from a broad base including MTV, the Laurence Olivier awards as well as Bollywood. He says his father, who died when Rahman was nine, affected him and his career.

The father of two said: "Everything changed when I started discovering myself, and the influence of Sufism in my life and my family. And the first film when it came, that changed the whole direction of my life in a way because that defined my music, principles and existence in a way actually…. My inspiration I got from him [his father] and his hard work, the good name he earned in the industry, which I wanted to retain in a way."

Talking about what gives him strength Rahman replied: "I'm a spiritual person, the word religion has been so much in controversy. I think we need to go beyond and look at humanity with love rather than segmenting so much. I try to be as true as possible, but the main thing for me is how much is it turning me into a better human being and how much it makes me a good influence in the community. So that's very important and I keep that in my mind."

For a man that has achieved a lot at a very young age we asked A.R. Rahman what is next on the horizon.

"Right now I’m doing Yuvraj, a Subhash Ghai's film, D6 by Rakesh Mehra, and Ghajini with Amir Khan, and the next music release will be a film Jaane Tu Jaane Na, Amir Khan production".


Courtesy: theasiannews.co.uk

A R Rahman: I try to be as true as possible

One of the world's biggest composing, production and musical names A R Rahman spoke exclusively to BBC Asian Network's Gagan Grewal this week sharing his views on war and his career.

Rahman, the man behind the musical score of countless Bollywood films as well as West End productions like Andrew Lloyd Webber's BOMBAY DREAMS and LORD OF THE RINGS spoke to Asian Network about his latest projects and war - something he's rarely spoken about in public.


A R Rahman scored his 1st Bollywood song ROJA in 1992 which went on to be listed as one of the top 100 songs of all time by TIME magazine, yet Rahman says it's hard to define a favourite song. In 2003 BBC World Service ran a global poll, asking its listeners for their 10 favourite tracks of the last millennium. A R Rahman had two tracks in the top ten, Vande Mataram - a rendition of the Indian National Song made it to number 2. We asked how that came about.

"I felt I should do something as a personal expression and I teamed up with my school mate Bharat Bala, a talented film maker, and he thought of this idea. I wanted to complete this album with the thought of belonging to the motherland. Though it was a controversial theme, I think the way it was put together I think it was acceptable to every community".

On one of A R's CDs he says the world spends 730 billion dollars on War. We asked A R Rahamn what his views on war are.

"The ultimate fight in humanity was actually for food. But now it's not about food anymore or healing anybody� It's about power, who's more powerful and who can control the world. Everybody's become a control freak, that's the reason why we are spending so much of money on war, and so that's the reason, why it was put on the sleeve of 'Pray for me brother' album. It's a simple thing, we don't think about that, but when we see the reality we feel disgusted about it".
We asked A R Rahman how he has found working over in the UK for the LORD OF THE RINGS musical.

"[It's] Completely different from what I do for movies because here [UK] is different kind of audience, the whole platform is reputed and credible. My first entry there has been great, �Bombay dreams'. �Lord of the Rings' being the 2nd musical, but completely western, completely non Bollywood, non Indian, good diversion for me, to go deeper into this kind of music.

"It [the Bombay Dreams collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber] started, the conversation by Shekhar Kapoor to Andrew introducing my music to him, and he calling me straight and it started all that time, and now Bombay Dreams has almost become a kind of landmark musical where people recognize Indian film from Bombay Dreams. It's a great bridge for that. And a bridge for me to go into western musicals like LORD OF THE RINGS and probably much more in the future".

A R Rahman has won recognition from a broad base including MTV, the Laurence Olivier awards as well as Bollywood. We asked how his father dying when he was nine years old affected him and his career.

"Everything changed when I started discovering myself, and the influence of Sufism in my life and my family. And the first film when it came, that changed the whole direction of my life in a way because that defined my music, principles and existence in a way actually... my inspiration I got from him [his father] was his hard work, the good name he earned in the industry, which I wanted to retain in a way."

Talking about what gives him strength Rahman replied, "I'm a spiritual person, the word religion has been so much in controversy, I think we need to go beyond and look at humanity with love rather than segmenting so much. I try to be as true as possible, but the main thing for me is how much it is turning me into a better human being and how much it makes me a good influence in the community. So that's very important and I keep that in my mind.�"My family is very personal. They are a great support for my all activities and moral support and everything...and I've got 2 daughters and a son, and we all live together..."

For a man that has achieved a lot at a very young age we asked A R Rahman what is next on the horizon.

"Right now I'm doing YUVRAJ, a Subhash Ghai's film, D6 by Rakesh Mehra, and GHAJINI with Aamir Khan, and the next music release will be a film JAANE TU JAANE NA, an Aamir Khan production".
Courtesy: Glamsham.com

AR Rahman's favourite tracks from Jodhaa Akbar

“I like everything,” AR Rahman stated when I asked him to identify his favourite track from this week’s release, Jodhaa Akbar. India’s biggest and best music composer provides the music for the Aishwarya Rai-Hrithik Roshan historical romance. The shy musical genius was unable to name a specific number as his favourite when I insisted. After a thoughtful pause, Rahman replied again: “I like everything.”

The ‘Mozart from Madras’ was in London this week to launch the original cast recording CD of his latest international project, the West End musical, The Lord of the Rings. This is his second London West End project after the successful Andrew Lloyd Webber production, Bombay Dreams. How does Rahman feel about his global success? “It’s nice to be recognised from brand Bollywood to international composer.”

Matthew Warchus, director of the Rings musical, is clearly pleased with the Elizabeth composer. He told me at the reception that he would “happily work with Rahman on anything” as he has “an extraordinary musical voice.” Varttina, the co-composer of the music, was less knowledgeable when I asked him if he liked any of Rahman’s Tamil music. “That question is too specific for me,” the Finn admitted.

Fans new to Rahmans’ work should seek out the classic Hindi soundtracks of Roja, Bombay, and Dil Se and, of course, the melodic Jodhaa Akbar, now!

It’s not a historical

The wait is over! The aforementioned Jodhaa Akbar, the year’s most anticipated film, is here. The period romance tells the love story between the Moghul emperor Akbar and his Rajasthani Hindu princess bride, Jodhaa. Oscar nominated director Ashutosh ‘Lagaan’ Gowarikar is keen to deny that his latest film is a historical film. “Let it be clear that it is not a historical film. It is a good story told in an interesting manner. I’d say eighty percent is my imagination.” Is Gowarikar being defensive because recent Bollywood historicals like The Rising and Taj Mahal crashed at the box-office?

Courtesy: Timesonline.co.uk

Bombay Dreams at Broadway is breakthrough for South Asians'

As he sat on a street-side table at an eatery here one evening, few passers-by spared Manu Narayan more than a cursory glance - despite his extraordinarily sparkling eyes and his cap slung low to hide his wild, curly locks of black hair.

But the days are not far when Narayan, 25, will not fail to be noticed wherever he happens to be, especially not in the environs of Times Square.

For he is the lead in Andrew Lloyd Weber's spectacular production of A.R. Rahman's "Bombay Dreams", London's smash hit musical that is scheduled to open on Broadway April 29.

"I think that in many ways this show is a breakthrough for South Asians as well as for the US," Narayan told IANS in an interview.

"For Americans this musical is a high profile way of getting the stories, images and music of Indian culture into the greater mainstream American consciousness.

"In so doing, many doors of possibilities open up for South Asian immigrants and South Asian Americans in both the professional and non- professional worlds.

"I believe the more we can expose the world to our talent, ability and cultures, the more the world can view us not as stereotypes but as individuals with our own unique stories."

Narayan also spoke to IANS on how humbled and elated he was on landing the prize role of Akaash.

"I am aware that it is the role of the decade; surely there is nothing higher going in the theatre world for a young South Asian male actor to dream of," he said, the exultation in his voice tamed by a touch of awe.

"Bombay Dreams" had its world premiere at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre June 19, 2002. The musical quickly became the biggest hit currently playing in London's West End.

Based on an idea by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, "Bombay Dreams" tells the story of a handsome young slum-dweller, Akaash, and his dreams of becoming a Bollywood movie star. It weaves together glamour, romance and epic spectacle.

A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Narayan's theatre credits include the national tour of "Miss Saigon" (Thuy), Tom Stoppard's "Indian Ink" (Nirad Das) at the Wilma Theatre in Philadelphia, and David Henry Hwang's "Largo" (starring Cyndi Lauper and Fisher Stevens) at New York Stage and Film, as well as TV appearances on "Law and Order SVU" and "As the World Turns".

The part didn't just drop from the sky though - Narayan had been working all his life towards it. He has been acting, singing and dancing since he can remember.

"My parents are very supportive. My dad, J.B. Narayan, came to the US in the 1960s to study engineering. He went back to Chennai, where he met my mother, Vatsala, who is from Karnataka. They came back and settled in Pittsburgh.

"I am an only child and my parents enveloped me in love and support. They are very happy with my choice of acting as a career."

Of the rehearsals for 'Bombay Dreams', which began early this month, Narayan says: "Although it is play, and the best work possible for me, it is also taxing. It is the kind of work I love to do, but there are limits to the human body, and both your muscles and your mind are tested by the simultaneous singing, dancing and acting.

"We rehearse from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Three days a week I go to the gym for a one-hour workout. And it will be eight shows a week, with one rest day, after 'Bombay Dreams' opens at the Broadway Theatre."

Narayan had the privilege of singing for the queen of England, the president of the US, and various other dignitaries at the behest of Andrew Lloyd Webber in London at the US ambassador's residence in London.

"There were about 40 people in all, and we got to shake hands with the queen and the president. It was a big moment. But the biggest is coming... when the curtain rises at the Broadway on April 29."

Courtesy: Hindustantimes.com