Dear Prabhu, Call Chandru Not at all a problem. Thanks for mentioning it to Times of India. Next week, some fans here in Chennai are planning to rope The economic times for a coverage of our orphanage meet in Chennai.
I just felt that it would have added more value , and not any special highlight at all. Thanks . God Bless All On Sun, May 4, 2008 at 10:07 AM, callchandru <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Vithur > We mentioned about the noble causes taken up fans more than once but > unfortunately that didn't get featured in the article. There were a > lot of things that we discussed about in that conversation but I > guess there is a space limit and the reporter had to leave out a few > things and this was one of them. > > chandru... > > --- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com <arrahmanfans%40yahoogroups.com>, > Vithur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Gomzy > > > > Was no mention made to the Times regarding our fans doing noble > activities > > on a regular basis in Chennai. That should have been highlighted. > It would > > have really made ARR feel proud of us > > > > > On Sun, May 4, 2008 at 9:02 AM, Gomzy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > The times of India, Blore edition. page 21 > > > > > > Mad about Rahman, dil se These fans live and breathe A R > Rahman's music, > > > finds > > > Sharmishta Koushik > > > > > > It was the year 1992. The film Roja was released and with > it, a new > > > music sensation blossomed in the Indian film industry, > attracting droves of > > > fans, mesmerized by his melodies. Their chotti si asha is simply > to have the > > > pleasure of listening to A R Rahman's music and perhaps, > watching him > > > perform live, and if they were really lucky, say a few words to > the musical > > > genius in person. Meet the A R Rahman Fans. > > > What started off as an e-group, set up by Gopal Srinivasan, a > > > Bangalore-based consultant, is, today, a veritable database of > all things > > > Rahman. From several media interviews to rare recordings of his > tracks and > > > the inside information on when a new album will be released, > these die-hard > > > fans are truly connoisseurs of Rahman's art. "The intent behind > establishing > > > this group was straightforward — to use the power of the > internet to network > > > with Rahman's fans around the world so that we could share the > joy of > > > listening to his music. In many ways, it is Rahman himself who is > > > responsible for the popularity of this group — his music and his > appeal > > > cutting across barriers. I am guilty of initially under- > estimating the > > > global reach of his music — little did we realize that we would > have people > > > from so many countries across the world joining in," says Gopal > Srinivasan. And > > > indeed, today, the e-group has over 13,000 members. > > > On a rather sultry Sunday evening, a few members of the > group in > > > Bangalore gathered in front of the rose garden in Cubbon Park to > talk about > > > their passion. Quite befitting, considering that for most of > them, their > > > love affair with A R Rahman's music began with the film Roja > (rose), and > > > like his music, their devotion to his talent has only increased > from > > > strength to strength. Says Kangan Upadhyay, who works in a > software company, > > > "We heard the songs of Roja before they were officially > released. And > > > although I didn't know the language, I could relate to those > songs.'' > > > And she gives credit to the music director for her superb > scores in > > > her II PU exam. "At that time, the music of Alaipayuthe was > released, and I > > > kept listening to it all the time while studying. I scored 99% > in Maths. I > > > kept humming the songs in my mind even as I was writing the > paper,'' she > > > recalls with excitement. > > > The way Rahman's compositions revolutionized Indian film > music is > > > something the fans immensely respect. "He brought in a whiff of > freshness,'' > > > says Balaji Rajagopal, a chartered accountant. "He brought to > Indian films a > > > sound which was, until then, only heard in jingles,'' says > Chandrashekhar > > > Ganesh, a techie. "Earlier, viewers would walk > > > out of the theatre for a smoke when the songs would come on. > Rahman's > > > music changed all that,'' says Gomtesh Upadhyay aka Gomzy, a > techie. > > > "He's even a good singer,'' says Vithun Kumar, a BE student. > Adds > > > Shahnawaz Gaffoor, a techie, "His music is international.'' > > > Not surprisingly, Rahman's concerts are always a grand > event, akin to > > > international acts performing in India. And these fans ensure > they are there > > > to watch Rahman live. Most of them took off to Chennai recently, > when > > > Rahman performed there for a concert organized by The Times of > India. In > > > fact, it was during the 2005 concert in Bangalore when the > city's fans met > > > each other in person. They volunteered backstage and even had T- > shirts > > > created especially for the event. > > > Rehearsals are when they get to interact with the maestro. > Some of the > > > members have even met him at his residence in Chennai. "Once, I > went to meet > > > him at his place. As he was busy he told me to come the next > day. He asked > > > me if I was a non-vegetarian. Since I wasn't, he ensured that > vegetarian > > > food was ordered for me,'' says Prabhu Krishnamurthy, a techie. > > > During the 2005 concert, they even gifted Rahman a montage > of all his > > > album covers, about 94 — both film and non-film scores. It now > adorns a wall > > > in his studio. And needless to say, if a fan wants to meet him > at the > > > studio, those from this e-group are allowed right in. Rahman has > even > > > dedicated a colouring book for children, released during the > Pray For Me > > > Brother tour, to the e-group in November, 2007. > > > The members definitely deserve such a token of appreciation, > > > considering they have taken pains to count the number of musical > genres he > > > has explored. According to them, his music spans about 36-38 > genres. > > > The Bangalore-based fans meet up from time to time, if > someone gets > > > hold of the latest copy of Rahman's album or a rare DVD of his > work. They > > > recently met to watch a behind-the-scenes DVD of the musical > Bombay Dreams, > > > which shows Rahman actually composing some of the tunes. > > > "We upload rare tracks on to the website. But it's strictly > for > > > non-commercial and private use. We always buy the original CDs > of his > > > albums,'' says Prabhu. "And, of course, we would be the first > ones to buy > > > those albums on day one,'' says S Radhakrishnan, a techie. At > times, members > > > have heated debates. An unresolved one is about whether Rahman > was the first > > > music director to use a bass guitar in his compositions. > > > What sustains their immense passion is not just Rahman's > music but > > > also the person he is. As Radhakrishnan puts it, "He has never > let us > > > down.'' > > > > > > > > > > > > RAHMANIACS: These fans are devoted not just to his music but > also the man > > > behind it > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > regards, > > Vithur > > > > Whatever God wants to give, no one can deny; Whatever God wants to > deny, no > > one can give. Be happy always > > > > > -- regards, Vithur Whatever God wants to give, no one can deny; Whatever God wants to deny, no one can give. Be happy always
