Thank You Rahman: You have done us proud
A couple of days before Pongal which also incidentally is the first
year that we will be celebrating (by government order) Tamil New Year on the
first of Thai, A.R. Rahman gave us the perfect reason to celebrate. The
Mozart of Madras is no longer the Mozart to Madras alone. We knew that it
would come, but were not sure when it would happen. International
recognition in the form of a reputed award is perhaps the only thing that
has eluded this prodigiously talented musician from our part of the world.
He has done almost everything that a composer might want to, Indian movies
in many languages, Broadway musicals, Hollywood epics, live concerts and
much more, only official recognition remained. It has come and it is just
one step below the biggest awards of all, the Oscars.
>From a field that consisted of internationally reputed composers, two of who
were former winners of many honors and one surprise entrant, the legendary
actor, director and now also a composer Clint Eastwood, Rahman was picked.
The honor is indeed great and it is also proof that music in true Indian
style can actually be accepted and liked by an international jury. Slumdog
Millionaire (if you have heard it) has music of an Indian sensibility, a
style of music that we all are familiar with and can instantly fall in love
with. In fact, a piece from Slumdog Millionaire has been compared to a more
than decade old Hindi superhit. The 'Jay Ho' refrain is instantly
inspirational in an Indian way and yet, it has managed to impress the Golden
Globe jury and get the better of some world class competition.
Rahman's journey has been special and we know all about it, no point going
over it all over again. It is what lies ahead that interests. No one has
ever doubted his abilities on the international stage having seen and heard
his amazing body of work and we are also sure that this award will be a
tonic for the man to enthrall us even more. Winning the Golden Globe was
special, but what is more special is that he is the first Indian to do so.
Few others would have been so worthy a representative of Indian art and
music because few others have held the whole of the country in a thrall with
their creations like Rahman has. Rahman maybe the first music director to
break through the Kollywood-Bollywood barrier and become the unanimous
favorite of India. In films and music, Indians' favorites are dictated by
regional and linguistic preferences. Only Rahman has managed to transcend
all such preferences and that speaks a lot about his abilities and it is the
same ability that has helped him enthrall an international audience while
remaining true to the traditions of Indian music.
[image: A.R Rahman]
Rahman does not get easily excited, not even when he wins the Golden Globe.
His acceptance speech was a studied list of thank yous to many people who
mattered a lot, but the biggest of all was reserved to the billion people of
India.
To Rahman we say, 'Thank you, you have done all of us proud. This was the
perfect Pongal gift. And, about the Oscars, well, we hope you do and we are
sure about it too.
http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-articles/movies-08/rahman-14-01-09.html
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regards,
Vithur
