Nice to see Gopal's name in this article! Tell me when the party starts! I WANT TO BE THERE TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, "userind" <user...@...> wrote: > > Source - > http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2009022460281200.htm&date=2009/02/24/&prd=th&; > > The above link has a childhood photograph of A.R.Rahman and his sister > Fathima with their father R.K. Shekhar. > > Every Indian has to be proud of Rahman and his team, says P.C. Sreeram. > > CHENNAI: For a moment on Monday morning, things stood still in India. > The silence was deeper in Chennai during the seconds it took for the > announcement to be read out: A.R.Rahman. As Chennai's own genius > walked the polished floor at Kodak Theatre to get his own little > statuette, it is possible the southern city cheered the loudest. > > The encomium kept pouring in ever since. Many feted not only his > talent for music but also his humility and simplicity. > > S. P. Balasubramaniam, whose rendering of Rahman's `Thanga Thamarai > Magale' in Minsara Kanavu won him a National Award says: "Rahman is a > great composer and a greater human being. I think seniors and juniors > have a lot to learn from him, from his humility. Even after the > Oscars, he will be the same. He is a genius!" For yesteryear composer > M.S.Viswanathan who has sung one number for him, "Rahman is not only > exceptionally talented but also a very good person." > "Special victory" > > Kamal Hassan called it a special victory and joked that they had given > him two Oscars, so it would be easier for him to balance the statuettes. > > Rahman's favourite playback singer P. Suseela reciprocates the > admiration he has for her. "Honouring the great musician, who is an > Indian, on such a global platform is rather special. Like a double > century, he has bagged two awards." > > Pitching in with the patriotic angle, cinematographer P.C .Sreeram > says: "Every Indian has to be proud of Rahman and his team." He feels > there is a bond between sound and light that can't be explained in > words. "Certain songs make you react in a particular way. Yes, I think > some of my best expressions in light have come with his music." > > And then there was Tamil pride to the fore as well, with actor Prabhu > and lyricist Vairamuthu congratulating him on speaking in Tamil at the > Awards ceremony"Ella Pughazhum Iraivanukke." Vairamuthu says: "I am > doubly happy that a Tamilian has won India such an honour. I had > written `Ennai inda boomi sutri vasa aasai (I want the world to go > around me)' in the Roja song `Chinna china aasai.' Now, I am elated > that the world has begun going around him now!" > > Rahman's sound engineer S. Sivakumar says the composer would lose > track of time while at work. Senthil Kumar, director, Real Image, > points out, "Rahman pioneered the use of synthesisers, sequences and > multi-tracks. He is one of the best keyboard players." > > Actor Suriya, whose on-screen romancing has often been embellished by > music from Rahman, reveals how it also played a role in his off-screen > romance with Jyothika. > > "Apparently he had stopped singing love songs, but we were surprised > when Rahman sir volunteered to sing the stirring `New York Nagaram' > from Sillunu Oru Kadhal. Since it was just before our wedding, it was > like a great wedding gift for us," Suriya says. > > Actor Madhavan's career-launching film, Alaipayuthe sizzled the > screens and not in any small measure due to Rahman's score. He has > since gone on to do five more movies with Rahman. Maddy says, "I think > we missed giving him one more Oscarto the nicest person in the industry." > > Gopal Srinivasan of the A.R.Rahman Fan Club is one of an ecstatic > world-wide band of brothers and sisters. A group of hardcore fans > watched the Oscar awards live at Bangalore together. To celebrate, > they went to a local orphanage, wrote out a cheque for the kids and > sponsored a meal. > > A larger celebration is being planned, with the idol himself. "We know > it is going to be hectic immediately after the awards. We will wait > until things cool down," Gopal says. To the team of diehard fans, the > Oscars come as recognition for the fantastic body of work Rahman has > produced, instead of applause for just one song or one movie. > > Rapper Blaaze who worked on Slumdog Millionaire, was mentioned by > Rahman in his speech at Kodak Theatre. He says he is rendered > speechless by Rahman's kindness. "His message after the `Jai Ho' song > when he said, `All my life I had choices, love and hate, I chose > loveand here I am ' is the message for the world right now. It is a > historic moment for over a billion hearts " > > Tanvi Shah, who was among those who sang the award-clincher `Jai Ho,' > spoke excitedly from the United States where she flew to get a taste > of the Oscar magic. "I'm just really happy and thrilled that we won > for the best score and best song. For me, it will be a really special > day for the rest of my life," she gushes. "I am glad that I was part > of this big project, and I think hard work and patience pays off at > some point. ARR deserves every bit of the glory.... all I can say is > JAI HO!" > > Praveen Mani, a music director in his own right, worked with A.R. > Rahman as an arranger/programmer in his team on Slumdog Millionaire. > > "As a close friend, I truly admire his dedication to music, his > humility as a human being, and he surely deserves way more than this > for his awesome talent. Hats off to the music whiz kid from Madras! > You simply rock!" That sums it up for Chennai. >
