thank u so much for this link ! On Wed, Jun 10, 2009 at 1:20 PM, <aravind...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > Hey all, > > I came across the blog of Kalyan Kumar, who was the sub-editor of "India > Today" magazine. He's also a screenplay/script writer for movies. > > He was the first person to interview Rahman, and the first ever interview > of Rahman appeared in India Today. > He has written in his blog about his interaction with Rahman. > > Not sure if it has been posted before! > > > Here's the link for the blog post (It's in Tamil... Scroll down for my > translation) > http://kalyanje.blogspot.com/2009/02/blog-post_26.html > > ARR pics from the blog: > > http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5HXnPkUOnPk/SaeXS2fCkkI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/ZTCD7Pfx7oQ/s1600-h/arrahman.JPG > > > Translation: > It was a fine Sunday morning, when I got a call from my friend, > cinematographer Rajeev Menon, asking if we can meet! > > The meeting happened at 5 pm that day. I was then the sub editor of India > Today, and was handling movies section too. Those days, Rajeev was working > more on Ad films, than for movies. He told me about a youngster who was > composing for his ad films - "His name is Dileep. He has tremendous music > sense. He's extremely talented in playing and handling all modern > instruments. Moreover, Mani sir has signed him on for his next movie, after > listening to some of his jingles." > > "Wow.. thats something new", I thought, and collected a pic of Dileep shot > by Rajeev and his phone number from Rajeev. Next day, I called up Dileep and > he answered. I introduced myself and asked for a meeting with him. He > immediately refused saying "No sir... No Interviews now! Mani sir has asked > me not to speak anything about the project!" > > I retorted - "You dont have to speak about the movie; speak about you! I > would be pleased if India Today publishes details about the new music > director who is Mani Ratnam's new find." > I also told him that I'd already collected his photo from Rajeev Menon. > Finally, later acceded to my request! > > The meeting happened at 4 pm. He was not a school kid. He was not yet a > college student. He seemed to be just in that transition phase, with a shy > smile on his face! His mom and sister were with him. His mom offered me cake > and savouries they had purchased from the neighbourhood bakery, for me. > Coffee followed. > > Then, we started talking. He told me a lot - about his father RK Shekar, > about how music became his full-time job after his father's death, about the > family background, about the conversion to islam, about his name change! He > mentioned that the Mani film was a God-given gift for him. He conversed with > him as though we're very close friends for a long time! He took me to his > studio and played 2 songs from his new film. > > One of those songs was Chinna Chinna Aasai. After listening to it, I > requested Rahman to play it once more. He was overjoyed and played it again. > "Just this one song is enough to take you to heights of fame", I told him > and wished him all luck. "Other their Mani sir, others connected with the > film hadn't listened to the songs. I played it just for you. Your words are > very encouraging", he said and thanked me. When I was leaving, he came out > till his front gate and bid farewell to me. > > One week later, Rahman's mom called me - "When can we see my son's photo in > the magazine, dear brother?" I could sense the eagerness and excitement in > her voice. > "It will hit the stands in 2 days, mother. I'll come and give a few copies > to you, even before that", I told her. > > En-route to my house from office, I visited Rahman's house with 5 copies of > India Today, and gave it to them. The images of the proud mother and sister, > smiling and sharing their happiness on seeing Rahman's photo in the > magazine, still remains fresh in my memories. But, Rahman took this big news > in a calm and composed manner. With a smile, he thanked me. His humbleness > was there with him right from that time. > > After the release of Roja, there was no magazine which didnt feature > Rahman's photo. After that, I met him a few more times as a reporter. Much > to the envy of other reporters, he would approach me personally and talk to > me like a friend. Once, in a press meet, he openly said "He's the first > person to interview me.... How can I not be close to him?". He hasn't yet > lost that closeness to me. > > 8 years later, I'd moved from the press and started working for TV and > movies. I wanted to produce a special program for Sun TV for Tamil New Years > day, in association with my friend Balakrishnan. That program was - "Special > interview with Isai Puyal A.R.Rahman." > > Rahman had started rocking both the Hindi and Tamil film industry by then, > and was very busy! It took me one week to just meet him. Since I was > producing the program, I personally met Rahman, and asked for an appointment > for the interview. He said, "Re-recording of Kandukondain will be over in a > couple of days. After that, we can have the interview in my studio itself. > But, on one condition... You should be the interviewer, lets not have any > other anchor!" > I agreed. In the next few days, Rahman allotted five hours of his time for > us, and also arranged for Biriyani for us, for lunch. > > The interview was aired on 14th Jan, 2004. In that interview, Rahman had > listed down his favourite tamil songs, and had also explained why he liked > these songs. > - "Kaatril Endhan Geetham" composed by Ilayaraja (from the film > Johnny) > - "Unnai onru ketpen" by MSV > - "Thora guna" by KV Mahadevan (Sankarabharanam) > - "Kaalangalil Aval Vasantham" sung by PB Sreenivas > > This was the day Alaipayuthey had hit the screens. He'd got Mani Sir's > consent to show clips of songs from the movie, during the interview. He > didnt stop with just that. That night, he invited me home and thanked me for > the good interview. I told him that it is he who has to be thanked! I can't > forget that late night meeting with him. > > Today, all the world media focusses on the man who got two Oscars. At this > proud juncture, I'm really proud to say that I was the first man to > interview him. > > Cheers, > Aravind > > ------------------------------ > > Rahmania show interviews: http://rahmania.4shared.com > ------------------------------ > > > ------------------------------ > Explore and discover exciting holidays and getaways with Yahoo! India > Travel Click > here!<http://in.rd.yahoo.com/tagline_Travel_1/*http://in.travel.yahoo.com/> > > -- Cheers, Pradeepan. "All you need to do is, decide what to do with the time that is given to you !"
