Ignore the typo errors please.. :) Very good read.. The Week on Rahman : We like to believe that Indians have made a fantastic breakthrough in international cinema, thanks to publicity generated by Slumdog Millionaire, which is not an Indian film to begin with. But what it has done is gift A.R Rahman's genius to the world. This modest musician has awaited a long time for universal recognition. It is now his - Rahman is in a league of his own with no real competition, either here or overseas. He is a genuine, gilt-edged ' valuable ' - self-made and supreme -----------------------------------------------------A.R RahmanOne with MusicBy Prasoon Joshi There are certain things in this world that cannot be defined by logic. One of them is God, another is music. A.R Rahman touches that chord and ventures into the zone of the undefined. As a person, he visits this transcendental world everytime he immerses himself in God or music, very often both. In this transcendental world, where others go to escape, Rahman is so comfortable that he is almost at home there. But the magic of Rahman is more than this comfort level at such an undefined plane. His real magic is his ability to transport his listeners to that realm that defies logic. Rahman does not believe in boxing himself by defining his work as 'commerical' or 'devotional' or 'pure are' or anyother format. He immerses himself completely in his art and commercial success he gets is not the objective of his excercise. It is a byproduct. Rahman is a rare human being who is so attuned to his craft that to separate one from the other would be to distort the whole. That is why, very often, when someone asks him to tinker with a composition, he simply puts aside the original and creates a fresh one. There are many reasons why Rahman is one of the country's most valuable persons, and luck doesn't happen to be one of them. Rahman is defined by his hard work. He has been practising his craft since childhood and he is a master. But he is constantly evolving, which brings about the freshness and uniqueness in his work. There is never any stagnation or repetition. Yet each work is so quintessentially Rahman. Rahman's music is rooted in Indian tradition, but he is very much influenced by world music. That, perhaps, explains his universal appeal among the young and the old. Old-timers connect with the warmth of traditional music in his work, the younger ones with his experimentation. Yet, Rahman tries not to shock his listeners. He makes his music easy to appreciate because there is a touch of the familiar in it, in which the listener finds a comfort zone even as her experiences some new sounds in same composition. A musical journey with Rahman is an adventurous one, but one which ensures a comfort level. He holds your hand and flies with you into an unknown realm. He will never drop you into an ocean midway and expect you to swim your way through. There is another important aspect to Rahman's work. He is one of few musicians with an ear for not just melody, but also sound. His music is richly layered with so many sounds that others may never have thought of as music. He is such a fine sound technician and is so attuned to modern technology that he can tell the sound engineer exactly what he wants. Yet, I would never say that it is the technology wich defines his work or that Rahman is a product of present times. Rahman would be the same even in another age. Electronic gadgets may only have made the work a tad easier for him, but Rahman without his sound system is as creative. He can actually click two stones together and end up with a repertoire of musical sounds! I reiterate, Rahman's appeal is universal. Because, work for him is worship and success merely incidental. Rahman has never been affected by the trappings of stardom. There's never an entourage around him. He is a simple man, of simple habits. Much has been writted about his humility, but it is indeed trie. HE is very down to earth and never takes himself seriously. Many often wonder whether Rahman has reached the pinnacle of success. I don't think so. Pinnacles are those who rise, he is free flowing, always new, always refreshing. If I see him as he is today, post Oscar glory, I only think he is raring to go and come up with more surprises. When asked whether he is overworked, I've heard him say things like, " Why should I take a break from what I love?" or " I don't need to unwind because I never get wound up." There's a child-like enthusiasm in him that is only going to explore, and explore more. If you look at worldly achievements, they may be finite, but his creativitiy is infinite. It is part of his very being. Rahman and his music are one. Prasoon Joshi is a poet, lyricist and advertising professional who has worked closely with A.R Rahman on several projects. ------------------------------------------------------
