who are the six lucky people to have met ARR by winning the contest ??. Anyone from here !!
On Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 12:21 PM, $ Pavan Kumar $ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > > *Futuristic Notes * > > 'I've crossed three generations, and now I'm embarking on the next one,' > says A.R. Rahman on the success of his score for "Sakkarakatti." DIVYA > KUMARlistens in > > Photo: R. Ragu > > *Down-to-earth A. R. Rahman * > It's hard to pin down what exactly it is about A.R. Rahman that makes him > so appealing in person. Maybe it's the absence of airs of any kind. Maybe > it's the refreshing lack of ennui or cynicism. Or, maybe it's just plain old > n iceness, of a simple, down-to-earth variety that's hard to come by these > days. > Whatever it is, it works just as effortlessly on the six winners of a Sony > music-organised 'Sakkarakatti contest' who get to meet the maestro in his > front office late one evening as it does on yours truly. They all go from > hushed reverence to easy, happy smiles within minutes. And although he's in > the middle of recording for Mani Ratnam's "Ravan", he makes sure everyone's > got the pictures they want with him before they leave (see what I mean about > nice?). > When we finally sit down for our chat, we start off by discussing the music > of "Sakkarakatti", which has now spent over 20 weeks at the top of the > charts. "It's interesting to work with this new generation of directors," > says Rahman, referring to first-time director of "Sakkarakatti", Kalaprabhu > S Dhanu. "They don't carry the same sort of baggage other directors do — > they're willing to let go of things that could make a product old and go in > a new direction, with new influences." > Possibly no one understands this generational shift in movies and music > better than Rahman, who's been part of the industry since he was a child. > "In a sense, I've crossed three generations," he says. "I started playing > when I was 11 for the older generation of music directors such as M.S. > Viswanathan and Ilayaraaja, then came my generation, and I'm embarking on > the next one now." > And the key to surviving these shifts is constant reinvention. "I think > it's very important to drop certain things and attain a newer mindset," he > says. "That's why I'm thrilled to see that "Sakkarakatti" is doing well — > because most of the songs are next generational." > How so? He expands on his theme: "For instance, 'Muqabala' was a popular > song of the nineties, while 'Taxi Taxi' is what's popular now. For melodious > songs, the essence of melody remains, but the shell changes, as with > 'Marudaani'. And 'I miss you da' has futuristic touches within a traditional > structure." > Of course, it isn't all about the new and futuristic. One of the most > talked about projects that Rahman is currently working on is period film > "Marmayogi", which sees a reunion of sorts between him and Kamal Haasan. > "Well, this is first time I'm working with him when he's directing — > earlier, he was a spectator to the process, whereas now, his own taste and > essence is emerging," he says. And how is that working out? Rahman says with > a chuckle, "I think it took us a while to tune up, but now we're vibing!" > He describes it as a "period movie that's contemporary in every sense, with > a '300'-ish quality about it." Then there's Gautam Menon's "Chennaiyil Oru > Mazhaikalam", Shankar's "Enthiran", "Ravan", Subhash Ghai's "Yuvraj", not to > mention Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" that just won the People's > Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. . Whew! And that's > not even the entire list. > "Fortunately or unfortunately, I work on three different planes now with > Tamil, Hindi, and international projects," he says, adding ruefully, "So > it's like I'm trying to keep everyone happy. My kids are growing up as well > and I need to spend more time with them. It's hard, sometimes exhausting, > but all the love I receive keeps me going." > Indeed, he does look tired, but he poses obligingly next to a pair of > keyboards, a mixer and a recorder mounted on the wall of his office as we > wrap up the interview. That set of equipment has a special place in his > heart, it turns out — it's what he used for his breakthrough hit "Roja". "I > used it all the way up to 'Vande Mataram'," he says, as I get a few > goosebumps at the thought that I'm looking at a little piece of cinematic > history. > Then, although it's nearly 9 p.m., it's back to the studio for him — > "Ravan" awaits — and I take my leave. > > http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/09/23/stories/2008092350010100.htm > > > > -- regards, Vithur ARR in my Heart; His Music in my Blood;
