Interesting comments from Gopal's earlier 'AR Rahman: Global tunesmith' BBC News posting.
"Believe it or not AR Rahman's music made a turning point in my life in 1995. Rahman's one after another super hit film music made me rethink about my way of life. I was forcibly recruited into the child soldier wing of the rebel group in Sri Lanka as a teenage boy and was not allowed to listen to cinema songs. But to listen Rahman's songs from popular Tamil movies such as Roja, Kathalan, Thiruda Thiruda, Gentleman, Bombay and Duet; I secretly sneaked out of the rebel base and used to visit a nearby home to listen to these sweet melodies. Eventually I fell in love with a girl and ran away from the rebel movement to live a new life. Thanks to Rahman, that his romantic music made me found someone to share my dreams with." More - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7894174.stm
