http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Ek-Oscar-Lo-Ek-Muft-Gulzar/articleshow/4187879.cms
With
all the bouquets my home has literally become 'Gulzar'. The Rahman-Gulzar jodi
can truly be captioned
Gulzar More Pics
Jai
ho.”
Speaking on A R Rahman’s two
Oscars, Gulzar Saab chuckles mischievously. “It’s like the song I
wrote for Guru for him Ek lo ek muft. He got one Oscar and then the other
one was a bonus. Happily I’m part of the second
one.”
Gulzar Saab was not in Los
Angeles when the double Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire including one for a
song Jai ho written by the poet-extraordinaire was
announced.
In fact he wasn’t even
watching the Oscars when the Oscar for Jai ho
announced.
“Forget about me. I feel
very proud of
Rahman ... always have always will. I think Rahman brought a change to Indian
film songs,
and for years. He gave a new form to the film song. This recognition at the
Oscars proves that he has made a world of difference to the Hindi film
song. Otherwise classical Indian music was always known globally even before
the fim song.”
Gulzar Saab reminisces on Rahman.
“I started noticing his pathbreaking numbers when he did his first
score with me in Dil Se. But even before that he was doing pioneering work.
When I heard the announcement for his first Oscar I got a lump in my
throat. It was enough for me. I got up and left the room. I didn’t
know my song Jai ho won the Oscar. My son-in-law Govind came and hugged
me and said, ‘It’s won a double Oscar . One for your
song.’
Gulzar Saab feels the double Oscar
is a benchmark for our cinema. “It makes Indian cinema a part of
world cinema, just like there are Asian awards that make us part of Asian
cinema. Oscars certainly put us under a global gaze. Since the Oscars are
American our Indian films never before went into mainstream categories. Slumdog
Millionaire has opened up doors for our cinema
.”
Gulzar Saab is also very proud of
the Oscar given to Resul Pookutty for sound mixing. “Rahman’s
Oscar we all expected. I’m happy to be part of his second Oscar. But
Resul’s recognition is a breakthrough for all technicians in Indian
cinema.”
Gulzar Saab would also like make
mention of Sukhwinder who sang the Oscar-winning song Jai ho. “No
one else is mentioning him. He’s an integral part of Jai ho. Of course,
Rahman is the most important part of the song. But after that Sukhwinder and
I are also important components in the
song.”
So why wasn’t he at the
Oscars ceremony?
Because,”
Gulzar Saab deadpans, “I didn’t have a black coat and no lawyer
was willing to lend me a size that fitted. I was too nervous to attend
without a black coat.”
Press him a little further he comes
out with the truth, “My right shoulder got hurt while playing tennis.
I pulled a muscle two weeks ago. I’m going through therapy. I’ve
a tennis tournament on March 1. Hopefully, my physiotherapist will allow me.
I’ll play even if I lose. But I didn’t want us to lose at the
Oscars.”
