The awards legitimise our music: Rahman
27 Feb 2009, 0422 hrs IST, Lakshmy Ramanathan, TNN
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CHENNAI: If you were trying to grab a bite at a prominent hotel in
Vadapalani a little after four on Thursday evening, chances of getting your
order on time would have been remote. For the staff, including chefs and
managers, had lined up to watch AR Rahman give his first press conference
after his return from the Oscars.
Thanking his fans and well-wishers for their prayers and blessings, Rahman
said, "It's been an incredible journey from Roja' to Slumdog Millionaire'.
I've realised that when you work without thinking about awards and money, it
pays off."
Having composed the track with hardly any time on hands, the 43-year-old,
said he did not have the slightest expectation of winning two Oscars. "I
thought maybe I had a five per cent chance of winning the award," he said.
Lagaan' was one movie which could have probably won an Oscar, he added
later.
But the lack of expectations didn't make it any easier to sleep the night
before the Oscars. "I was a zombie that Sunday. I had had just three hours
of sleep and I had to report for rehearsal. When they announced my name that
evening, I didn't even have time to react. All this while, India had been
the only country not to have won an Oscar for music. This award legitimises
our music and the aspirations of hundreds of other musicians," he said.
Rahman's Jai Ho' was composed as an after-thought for Slumdog Millionaire'.
"Originally, that section of the film was shot to the song Aaj Ki Raat'
(from Don'). But since the song was from another movie, it wouldn't have
been accepted under the original score category for the Oscars. So I created
Jai Ho'," said Rahman,w ho won two Oscars for Best Song and Best Original
Score.
The maestro already has a couple of Hollywood projects, but the schedules
haven't been laid out. Putting to rest rumours that he might shift his focus
to Hollywood, Rahman said, "If a good film comes by, I will surely take it
up. Music doesn't have a language. I manage to achieve creative freedom in
Hindi, English and Tamil though the latter does seem to have an edge."
Ever since Jai Ho' has been winning awards on the international scene, there
has been talk that the track isn't the maestro's best yet. On Thursday
evening however, Rahman, put to rest the allegation, saying, "This was a
song that catered to the sensibilities of the western audience. It was
something different for them. It may not have appealed here. But I have
created no masterpieces. In this case, Danny's film was like a beautiful
woman. My music was just an ornament that added to its beauty."
Acceptance speeches at the Oscars have often been ripped off to its minutest
details. Thursday evening was no exception. Rahman's poignant remarks of
choosing love over hate at every instance in his life were repeatedly
questioned. "It is a philosophy that I hold close to my life. All my life I
have pursued it. There have been enough incidents to separate people of this
country& Hindu-Muslim, north-south divide& I want to connect people through
music," Rahman said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/The_awards_legitimise_our_music_Rahman/articleshow/4197799.cms
--
regards,
Vithur
