A top 10 list without Thiruda Thiruda ?? --- On Sat, 2/28/09, pratap <[email protected]> wrote:
From: pratap <[email protected]> Subject: [arr] TOP 10 ALBUMS THAT BUILT BRAND ‘RAHMAN’ To: "ARR FAN CLUB" <[email protected]> Date: Saturday, February 28, 2009, 4:39 AM TOP 10 ALBUMS THAT BUILT BRAND ‘RAHMAN’ Trying to pick Rahman’s best albums is not easy, because whatever he does is so good. Selecting a few good ones as his best is something like ‘searching for a needle in a stack of needles’, to borrow a line from Saving Private Ryan. Initially, the intention was to make a list of Rahman’s top 10, but it ended up in 15 and could well have gone up to 25 had it not been for some ruthless decisions, which could be taken only by one with a strong heart. So, here are the top 15 albums, not necessarily his best musical scores, but landmark albums that have helped build ‘brand Rahman’ into the global phenomenon that he is now. Sivaji: The Boss :15 We all thought that Shankar would work only with Rahman until Anniyan happened and everyone thought that a change in order was imminent. But, Sivaji happened and the famous duo was back together. Superstar in his element called for some rollicking stuff that would reverberate in theaters. Rahman understood the requirements and delivered a score which one would not describe as classy but instantly likeable and popular. An ‘Athiradee’ album, which set unseen records in audio sales in the recent times. Kizhakku Cheemayile :14 This was the first album that took Rahman’s music and popularity to the rural parts of Tamil Nadu. Kizhakku Cheemayile remains his only real hit that was extremely well received in the villages of the state. The movie’s success and the expertise of Bharathiraja in handling rural themes did help a lot. This again went on to prove the critics that Rahman is good at folk tunes too. Rang De Basanti :13 Rang De Basanti was perfect music for the angry & restless generation next. Some of the numbers really tugged at the patriotic strings in the heart, like ‘Khoon chala’. The anguish of bereavement was perfectly conveyed in ‘Lukka chuppi’, the suppressed feelings of anger mixed with the relief of having released it was personified in ‘Roobaroo’ while the Punjabi flavor in ‘Rang de Basanti’ simply rocked, not to forget the liberating ‘I am a rebel’. Muthu :12 This was Rahman’s first step outside Indian boundaries. Though many may not consider Muthu as one of Rahman’s best albums, the movie did take his name and music as far as Japan. The huge success of the movie in foreign shores gave Rahman that vital exposure, which should have primed him for all that, was to follow. ‘Thillana thillana’ is still one popular number among Rajini fans. Minsara Kanavu :11 This was Rahman’s first chance to do a musical film. He did not let the chance slip by, showing us his full repertoire of musical skills. The songs became boundlessly popular overnight; the National Award was a natural and obvious result. The uninhibited ‘Ooh la la la’, the lilting ‘Vennilave’ and the sensuous ‘Thanga thaamarai magale’ are proof enough of his versatility. Boys :10 Contrary to his amazing consistency, Rahman had been going through a bit of a low phase for a while (only by his own high standards). Boys marked his return to peak form. The music instantly became a youth anthem. There was a time when one couldn’t switch channels for 5 minutes without coming across ‘Sa Re Ga Me’ or ‘Maaro Maaro’. The album had tremendous energy and vibrancy about it, the main reason for the youth loving it no end. Gentleman :9 This was the start of Rahman’s long and fruitful association with Shankar. The album was the definition of the word ‘popular’. The film was a huge hit and the songs were omnipresent. ‘Chikku bukku’ was a craze, so was ‘ottakathai kattikko’. ‘En veetu thottathil’ and ‘Usilampatti’ were equally popular. Few other albums have enjoyed such overwhelming popularity. Alaipayuthey :8 This was romance, getting the right feeling was the most important thing here and Rahman was bang on target. He made songs that became youth anthems of love. If one says that the music was the single most important factor in the film’s success; that is not far off the mark. When Alai Paayuthe released, love was in the air everywhere. ‘Pachai nirame’, ‘kadhal sadugudu’, ‘snehithane’ evoked emotions that are yet to be replicated by any other composition. Also, the stylish ‘endrendrum punnagai’ was the best entry into films that Madhavan could have asked for. Kadhalan :7 This put Rahman on the throne of Tamil cinema music, the cassette sales of Kadhalan created an all time record. It was as if the trend of buying original audio was being revived by a single album. Kadhalan had everything in it, the fast ‘Urvasi’ and ‘Muqabla’, the fun ‘Kadhalin Sangeethame’, the folksy ‘Gopala Gopala’, the mellifluous ‘Ennavale’ (which introduced Unnikrishnan and also got him the National Award) and the first indigenous rap ‘Petta rap’. Amazing variety! Rangeela :6 Rahman’s entry into Bollywood and he carried the same amazing fortune that he had with his Tamil debut. Rangeela was a runaway hit, music playing a very important role. ‘Tanha Tanha’, ‘Yaaro sun lo zara’ and ‘Hai rama’ topped charts for a long long time making Rahman one of the most wanted names in Bollywood. He has not looked back since. Lagaan :5 'A period flick is not easy to score for, but Rahman did it in style. This was Rahman’s first brush with the Oscars as Lagaan went very close to the Academy Award. Looking at the music, it was the kind that Rahman had not done in quite a while. He used very plain sounds and uncomplicated arrangements to get that earthy feel. ‘Ghanana ghanan’, ‘Radha kaise na jale’ or the lilting bhajan at the end, Rahman proved that any genre is not beyond him. Bombay :4 This was perhaps the first time that Rahman was recognized for something other than just his tunes. Bombay was hugely appreciated for the quality of its re-recording. Also, music in Bombay was a very important constituent of the story, conveying the turmoil of a city at many points, the background score was close to perfect. ‘Hamma Hamma’ was a revelation of sorts, while Hariharan’s popularity hit an all time high with ‘Uyire’. But the one that reiterated Rahman’s class was the solo violin piece. Dubbed into Hindi, the huge success of Bombay in the North established Rahman as a familiar name in Bollywood. Vande Mataram :3 Yes, he had given big hits before, but Vande Mataram was special for many reasons. Rahman proved that his music had the ability to penetrate the veils of time, bringing back into vogue an anthem of pre-independence India that was being fast forgotten. The spirited and uplifting delivery of ‘Maa tujhe salaam’ has to date not been paralleled by any subsequent patriotic rendition. Also, the brilliant video shot by Bharath Bala showcasing the diverse landscapes of India was wonderful. Roja :2 If one says that this has got to be the best debut ever made by a musician, then it would not be far from the truth. In his very first film, A.R. Rahman revolutionized Tamil cinema music, also making the entire Indian film industry take note of his arrival. The National Award is proof of the impact that the young Rahman made. Be it the joyful ‘Chinna Chinna aasai’, the soulful ‘Kadhal rojave’ or the touching ‘Thamizha Thamizha’, Rahman showed absolute class. Slumdog Millionaire :1 For sheer global impact, Slumdog Millionaire ranks right at the top. Talk as we may about all the beautiful scores that Rahman has done, the fact remains that it is Jay Ho that brought home the Oscar, the coveted international recognition that Indian cinema has been waiting for all these years. Slumdog Millionaire has set up the perfect platform for brand Rahman to go truly international. http://www.behindwo ods.com/tamil- movies-slide- shows/movie- 3/rahman/ rahman.html
