Lessons to be imbibed and practised by all.
On Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 11:24 PM, Gopal Srinivasan <[email protected]>wrote: > > Lessons from A.R.Rahman > If you pick up any newspaper or see the web or watch the news, chances are > that you will find > an interview of A.R.Rahman. He is all over the place after his Oscar > achievement and very > deservedly so! I have been seeing videos of his arrival back to India and > his press conferences > and what strikes me is that apart from being a path-breaking musician, > Rahman is handling the > Oscar accolades in the most amazing manner. Here is what makes me adore > him: > > His Divine Connection -If you saw the Academy award and the Oscar award > speeches of Rahman, you > would see that Rahman thanks and praises God, conveying his gratitude to > the Almighty! As > Baradwaj Rangan said, its not just a superficial expression from Rahman but > its a connection he > has tuned into ever since his Roja days when he was establishing himself as > a composer. His > adversities during his younger days made him turn towards God and from that > time, there was no > looking back for this genius! He is a strong believer in the power of > prayer and it HAS worked > miracles for him indeed! > His Patriotism-Though Rahman acknowledges his accomplishment, he quickly > points out that this > is a COLLECTIVE INDIAN VICTORY. He says, he is more happy because this is > the first Oscar for > an Indian work and the whole country was waiting for this with bated breath > and hence he wanted > to get it. He says now, all Indian artists will be looked upon with more > respect as we have > shown what we are capable of. > His Remarkable Humility-I call it remarkable because Rahman has handled > this with such maturity > and selflessness that he attributes his success to others like his mother, > his Indian musicians > etc. He lovingly in a child-like manner acknowledges the role these people > have played in his > success. > His Respect for his Peers-I have always seen Rahman praising his fellow > composers generously. > In an interview after his return, he said (answering a question), even > Ilaiyaraja sir can > definitely get an Oscar easily if the music is promoted well as it was done > by Fox Pictures for > Slumdog Millionaire. He also said, Raja sir’s music is of an international > standard from the > earlier days as Raja sir has composed symphonies. > His Equanimity and Patience-Rahman has kept his feet firmly in the ground > as he has not been > swayed by his euphoric success. Also, I do not know how many interviews he > has been giving > after his arrival-I pity him, as he must be a tired man. But he has > patiently answered the > sometimes repetitive questions asked to him. > His Social Interests-Rahman is a UN ambassador for the campaign fighting > against poverty and he > has associated himself with many social causes. Just read his thoughts here > while answering > this question-Are you surprised by what all you have achieved? When you > look back as a > nine-year-old child, and look at what you have done today? > A R Rahman: Well, I have not achieved anything. I have not ended poverty > level. I have not > stopped wars happening. These are achievement. And in my opinion, I am just > a very small > musician who has got an award that is it. > His Service to Music-Last but not the least, Rahman has done what no other > music director has > done for the cause of music-starting a music school, the KM MUSIC > CONSERVATORY. His objective > for starting this school is to make Indian musicians have a global > orchestra of their own. This > is such an innovative idea and Rahman is spending a lot of time, money and > energy towards > realizing this noble musical mission! > > http://melodiouslife.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/lessons-from-arrahman/ > > > -- regards, Vithur
