Nice write up. All the very best. --- On Sun, 10/5/09, Dinesh Vaidya <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Dinesh Vaidya <[email protected]> Subject: [arr] Re: "NAMASKAR PUNE" says AR ! We say "JAI HO !" To: [email protected] Date: Sunday, 10 May, 2009, 9:41 AM Dear Jahanzeb bhai ! Regarding "Vellai Pookal"..... Though Pune ( I mean leaving aside the diehard RAHMANIACS, but the "general" appreciative audience ) may not be aware of the movie Kannathil Mudhalmittal nor the song Vellai Pookal, that is exactly the main reason why we want the Puneits to listen to this soulful-soothing sound of this song, particularly in ARR's voice. Why in Hindi and Marathi ? Because unfortunately, most of us can't understand Tamil yet and Because we have translated this song into these two languages and are STUNNED by the beauty and depth of the lyrics ! Amith Chandhran has done the Marathi and Hindi translation. We have performed the Hindi+marathi translation of this song in couple of our RAHMANIA concerts but we want RAHMAN to give his special touch to this one in Pune...... We are hopeful that Rahman will accept our request.... best regards Dinesh Vaidya Pune --- In arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. com, "Jahanzeb Farooq" <jahanzebtippu@ ...> wrote: > > wow.. great read, as if i was also there. i really envy you lucky guys seeing > and even talking to him. i am sure my day will also come some day (may be > very soon if there is Europe concert in his schedule). bravo for asking the > Connections question but alas no clear answer. on the Vellai Pookal question, > i am wondering does this song has any connection with Pune? i am just > wondering why you requested this song in particular. i love the song but > unfortunately i don't understand Tamil therefore not able to understand the > theme of the song and relate it. > > > - > Jahanzeb > > > --- In arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. com, "Dinesh Vaidya" <dnshvaidya@ > wrote: > > > > He came..... He saw us..... but He had already won us over again and again > > and again....... ...... > > > > I MET RAHMAN TODAY ! > > > > One of the BEST day in my life, I got to see my GURUJI, and got a chance to > > ask him questions too ! > > > > Ah ! What a man ! What a Man ! WHAT A MAN ! So simple, so quiet, so down to > > earth ! Every moment I watched him, was a learning experience. > > > > Time 11 PM yesterday - Got a call from a very dear friend . I couldn't > > sleep whole night. Just the feeling that tomorrow I will be seeing him for > > the first time kept me awake. > > > > Time 10 AM today - The call which was to get the doors opened, did not > > arrive, so some more trials and I got call from the chief organiser for > > Pune event. He and his support staff gave me blanket cheque to get as many > > fans as possible.... ... > > > > Time 1030 to 1530 today - Phone battery ran down 5 times, so many calls > > made to all known fans, so many sms-es done... for many, it was a shock of > > life to know that Rahman would be visiting city. Whosoever could bunk > > college / office came to the venue. > > > > Time 5 PM till 7PM today - MIT college students and other fans had started > > arriving since 430 PM. Pune does not believe in crowding the place from > > morning, so what was virtually clear space at 430, by 530 the place was > > decently full, mostly the students. There was lot of entertainment with all > > odd instructions belted out by the organisers and crowd controlling team. > > There was a band playing MILITARY MUSIC ! Whose crazy idea was that ????? > > Still Full to fun ! > > > > Time 540PM - Suddenly police started running here and there... A black > > Mercedes came at 200kph and out came our GURUJI ! AR RAHMAN, dressed in a > > black blazer looked so cool that it was hard to believe that this fellow > > had done a 15 hours nonstop flight from US ! From where does he get the > > energy ? > > > > The crowd goes out of control.... everybody starts clapping and yelling.... > > flashbulbs go wild.....the crowd goes even wilder..... He walks towards us > > as if he is taking an evening stroll in a park.. no hurry whatsoever. > > > > Rahman goes inside and then after few minutes comes out in an ULTIMATE > > Maharashtrian headgear called PHETA ! He looked dashing at the same time > > CUTE ! > > > > The organisers are at it again trying to push the crowd so that Rahman can > > reach the flag post and pull the chord to unfurl the JAI HO flag. He does > > it in style and then also releases tricolor balloons... I could see a > > childlike smile on his face, he thoroughly enjoyed releasing these balloons > > ! I am sure, if his children would have been around, he would have cut a > > few for them and released the rest...... > > > > He takes the mike and begins with "NAMASKAR PUNE !" in Marathi ! It means > > "Greetings Pune".....typical to his style invites all gathered fans to see > > him on 31'st in the Pune Concert and promised that he will ROCK the > > show..... All in one sentence ! > > > > He goes inside...... > > > > --- > > > > Now I am in a soup... the organises had promised that they will take THE > > WANDERING SOULS team inside, but all gone ! No soul in the sight. We resign > > to our fate.... they are not lifting phones... Gopal curious to know if > > things are under control and is intrigued to know that I am standing in a > > queue ! > > > > Suddenly a kind soul Mr Moulik appears and yells for me.. "Quick, get > > inside you..." I follow the leader, Anmol Bhave, Pinak Agte, Ashutosh > > Joshi, Pallavi Paranjape, Siddharth Gokhale ( All Wandering Souls > > "Rahmania" Team )... The moment we reach door, a policeman puts out his > > head from the door and denies entry to all except me. I am devastated.. .. > > All my group outside and what will I do inside ? I have never been to a > > Press Conference.. . > > > > Luckily inside the Chief of MIT College and my ex-teacher Mr Vishwanath > > Karad is about to conclude his welcome speech. After that couple of persons > > ( didn't knew the names as I got in late ) spoke for a minute each. Then > > Deepak Gattani, the CHIEF of the Event management team gave a small AV > > presentation of the JAI HO TOUR. > > > > The film was great ! The shots of the crowd, Rahman's innocent face singing > > Jaage hai ( Probably clips from Delhi concert )...Shivmani beating drum for > > Azeem-o-Shaan. .. The inside audience gave a standing ovation to Rahman. > > > > Then it was the tern of Rahman to speak... He stood up, tried to say > > something but the inside students were asking for him to sing... he sits > > back and makes a small opening speech before the Press reporters start > > shooting their "purely vague, unresearched and basic questions" > > Unfortunately it is not a rule that "Rahmaniac Press reporter only should > > be sent"..... > > > > I raise my hand for chance to ask question... Obviously someone from stage > > notices and gestures that the mike be given to me, I do get a chance and am > > staring at Rahman... All are quiet and Rahman looks at me...... "YES?" he > > is probably saying... > > > > I gather courage. > > > > " Dear Rahman... Welcome to Pune. I am Dinesh Vaidya and am representating > > today your Yahoo group fans, and also on behalf of The Wandering Souls...." > > > > There is a smile ( of recognition somewhere ? ) on HIS face. I go on. > > > > " I have two questions... . Why is CONNECTIONS release is delayed ? Can you > > do something through KM Musiq ? " > > > > His answer drowns in someone asking something else, I think he replied > > something like " he has not decided on that yet" > > > > He and others gesture to the guy making noise.... All quiet again...... > > > > Next question " Rahman sir, could you please perform Vellai Pookal in Hindi > > and Marathi in the Pune concert ? " > > > > My Tamil pronounciation is obviously needs correction so he asks me to > > repeat the word again.... I do it 2 times.... He gets it.... Smiles even > > more... The crowd is looking at me incredulously. ... I guess most of them > > ( except the RAHMANIA group ) does not know what I am talking and they > > think that I am some inside person in his team talking in some secret > > language.... > > > > " Thats a very good suggestion.. .. I will certainly look into it !" he > > assures me. I am floored..... ....... > > > > One reporters comes to me and whisper to me to ask "THEIR" questions as by > > now there is clear concensus probably that I know my RAHMAN subject well ( > > compared to others ! In front of most of you, I am zero )...... > > > > There are quite a few questions on which Rahman answers in one word or one > > sentense, what I remember is as below....Rahmans answers are not > > word-to-word but generally adhering to the answers..... > > > > On any of the Mangeshkars performing in Pune concert > " That's a secret " > > On Who will perform in Pune > " All artists are important to me and I want > > all of them to come, but we will have to see who is available on that day." > > On What next on Hindi / Tamil movies, will he choose projects and work > > selectively > "Ofcourse I will be more choosy and selective... the present > > situation does work to my favor" > > On his preference working with Ashutosh, Aamir, Rakyesh Mehra, Mani Rathnam > > > " I do not get chance to work in all projects, Aamir's or Ashutosh's > > every movie is not with me, many factors have to come together"... .. > > > > Abruptly the press conference is closed and all gathered urge him to > > sing... He is too clever... He asks all to come to the Concert on 31'st and > > promises a riot of music for 3 hours.... corrects himself and says 4 hours > > ! FOUR HOURS ?????? Great ! > > > > Rahman, Gattani and others are whisked away by zealous guards and he goes > > out through back door where the MERCEDES is parked... NEXT TO MY CAR ! > > > > I see him go..... I am sure, the Pune audience is in for a grand treat end > > of this month ! > > > > I come home and can't control my emotions.... . Thanks to Gopal, Vijay, > > Amith and Mr Vinod Subramanian. I got a chance of lifetime to meet my > > GURUJI...... .. > > > > Jai HO Rahman ! THANK YOU FOR coming to Pune... We will meet again ? > > > > Best regards > > Dinesh Vaidya > > The Wandering Souls "RAHMANIA" > > Pune > > > > PS : Photos and a video are ready, taking expert's assistance in uploading. > > I request Gopal to share the link soon. > > > Share files, take polls, and make new friends - all under one roof. 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