A really great work Arvind bro. We are enjoying every letter in this article.
Thnaks, thanks soo much!! 2009/6/4 Aravind AM <[email protected]> > > > Hi everyone, > > Here are the scans and translation of this week's article. > > Week 09, Part 01 > http://www.flickr.com/photos/aravind_am/3594446318/ > > Week 09, Part 02 > http://www.flickr.com/photos/aravind_am/3593636813/ > > Week 09, Part 03 > http://www.flickr.com/photos/aravind_am/3593636489/ > > > > Week 9 > > 1991 > > The public and the music fans hadn’t heard about Dileep, then. But, the > film music fraternity and the ad film world knew him well. The music circuit > had taken cognizance of how he elevated himself from just renting out music > instruments (after his dad’s death) to playing for prominent composers, > accompanying famous musicians on world tours and rocking the ad music world. > But, they didn’t expect this silent storm to take the next avtar. Not just > them, even Dileep didn’t expect the turning point! > > > > In 1987, Dileep set up Panchathan – a state of the art recording studio – > in his house. It had many modern instruments and recording equipments, the > Indian industry had never seen! Leading ad companies started queuing up in > front of Dileep’s house for his music. A picture of Pir Qadri in the studio > reception, welcomed them! > > > > Dileep composed jingles for reputed organizations and brands like Boost > (the ad featuring Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev), Titan, Premier pressure > cooker, MRF tyres, The Hindu, Asian Paints. He also composed the signature > tunes of Sun TV, JJ TV and Asianet. He composed for several TV shows, Radio > jingles, multimedia AVs and several short films. It was Rahman who composed > the title music for “Spirit of Unity” concerts organized by Madras Telugu > Academy. He was doing well financially. He had even fulfilled his desire of > owning an imported-car. What more? > > > > One day, Dileep was driving in his new car, listening to a new western pop > album. The music and recording quality was outstanding, and he enjoyed it > totally. After that, he played another cassette, which had his own ad film > compositions. He got so tensed at the quality of recording that he pulled > out the cassette and flung it off! After the superior sound quality of the > western pop album, he just couldn’t listen to anything else. Dileep, who was > evolving into a full-fledged recording artiste and audiography technician, > had the burning desire to improve our recording quality equal to that in the > west. > > > > Though Dileep felt that the recording quality in this part of the world was > yet to catch up with the quality in the west, those in the ad industry were > totally impressed with his superior recording quality, which was better than > those in India at that time! Film composers in Mumbai were jealous listening > to Premier pressure cooker jingle. The reason was that there was only one > person in India who knew and understood the latest in music recording and > that was Dileep! > > > > Dileep had invited Mani Ratnam to his studio. Mani who was looking for a > new composer for a new film (not Roja, it was another film idea), remembered > Rahman’s this 6 months after Dileep’s invitation. He wanted to give this new > composer a try, and he visited Panchathan. Dileep who was extremely busy > even then, welcomed Mani and played some of his sample clips. Mani who is > “techno crazy” was awed by the hi tech studio. The music that he listened > to, impressed him further! > > > > Dileep then showed Mani, his new composition. It was the music he had > composed for a Bharat Bala directed short film on the Cauvery river water > issue. The music moved Mani Ratnam deeply. He realized that this music was > different and it was a flame that’s on its quest to move bigger and better > things. Mani immediately confirmed to Dileep that he would be the composer > for his next movie. Rahman was excited about this, as he didn’t have any > significant interest towards film music. > > > > Dileep went to Mumbai for a music event. Veteran composer Naushad who had > already known about Dileep’s talent (RK Shekar had worked with Naushad too) > told him – “You should enter film music industry. You are talented enough > to succeed there.” Dileep just returned a smile as his reply. Naushad > insisted further and blessed him. > > > > But even then, Dileep never moved towards the film music industry on his > own accord. He had just invited Mani Ratnam, and Mani offered him an > opportunity, as he was impressed with the music. That’s all! He continued > his focus on ad films, leaving the rest to Allah! > > > > One day, Mani Ratnam returned. He told Dileep, “I’m doing a new film, > titled *Roja. *K Balachander is producing the movie under > *Kavithalaya*banner. You’re the composer, and you need to start working right > away.” > Dileep was confused on whether to accept or reject the offer. He accepted it > for just one reason – it was Mani sir’s film! > > > > Rahman tells us about this – “I was offered Rs. Twenty five thousand for > this project. I could have earned that amount within few hours, composing > for ad jingles. But, the prospect of working under Mani sir, attracted me. > He is not a director who considers songs as fillers. I knew that he puts in > lots of effort for each song in his films. I’ve noticed how he elevates a > song which is 100%, to 400% with breath taking visuals. So, I accepted the > offer” > > > > “I knew that there would be sky high expectations on a composer instrocued > by Mani Sir, and hence, there was pressure on me! But, Mani was extremely > friendly, and he brought out music from me. I’d have composed hundreds of > tunes. We selected the best out of those, improvised on them…. He’s great!” > > > > ‘Roja’ album became a super hit through out the country. For Dileep who was > rocking the ad film music world silently as an unknown composer, this was a > pleasant shock. He was overwhelmed that not just fans, but even co-musicians > and co-composers came forward and appreciated him. Though he had done so > much of brilliant work for ad jingles and many of his tunes were popular, > public wasn’t aware who the composer was. But all that changed, with Roja. > If he had contemplated on whether to compose for just twenty five thousand > rupees, he wouldn’t have got such a grand opening. When Rahman joined Mani’s > camp, the whole world welcomed him with love! > > > > The super hit song from Roja – Chinna Chinna Aasai – can be considered as > the first Reggae song in tamil. After the recording of this song, Dileep had > recorded it on a cassette and played it to his mom. How did she feel then? > > Kareema Begum talks about it – “I didn’t know much about musica. I knew > only one thing – he was rising higher and higher in the music industry, due > to God’s grace. One day, he came up to me and said ‘Ma, I’m going to compose > for a tamil film. It’s a Mani Ratnam movie. Listen to this song which I’ve > composed.’ He then played *Chinna Chinna Aasai. * It was a happy song, but > I don’t know why tears started welling up in my eyes. Rahman was concerned, > and asked me what happened. I replied ‘Nothing…. The song is very good…. It > moved me… It did something!” The song I liked was later loved by the whole > world! I felt that he had started fulfilling his dad’s dreams, and this song > was a start!” > > > > *Chinna Chinna Aasai* became the ‘family song’ in many households, and > Rahman won the Rajat Kamal Award – the national award for best music – on > debut! > > > > That was the beginning of a new era in Indian film music. > > > (to be continued) > > > > > PS: I will upload Week 8 scans too, by today > > Aravind > > ------------------------------ > > Rahmania show interviews: http://rahmania.4shared.com > ------------------------------ > > > ------------------------------ > Bring your gang together. Do your thing. Find your favourite Yahoo! > Group.<http://in.rd.yahoo.com/tagline_groups_9/*http://in.promos.yahoo.com/groups/> > > > -- Regards, Uday Kiran
