Good one Arvaind. I really don't miss on this every week. I make sure I read 
the entire article. I really appreciate it.
 
Regards
P'ARR'THA.

--- On Thu, 4/6/09, uday kiran <[email protected]> wrote:


From: uday kiran <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [arr] Oru Kanavin Isai (ARR's biography in Vikatan) - Week 9 - 
Scans and Translation
To: [email protected]
Date: Thursday, 4 June, 2009, 9:18 AM










A really great work Arvind bro.
 
We are enjoying every letter in this article.
 
Thnaks, thanks soo much!!


2009/6/4 Aravind AM <aravind...@yahoo. com>












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




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