The article which appears below, was originally published by S. Ramakrishnan on his blog in March 2009. ©The rights to this material are reserved to the owner. If you have any concerns or comments, please send an email to info@rahmaniac.com.
I’m not one to watch television. Even ten minutes a day is rare. Months have passed without me watching TV even for a day. For some reason, sitting in front of the television just doesn’t suit my temperament.
If friends recommend something, I might watch certain programs. Sometimes I watch news or NDTV political commentaries. Similarly, when staying somewhere out of town, I might spend all night watching Animal Planet or National Geographic. Otherwise, my daily world is small – books, travel, internet, cinema, and circle of friends.
Yesterday, when I sat in front of the TV at six in the morning, the whole house looked at me in amazement. It was yesterday that I watched television continuously for four hours. That too because of the Oscar awards ceremony. Specifically, the anticipation of whether Rahman would receive the award was the main reason.
I had met A.R. Rahman at his house one night a few months ago. I went with a close friend of his from London. It was a rainy night. It would have been past eleven. In the house’s reception area, he has beautifully preserved his first keyboard in a glass frame. The house is filled with awards. Speaking in a soft voice, humming something, wearing a white kurta, he came and talked to us very naturally.
Rahman has an inherent sense of humor. It’s clearly evident even in his minimal speech. He never immediately refuses anything; rather, he says he’ll think about it. Similarly, he doesn’t discuss much about his music and the work he’s doing.
He was talking about the general music trend in Hindi films and the changing music worldwide. In that conversation, he voluntarily mentioned that he had composed music for a film called Slumdog Millionaire. We expressed our eagerness to see it.
The meeting would have lasted half an hour. Within that time, the list of people waiting to see him outside kept growing longer. His world functions fully at night. He mentioned that he had just woken up after arriving from Mumbai in the afternoon and would be returning to Mumbai again late at night. He spoke enthusiastically about his continuous travels.
When we came out, it was still raining incessantly. Various cars were parked on both sides of the very small street in Kodambakkam where his house is located. A famous Hindi film director had gotten down and was standing in the rain, drenched. For a moment, seeing that made me feel proud. We left thinking about how he has captivated the entire Indian cinema with his music.
We went nearby to a coffee shop and talked about Rahman for a long time. My friend kept telling me about Rahman’s music fans in London and the respect he commands in the music world there. It was a good rainy night.
While returning home, my friend gave me the CD of a film called ‘Ada’ for which Rahman had composed music. With the persistent rain, I listened to all ten songs of that film throughout the night. Excellent songs, particularly Rahman’s song ‘Meherbaan’ was wonderful.
Standing at the entrance with self-made coffee in hand, watching the rain-crazed dawn, there was an airplane flying in the sky. Like a child, I was thinking that Rahman must be going to Mumbai in this plane. I had to laugh at myself.
Yesterday, many shared their joy of Rahman winning the Oscar with me. Particularly, many friends from the film industry who had worked with him were enthusiastically sharing their memories of him.
Manushyaputhiran from Uyirmai magazine called with great joy asking if I had seen Rahman getting the Oscar.
We have mostly forgotten what celebration means. Most people are engaged in problems, disputes, fights, and conflicts. I said this is a good moment that we should celebrate. He too enthusiastically agreed that he felt the same way.
In Oscar’s 81-year history, Rahman’s was the first Tamil voice to resound on that stage. I told him that it made me get goosebumps.
He asked if I could write a small note congratulating Rahman that could be published in Uyirmai. I sent him this note at eleven in the morning. I returned home after celebrating all night, talking and laughing with friends congratulating Rahman.
This is the small note about Rahman that’s going to be published in Uyirmai magazine:
“Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music”
– Sergei Rachmaninov
When Rahman said in Tamil “All glory to God” while receiving the Oscar award, my eyes welled up without my knowing. That wasn’t just about Rahman’s award. It was an expression of ultimate joy that Rahman had fulfilled the dream that Indian cinema had been seeing for so many years.
For the first time in eighty-six years of Oscar events, a Tamil voice has resonated. That too, a very humble voice. Rahman has achieved permanent honor that Tamil people can forever be proud of.
What a long journey. How many days of dreaming. Starting from composing music for advertisement films, achieving milestones in Tamil and Hindi film music, expressing his unique musical talent in new musical creations like Bombay Dreams and Vande Mataram, and now standing with an award on Hollywood cinema’s highest pedestal – our heart celebrates him as the hero of our times.
India has been sending films for Oscar consideration every year since 1977. Of these, only Mother India, Salaam Bombay, and Lagaan participated in the Oscar awards. But no film won an award. Though Tamil films from Deivamagan to Nayagan to Heyram were recommended for Oscar consideration, they couldn’t even make it to the Oscar’s final list.
Even films by directors like Satyajit Ray, Shyam Benegal, Shekhar Kapur who won awards in world cinema couldn’t participate in the Oscar awards. Satyajit Ray was given a special Oscar as an honor, but he couldn’t receive it in person.
But Rahman has been nominated for two awards for Slumdog Millionaire for the first time and has won both. This can be considered an announcement of many more successes to come. In another way, the Indian award has become the key to focusing world attention on Indian films.
Rahman’s success announces that living in a tiny street in Chennai’s Kodambakkam, one can reach all heights of the world through continued hard work and unique musical talent. This success has given great motivation and confidence to many young people who wish to take Tamil and Indian cinema to the world cinema arena.
Today at dawn, Indian people prayed with trembling fingers hidden in front of the television, hoping Rahman would get the prize. Not because an award was going to be given for composing music in a film. It was the desire and great dream that someone who is their own identity, hope, and achievement star should be recognized by the world. That dream has come true today.
As if announcing Rahman’s victory, the Oscar for Best Sound Mixing went to Resul Pookutty. Born in a small village in Kerala, studied at Pune Film Institute, working as a leading sound recordist in Mumbai film industry, Resul Pookutty thanked Indian people while receiving the Oscar award.
The moisture in his eyes revealed Indian cinema’s frustration of so many years. It’s a matter of pride that in an environment developed by ultra-modern technologies, an Indian technician has created the best sound mixing in Mumbai without access to such advanced technologies.
Sharing the award for Best Song with Rahman was Gulzar. A unique personality of Hindi cinema. Not just an excellent lyricist, but one who has achieved in screenplay and direction. Three-time National Award winner. Excellent Urdu poet. Now he has received the Oscar award for the song Jai Ho.
The 81st Oscar Awards will never be forgotten by Indian people. It has identified personalities of Indian cinema to the world through Rahman, Gulzar, and Resul Pookutty. Many congratulations to this alliance.
There’s a scene in Dracula where he uses his magic to turn a falling teardrop into a diamond. That’s the highest nature of music too.
Let’s celebrate Rahman who has conquered the world with his music as India’s pride. Let Tamil people and Tamil cinema rejoice and congratulate our own Rahman.
Jai Ho Rahman.
