The Face of Music - A R Rahman News & Updates - III

[Sanjeevi]

Enna sollirukkaar? Can't view Tamil fonts in my mobile..

it seems he has said "ARR is bad in BGM department and SM song does not fit for an Oscar award"

[ajaybaskar]

[sathya_1979]

Shaji is a new kinda neutral - ARR, IR rendu perayum thitti pEru vaanga try pannum vetti koottam! Enakku onnudhaan pureela. Ivlo pesaravanga edhukku pesittu mattum irukkaanga? Avanga oru padathukku meesic pOttu Oscar, Golden Globe rangekku vEnaam atleast oru local ward levellayaavadhu edhaavadhu award vaanga vendiyadhudhaane! Sari, award oru kalaignanin thiramaiyai madhippedu seivadhu illai endraal, at least oru padaththayaavadhu 100 naaL Oda vaikkalaame?

[raghavendran]

Enna sollirukkaar? Can't view Tamil fonts in my mobile..

it seems he has said "ARR is bad in BGM department and SM song does not fit for an Oscar award"

vandhutaaruya....hub rules kaage pakkuren illenna.....

[Appu s]

The other day when I was travelling, A.R. Rahman was my co-passenger. Once I realised he would be sitting beside me, I switched off my iPod. He was in a chatty mood so I decided to strike up a conversation and asked him, why does he sing only one song in every film that he composes the music for? For a moment I thought the man was going to snap, but he politely replied, “Because I do not want people to ask me why I sing all the songs!” (No, that was not a dig at Himmesh Reshammiya, was it?) Rahman also confessed that he loved working at night because that is when he gets inspired to be at his creative best. He also told me that though his kids are learning to sing, he isn’t sure whether they will follow in his footsteps later on. Maybe they secretly want to be actors.

I must tell you I never thought he would be so interesting to chat with. I can’t spill all the beans about our conversation cos he will label me a snoop. I can’t risk that cos he invited me to the IPL closing ceremony where he will be performing with international artistes.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/tabloids/only-one-167

[shocker]

Wow, what a story. Lucky guy.

[baba88]

Gautham Menon said in a interview that he will never work with Harris Jeyaraj again. So in future it's only ARR or some other MDs for Gautham movies.

[suntharp]

ndtv hindu - hands up interview...

[A.ANAND]

The music never stops in this AR Rahman library in Mumbai

Humaira Ansari / DNAMonday, April 5, 2010

Mumbai: The Mozart of Madras now has a home in Mumbai, and you can visit it whenever you wish. Apart from being a place to delve into the life and works of India’s best-known music composer, AR Rahman, the 3,000 sq-ft space in Vasai also doubles as a resource centre for underprivileged students to mirror the legendary musician’s altruistic side.

The AR Rahman Library and Gallery houses a life-size painting of Rahman in Bollywood-poster style, three albums of the Oscar winning composer’s pictures, a large repository of newspaper and magazine articles, an audio-cassette collection, and about 20 frames capturing Rahman in various moods.

Six months old, the library has been created by Santosh Kumar Pandey, 28, a Vasai resident and an ardent Rahman fan. In fact, such is his adoration for his guru, that Pandey has also embraced Islam, “just like Rahman sir”.

Located in a flat in Rashi Residency housing society in Vasai (East), the space has been donated by Yogesh Bosmiya, who is the director of the society. Bosmiya agreed to Pandey’s request of creating the library after being impressed by the latter’s years-long dedication to the subject.

The Vasai youth’s admiration for Rahman began with the 1994 film Roja’s soundtrack. “I was blown away by the music. It was so divine and soulful, it touched my heart,” said a mesmerised Pandey, dressed in a white kurta, attar-soaked cotton tucked in his ears, and his surma-lined eyes gleaming at the mention of the name of his guru.

In the 16 years since, Pandey has kept track of everything Rahman. “I used to segregate clippings and articles on various topics at night, and would then cut and stock them categorically the next day,” Pandey said.

Apart from the musician’s compositions, what brought Pandey closer to Rahman was his simplicity and humility, and his discreet efforts to reach out to the society’s underprivileged. “The AR Rahman Foundation in Chennai raises funds for disaster relief and for the education of poor children, but without much hullabaloo,” Pandey said, adding that he too wants to contribute to the society like his guru.

That is why, besides music, the library has a modest collection of articles, pictures and books on subjects ranging from science, history, sports to commerce and computers for students with insufficient means. The reading room draws students from Vasai, Nallasopara and other adjoining areas. “Many school students also come for assignments and project work,” said the self-confessed ‘Rahmaniac’.

Though he has not met the composer in person, Pandey claims Rahman has replied to his messages posted on the latter’s website. “He thanked me when I told him about the library, and when I wished him Eid Mubarak, he said, ‘thanks Santosh Kumar Pandey’. I am glad that among millions of fans he at least knows me by name,” an excited Pandey said, adding, “I would be lying if I say I don’t want to meet him. But I prefer being a fan who makes his guru proud.”



http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/repor...mumbai_1367434

[baba88]

In India, Rahman is currently working on the theme song for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. “[Filmmaker] Bharat Bala and I want it to be something which has never been attempted before,” he says.
He is also giving the finishing touches to Mani Ratnam’s Raavan, Shekhar Kapur’s Paani, Shankar’s Robot (Enthiran).
In the US, Rahman is producing a song for Nicole Scherzinger, after the success of the Jai Ho version sung by her band, the Pussycat Dolls. Also, international studios such as Universal have been approaching Rahman to spot talent and produce albums for them. “I am also talking to film production companies for doing background scores,” he says.