A R Rahman Exclusive Blog ~ Rahmaniac

Farzad — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 07:44:57 +0000

And after two long years of RAHMANING, we now have been migrated to our self hosted blog at www.rahmaniac.com

All new updates will be now available in our new web, and with this post it is THE END for this WordPress site.

Now please stop reading this sad end note and take a U Turn to our new website by
Clicking here >>

Thank you Matt Mullenweg, founder of Wordpress for the amazing support. You guys are the best !

Love all. God Bless.

Happy Birthday Allah Rakha Rahman !

Farzad — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:48:35 +0000

Some 18 years ago, singer Unni Menon was given a call way past midnight, awoken in his slumber, and was told that accomplished director Mani Ratnam is recording songs for his new film and Menon’s voice was required for one of those numbers. Who works at this hour, Menon asked himself.

But due to the fact that the name involved was called Mani Ratnam, Menon freshened himself up and rushed up to the mentioned recording studio, where he saw a young composer calling the shots.

Mani Ratnam, who so often works with Maestro Ilayaraja, has discovered a new talent to associate with in the music department. Menon wondered continuously if this young guy- whose name is AR Rahman, could really live up to the humongous expectations of having to compose for a Mani Ratnam film. He was given the song lyrics, the tunes were discussed, and on the wee hours of that one day back in 1992, Menon recorded a song called ‘Pudhu Vellai Mazhai’ (A new white rain), and went back home, back to his slumber.

The doubts that he had before recording the song existed even after that- he didn’t think he had sung the catchiest of tunes. Little did he know, that when he went to sleep that day, just like lyrics of the song proclaims, he has witnessed a new white rain, that will reign the Indian music arena over the following two decades.

All the uncertainties over the song that he had sung vanished into thin air as he listened to the final version of the song one day- and as he listened, he realized that this song is not catchy, but instead it makes the hair on the back of one’s neck stand up and applaud.

That AR Rahman back then was 26 years old. Today, as he turns 44, that white rain has poured down not only in Tamil Nadu, but up until on Hollywood’s most famous stage- the Oscar stage. Rahman was the very first composer in Indian cinema history to win a National Award for his very first film, an award that he would go on to claim two more times. An honorary doctorate and a Padmashri, India’s fourth highest civilian honor, are just a little peek into a mass collection of awards and applauds that this modest, humble, soft-spoken name with an ever present smile on his face has achieved in his career. That innocent smile never waned even as he stood next and around the best luminaries of Hollywood while collecting his piece of the biggest cinema cherry in the world, nor did it wane as he stood flanked by beautiful girls in Akon’s Beautiful Girls music video.

What is so special about his music, some may ask. Who introduced Hariharan and Shankar Mahadevan, two of the most famous, most accomplished male singers in the industry today? Who made Hariharan sing ‘Thamizha Thamizha’ with such sensitivity? Who is it that managed to evoke the atmosphere of an unborn child who is going to be born into a world of chaos and uncertainty through Vellai Pookal? Who is it that managed to re-create a 50s and 60s atmosphere without sounding like direct throwback in Iruvar? Who is it that re-composed India’s national anthem with such passion and ferocity? Who is it that made the whole nation re-kindle a long-buried Vande Matharam?

AR Rahman is not only a good composer, he is a symbol- a symbol of a nation struggling to unleash itself from the strangling, rusting ropes of past differences and attempting to move forward as one, as one whole country. He is a symbol of passion, of the ultimate craftsmanship an artist could ever express with his own work. Above all, he is the perfect symbol of an artist, a celebrity.

A man who has the talent to put the world at his awe, but has the humility to not take all the credit for his achievements. A man who has the calmness to rise above petty differences and embrace goodwill as his nature, and has that smile that shows, without having to tell, that he loves what he is doing, that we love what he is doing, and God loves what he is doing.

Ever lost hope? Ever lost faith in goodness? Ever lost faith in the beauty of life? Ever lost faith in the impact of talent and artistry? Look up to AR Rahman.

Today as this man turns forty-four, there is no gift that we could possibly give him that would override 18 years of him showering us with gifts of music. But what we could do is to forget that he is forty-four, and make him immortal along with his music.

Many more happy returns of the day.

For,

AR Rahman- You are the rare white flower (Vellai Poo) that tomorrow needs. May there be more white flowers like you to come in this world

The Twenty 5 facts of A R Rahman

Farzad — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:30:09 +0000

1. Rahman has no nick names. All the family members including sisters and his mom call him “Rahman” with full fleged love and affection.

2. Due to the family situation Rahman discontinued his studies in Padma Sheshadree Higher Secondary School during his 9th.

3. Rahman doesnt celebrate his birthday in a grandeur way. Early morning prayers, orphanage visits are the activities he do on that day peacefully.

4. Rahman eats just for his hunger. Takes on any food he gets in his house. His stomach gets filled for even “Rasam Sadaam”.

5. Rahman has 0% affinity towards gold jewellery. Slim Platinum ring is what he wears at times. He doesnt wear a watch in his hand.

6. Loves to listen M.G.R and Shivaji’s songs. At times he also sings those songs in his house which closely related people only are aware.

7. During the composition of a film or an add when Rahman sings “Pudhiya vaanam Phudhiya bhoomi engum pani mazhai pozhigiradhu” loudy that indicates all the work related with him is done.

8. When theres a holiday for his children Rahman goes abroad. But with full musical works with him.

9. Recent album “Couples Retreat” bagged more than 100 million dollars. Even there is a tamil song in that blockbuster hit.

10. Rahman gos to Hyderabad and Nagoor Dhargas with his famil atleast once in 6 months.

11. During important film festivals Rahman is conscious about his wardrobe. His wife Saira and a Mumbai based designer Deepak decides about his dresses.

12. He has two daughters named Kathija and Rahima. And a son named Ameen.

13. Rahman shows exceptional love towards his sisters Raihanna, Fatima and Israt.

14. He has lot of interests towards Social service. He loves doing that without any kind of fame.

15. Rahman adds lots of sugar in his cup of coffee. The ratio is 1/4 of the size of the cup. People are amazed when they share a cup in his house..

16. Rahman loves “Games”next to music. His gaming companions are Kathija,Rahima and Ameen.

17. Rahman went to Hajj yaatra two times in his life with his mom.

18. Every time rahman comes out of his house he prays his father “Shekar” and then leaves.This is a sign of respect he shows to his father and mother. He treats them as GOD.

19. The first film by Rahman is “Roja”. But this is not true. His first film was “Yodha”. This film starred Mohanlal in Malayalam.

20. “Penguin Publishers” released the first biography of A.R.Rahman. But due to many reasons Rahman dint accept that as his Biography. He refused to accept that.

21. Maniratnam is the only guy who can meet Rahman at any time of his choice. Rahman shows more affection to the guy who introduced him than anyone.

22.He talks very less. But to the close friends circle Rahman just loves to talk and laugh. “Music is the tool through which he keeps on speaking.”

23. Rahman doesnt have a big friends circle. He was very sad when his close friend and singer Shahul Hameed passed away.

24. Rahman likes all the kinds of music. He thinks that the music loved by a person too is good music. He congratulates the Music directors for their song which he liked the most when he gets a chance of seeing them whole heartedly.

25. Rahman doesnt go to any kind of Recreation places like Theatres and Parties. When he gets free time he just spends it with his family.

Special Thanks to Sairam, Sreekrishnan & Ananth Vikatan

Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya ~ January 12

Farzad — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:13:23 +0000

After the stupendous success of the film Vaaranam Aayiram starring Surya, Sameera Reddy and others, Gautham Vasudev Menon is currently directing a breezy entertainer titled “Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa” starring Silambarasan and Trisha in the lead.

The film which has been under production has been shot extensively at Chennai, Kerala and Malta. With an urban look to it, the story is set between two young people who fall in love. The film is almost complete with some portions and the climax to be shot. The authenticity and mood of the film is maintained by shooting at some realistic ambience in and around Chennai and some picturesque locations at Allepey, Kerala.

A much awaited musical from the Oscar Award Winning Composer A R Rahman, the film is sure to churn out some magic in its own special way, rendering some unforgettable and soulful numbers in the composer’s style, shot to the creative visuals of Director Gautham. The musical got a shot in the arm when Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa’s music director A R Rahman was nominated for 3 Oscars and bagged two.

With five song situations in the film, three songs have been composed already, out of which two songs have been shot extensively in Malta at some virgin locations.

The song “Hosanaa”, sung by Vijay Prakash of “Jai Ho” fame, penned to the lyrics of Thamarai and a rap by Blaze is a sure hit among the young crowd for its peppy beats and stunning visuals shot by Manoj Paramahamsa at Malta corresponding to the stylized choreography by Flexy Stu of Adiye Kolluthey fame.“Omana Penne” written by Thamarai too and sung by A R Rahman himself, holds a style of its own in the way it has been sung and programmed.

This song too has been shot at Malta with choreography done by Flexy Stu and is a sure favorite for all A R Rahman fans!

Manoj Paramahamsa (cinematographer) with his captivating visuals adds to the beauty of the film, with the ambience authenticity envisioned by Rajeevan (art director) and the crisp cutting of Anthony (Editing).

Nalini Sriram adds to the appearance of the film with striking costumes for all the actors in the scenes and songs. The costumes made for the songs are eye catching elements that are hard to be missed by the audience!

The film also has Ganesh, Babu Anthony, Kitty, Uma Padmanabhan and Lakshmi Ramakrishnan playing pivotal roles.

The film is produced by Madan and Ganesh (Escape Artists Motion Pictures) and Kumar and Jayaraman (R.S.Infotainment).

TRACKLISTING OF VINNAI THANDI VARUVAYA

Omana Penne
Singers: Benny Dayal, Kalyani Menon
Malayalam Lyrics: Kalyani Menon

Anbil Avan
Singers: Devan Ekambaram, Chinmayi

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa
Singers: Karthik
Additional Vox : Vivek Agarwal

Hosanna
Singers: Vijay Prakash, Suzanne, Blaaze
English Rap Lyrics: Blaaze

Kannukkul Kannai
Singers: Naresh Iyer

Mannipaaya
Singers: A.R.Rahman, Shreya Ghoshal

Aaoromale
Singers: Alphonse
Malayalam Lyrics: Kaithapram

EXCLUSIVE SONGS OF VINNAI THANDI VARUVAYA ONLY AT RAHMANIAC.COM

Rahman’s Jai Ho wows Kolkata !

Farzad — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:39:26 +0000

The venue was the same; so was the man. What was different was the music he played.Six years after his debut in India, The Unity of Light concert — A.R. Rahman returned to Salt Lake Stadium this evening with hip-hop, funk, jazz and praise for the city that “best appreciates”his music.

“In Los Angeles, when somebody asked me which audience appreciates your music the best’, I could only think of you. The same place, six years back… the love that you gave me is unbelievable and it is still fresh in my memory,” Rahman said. “If I have to hug each one of you,it would take me two years but I would still love to do that,” hesmiled.

Local flavour was not found wanting in the three-hour show, Jai Ho — A.R. Rahman Live in Concert, presented by the Liver Foundation of West Bengal. Javed Ali sang lines from Jodi Tor Daak Shuney Keu Na Aashey which Rahman had used in Shyam Benegal’s Bose: The Forgotten Hero.

Usha Uthup, Rahman’s “best singer from this city”, took the stage to sing two duets with the composer — Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na and then
Mustafa Mustafa. Rahman emerged from under the stage with the anthemic chants of Jaage Hain from Guru on his lips.

His concert outfits were sober as always — a white full-sleeve shirt and a black T-shirt. His most glamorous attire was a red sherwani. But there was less restraint. Rahman broke into an impromptu jig on stage. Gone was the shy man behind the keyboard.

Moments earlier, Rahman had said: “As I get older, I see other points of view…. Things I wouldn’t have noticed before. If music wakes you up, makes you think, heals you, the music is working. And then, a thought put in action in a positive way is a blessed thought.”

Dil Se Re to Rehna Tu, Khalbali, Khwaja Mere Khwaja — Rahman played them all, giving Calcuttans a Saturday night fever to remember.

A Quick session with A R Rahman before the concert: Driving down the city roads to destination Salt Lake Stadium, he talks about the journey called life. Excerpts:

This year, Time named you among the 100 Most Influential People in the World. How does it feel to be on the powerlist?
It felt good. I’m second time lucky. Earlier, Roja featured on Time magazine’s 10 Best Soundtracks of All Time. This time, it was different. At the function, I was sitting on the same table as Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey! When you get opportunities, you put them in the right perspective. I’ve been doing just that.

When the country’s music lovers say it can’t get bigger than Rahman, does it put undue pressure on you?
People have been very kind to me. Representing one family is different from representing a state or a country. You need to push the envelope, without losing focus. Fact is, you need to stay grounded, even if you aren’t earnest. I remain silent even when thousands get emotional about me. My spiritual life has helped me a lot.

You’ve also joined the Academy of Motion Picture Art & Sciences as a voting member …
My card is done. But I feel it’s the actors who make more difference by joining the Academy, not people like Resul (Pookutty) or me.

Couples Retreat, dubbed as your Hollywood debut, didn’t garner much response. Would you be choosier henceforth?
Couples Retreat is even more successful than Slumdog Millionaire. Yes, I admit that it’s not at par with Schindler’s List or Star Wars. But it has done pretty well for a formulaic Hollywood film. I’ve won quite a few awards for it too. For me, it was a whole new thing — trying out comedy and that too in Hollywood! I loved doing it. More such projects are welcome. The film wasn’t a musical and expectations from me after the Oscars were high. If anything went wrong, it has to be the timing of the project.

Your six-year-old son, Alim, sang a number in Couples Retreat. Does he insist on becoming like his father?
We were jamming and he sang the number. My kids are learning music and so are my sister’s kids. Let’s see who grows up to be what!

Does your busy professional career leave you with any family time?
Of course, it does. If you lose balance, you gain some but you lose more.

It’s said that you keep erratic schedules and even stay up all night …
That is when I work! And when I don’t, I don’t make it to the studio for days on end.

Is it true that Jai Ho was originally composed for Yuvvraaj and was even turned down by Subhash Ghai?
Why dig out such stories? I don’t do a song for a film. My compositions are for myself. I gave Jai Ho to SM and the rest is history.

Do you consider Jai Ho to be your best composition so far?
It was the right composition for the right film. SM has dark elements in it and the song lights up the ambience. Jai Ho is also in tune with the theme of Satyameva jayate, which appears in the film. Roja’s music too wouldn’t have been the same, had I not added the right tracks to the film.

When a film doesn’t do well at the BO, do you just say ‘let’s move on to the next’?
It’s always that. A film is about team work. You can never be certain about its fate. When I’m working with new directors, it’s always a big gamble. There have been disasters as well. But these are risks I don’t mind taking.

Do you still aspire for an award?
Though awards do good, I treasure the love I receive from the audience the most. Frankly, film music isn’t everything. Music can be exciting beyond films as well.

Your next project is a collaboration with Katrina Kaif…
My company took a call on that. Katrina too was interested. Students from my school will be doing the album of nursery rhymes and I’m in charge of overall supervision. Katrina will not just appear in the videos, but will sing as well.

What’s the status of the Michael Jackson tribute album?
I’m not doing any album on him.

Success has come to you at a young age. Is there a dream left in you?
My case is just the reverse. I never dreamt of being a composer. I was pushed into film music. All I wanted to do was private albums. So, I take life as it comes to me. I’m like an empty platter, waiting to be filled up with a gala fare.

Kolkata all set to rock to Rahman beats.

Farzad — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:31:28 +0000

Come Saturday,November 14 2009 and music lovers are in for a star-studded treat. A R Rahman will be in town with an entourage that reads like the who’s-who of Bollywood playback music.

The winner of two Oscars has some great plans up his sleeves, and helping him conjure a magical evening at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan will be some of the country’s best singers Sadhana Sargam, Hariharan, Javed Ali, Rashid Ali, Shweta Pandit and Neeti Mohan, not to mention renowned percussionist Sivamani.

The thousands of Rahman fans who will turn up for the evening are certain to be mesmerized at the concert organised by the Liver Foundation, West Bengal, which will build a liver hospital in the city from the proceeds of the ticket sales. During a trip to Kolkata on October 13, his first to the city since winning the Oscars, the music genius signed guitars which will be auctioned off within a few days.

The revenue so raised, too, will be spent on building the hospital. Most paintings and portraits creations of Liver Foundation vice-president Kalyan Bose that Rahman signed during that visit have been auctioned at a gala dinner.

“Rahman told me that my painting of a mother holding a girl to her chest was the one he loved the most. Among the 18 paintings, 13 were auctioned and fetched around Rs 25 lakh. The remaining will also be auctioned after the concert on November 14″

A special portrait of Rahman, painted by Bose, will be presented to Rahman. “Painting is something that I enjoy. It is my hobby as well as passion. What could have been better than my paintings being auctioned to raise funds for a cause and make our dreams come true?” he said. The three-hour programme details have been kept under wraps, with Rahman deciding to surprise the audience with a few new compositions.

At the press conference on October 13, Rahman had said that the Jai Ho concert will form a part of his nationwide chain of concerts that has already been taken to Calicut, Pune and Chennai. “A unique project has been taken up by the Liver Foundation and I am glad to be part of it. The organization has a great aspiration to serve the society,” he had said.

Rahmaniac now operating from Emirates

Farzad — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:55:30 +0000

Rahmaniac.com is now operating from United Arab Emirates. I am sorry for the delayed updates, as I was busy with some other assignments. Thank you for your patience. Lots of exclusive updates are coming up in your way which includes songs from Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya, unreleased song from Blue, theme of Sultan and lots more. If any rahmaniac’s are out here in U.A.E, I would love to meet up with you and have a cup of coffee. Do ring me up in my mobile 00971-55-2660114.

Warm Regards,
Farzad Khaleel

….

Couples Retreat ~ Music on 13th October

Farzad — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:31:24 +0000

Hollywood star Vince Vaughn might do something for AR Rahman which he has never done before for anyone else. Sources from the industry are saying that the actor is expected to strain his vocal cords for the romantic comedy Couples Retreat for which the South Indian musician and composer has been roped in for the soundtrack.

Vince has never sung in a movie but had performed for the soundtrack Hollywood to the Heartland in a comedy show called 30 Days & 30 Nights. An insider tipped us about the development, “Rahman is scoring the sound for Couples Retreat in which Vince plays the lead.

When Rahman was in the US sometime back, they had met up and had a discussion about the project. It is here that Rahman apparently bounced off the idea that Vince should sing for him in the movie and Vince was very excited about it. It is learnt that he will be singing a romantic track in the movie. This film will have Rahman composing the score for a totally different audience. It will have pure Western sounds.” Rahman remained unavailable for comment.

Couples Retreat is a comedy that narrates the story of four diverse couples who settle into a tropical island resort for a vacation, with one of them there especially to work on their failing marriage.

Kailash Kher has also sung in Couples Retreat. “I have sung a’tarana’ in the film for Rahman and working with him is always a unique experience,” said the singer while adding that he is open to other offers from the west but will only accept work of quality.”

Voice it!

According to reports, Rahman will not just score for the film but also make lead actor Vince Vaughn croon. According to Hollywood tabloids, Rahman had a melody in mind, which he hummed for Vaughn. Apparently, Vaughn took to the tune immediately and started humming it as well. And that’s when Rahman suggested that he lend his voice to the tune.

No Slumdog hangover

Rahman who recently travelled to US for a meeting with the studio executives, will soon record the song with Vince. Sources reveal, “The song has no hangover from the Slumdog tunes. They are totally different and Rahman will be working with western musicians and composers on the film.”

Singing it

The Vaughn track is supposed to be a romantic song that he will sing to Kristen Bell during the movie. “It is not yet clear if he will sing the entire song or just a verse. That creative decision lies with Rahman and the director”, says a report as per CNN, Asia show.

LISTEN COUPLES RETREAT FULL SONGS ONLINE

Sajna | Music Composed by A R Rahman

Kuru Kuru Kan Afro Nisha | Music Composed : A R Rahman

Jason & Cynthia Suite

Nana | Music Composed : A R Rahman

Tour of the Villas | Music Composed : A R Rahman

Meeting Marcel | Music Composed : A R Rahman

Itinerary | Music Composed by A R Rahman

Undress| Music Composed : A R Rahman

Sharks | Music Composed : A R Rahman

Salvadore| Music Composed : A R Rahman

Intervention | Music Composed : A R Rahman

The Waterfall | Music Composed : A R Rahman

Jason & Synthia Piano Theme| Music Composed : A R Rahman

Animal Spirits| Music Composed : A R Rahman

Also well known French actor Jean Reno has mouthed gruff dialogues for many blockbuster Hollywood movies including Mission Impossible, The Pink Panther, Godzillaand The Da Vinci Code, but has never exercised his vocal cords for a song. But now the award-winning actor is expected to make his singing debut for AR Rahman’s Hollywood production Couples Retreat, written by funny-man Vince Vaughn.

A source close to the development says: “Jean Reno is expected to record a voice sample to be used in one of the songs in the Hollywood production, for which Rahman has given music. Vince Vaughn is also recording a song for the composer. Rahman seems to love Jean’s deep, husky voice and felt that it would be apt for a particular comedy song.”

However, the actual meeting between Jean and Rahman will happen only when the production gets underway. “But Rahman has already consulted the film-makers and Vince about his idea and they have given their nod. He is expected to travel to Hollywood next month and record both Vince and Jean’s voice samples. This will definitely be Jean’s first song in a movie,” adds the source.

Blue Music Review ~ Stirred & Stylish

Farzad — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:40:38 +0000

“Blue” is the first soundtrack from the Double Academy Award winner Rahman Sir after his famous win and his second for this year after “Delhi 6?which got both public and critics appreciation . Though his genius needs no approval but Delhi 6 just show-cased it once more to the whole world why Rahman deserves the Academy more than anyone else. For a fan like me expectations are always high from his every album but after such a win the spotlight on him has just got much more brighter

Chiggy Wiggy | Kylie Minogue, Sonu Nigam, Suzanne: The song created especially for a promotional music video purpose, has Kylie who will appear in the music video with Akshay crooning her Chiggy Wiggy way that somewhat reminds you of Deep within the Bamboo grove. But as this is Rahman’s track, you can always expect something new in it. Listen to halfway of the song and enter Sonu Nigam with an out-of-the-blue bhangra rhythm, now this is fusion of a high-order. Inovative-ness hardly comes in a better package. I am hooked to the 45 second segment from 2:15 to 3:00. The western sections suit Kylie fine, and the bhangra section suits Akshay’s image fine. You can already imagine how the music video is gonna be now. A good track which will take some time to be liked.

Aaj Dil Gustakh | Sukhwinder Singh, Shreya Ghosal : Aaj Dil, which is a fire and ice duet featuring Sukhwinder Singh and Shreya Ghoshal. Nothing is predictable about this song which draws inspiration from jazz, Carnatic, funk and what have you! Just like dozens of Rahman songs heard in the past, this one takes its own time to register with the listener. Not at all an easy song to have been composed, written and sung, that has a slight Western touch to it. In the first few hearing ‘Aaj Dil’ appears to be a late 90s style composition by Rahman but after a dozen odd hearing, the song just sits pretty much in your head and it is impossible to get rid of this addictive tune. Shreya Ghoshal gets into on a smouldering, sensuous avtar as she croons to Mayur Puri’s evocative lyrics, ably supported by Singh. What also stand out are the guitar and bass lines. The pace, groove, melody and the vocals come together by design in Aaj Dil to make you go Oooh yeah !

Aaj Dil Gustakh

Fiqrana | Vijay Prakash, Shreya Ghosal

Thumbs up icon ! Fiqraana is phenomenal and pick of the lot.The song instantly sucks you into its groove and takes us through an exhilarating ride of rhythm and melody, right from the moment the main guitar riff starts to loop around your ears. How does a composer choose a certain sounding guitar? Rahman hits it bang on target with the choice of instrument for that guitar motif that ends each stanza and begins the interlude. The sound of the guitar and the melody played on it are ridiculously funky and hooky. The Rahmantic moment of the song arrives with the melody that swirls around on the lines `Jeet-te hain adh adh ka hum’. The song as a whole with it never ending rhythm, completely sweeps you off your feet and makes your heart jump with joy.

Bhoola Tujhe | Rashid Ali

The song crooned by Rashid Ali is a poignant offering and is slow in pace initially. But the tempo gradually increases. It has a unique quality that strikes a chord with the listener and Rahman spins his magic yet again. The usage of saxophones as much as keyboard beats adds a new dimension to it. One would have expected the music of a thriller like Blue to be all fun and frolic but ‘Bhoola Tujhe’ surprisingly turns out to be a slow and sad number about the protagonist who is wondering aloud about things that went wrong in his life.

Blue Theme

A core situational song which can’t be expected to go beyond the narrative of the film. If you were to love this song, it takes a real romantic ear to capture the essence. If you have that, you’ll simply fall in love with this.

Blue Theme | Blaaze, Raqeeb Aalam, Sonu Kakkar, Neha Kakkar, Jaspeert Singh, Dilshad

When the `Blue Theme’ was heard first in the teaser, I thought that Rap bit would instantly bounce off from the very beginning but interestingly there is a prelude to the Rap which is more interesting than the actual theme. A Killer Mix fully programmed by Deepak P.A. Kudos to Deepak for that. The song takes lots of twists and turns with varied rhythms of folk, rap, pop, hip-hop and rock parading one after the other with all of thump. Amidst all the shouting, rapping, Rahman has stuffed a genuine melody sung by Sonu Kakkar which borders on Sufi. By the end, the tempo increases a few notches above normal and reaches its peak at the very end, when the songs starts to fade. At last, when you hear the shout of Blue on reverb, you know you’re going to listen to it again. Yet another exceptional ditty in Rahman’s kitty! Did I actually rhyme the two? Wow!

Rehnuma | Shreya Ghosal, Sonu Nigam

Melody and the trademark Rahman feel is back with Rehnuma, this one featuring Shreya Ghoshal, who gets to eat more three-fourths of the cake; which means that she gets to sing in most part of the song. And rest assured, when she sings, your hair starts to stand, and once she starts crooning ‘Qaatil Adaa’ in her seductive avatar. The flashy orchestration adds more attitude, style to the substance that is truly western. Shreya Ghosal and Sonu Nigam sing the lines incredibly without ever sounding like an Indian voice soaked and trained in Indian classical music, they have poured sweat, heart and soul into this song. The song relies more or less on the heavy orchestration that Rahman constantly uses for such songs – a recipe that guarantees complete success for the song. The crescendos with multi overlapping layers of Rehnuma chants, guitar motif and the string section are perfectly placed and are just out of the world, though you wish sound mixing could have been much better – rarest of complaints on a Rahman’s song.

Yaar Mila Tha | Udit Narayanan, Madushree, Ujjayinee Roy

Udit Narayan makes a comeback to the playback scene after quite a while with ‘Yaar Mila Tha’. He is joined by Madhushree, whose cinnamon flavoured honeyed voice is a perfect foil for his flat sweetness. Somewhere between hip-hop, reggae and masala, this track hangs in the balance, waiting to be leavened with the addition of some spunky jhatkas. At the start, one starts to wonder if the track is going to be any good, but as the song starts progressing, second-by-second, and the beats start, you will be completely blown away by the feel of the song. The arrangements yet again are something to talk about – watch out for the synthesized Shehnai, and the delicate piano in the background. The beats are eclectic and electrifying, and, coupled with the percussions, make for just the right sound and that rare experiment which clicks, and keeps growing over you after each listen.

Team behind Blue

Being Rahman’s first album post his Oscar win, there were great expectations of this album, but on the other side there was also that this was an Akshay Kumar movie and Akshay movies are not exactly known for their musical exquisiteness. Given that situation Rahman has given an ideal soundtrack, though not his best, a definite entertainer. And even while churning out such albums, Rahman makes sure that his music does indeed stand out from the ordinary.

Music Rating

= very fine – well worth your hard earned cash.

ALBUM CREDITS

“AAJ DIL ” AND “BHOOLA TUJHE”:

GUITARS – SANJEEV THOMAS BACKING VOCALS : BENNY DAYAL

“BHOOLA TUJHE” YERI VOICE: KAVITA BALIGA

TRUMPET: KISHORE SODHA

SHENNAI: BALESH

DHOLAK: CHINNA PRASAD

MANDOLIN: SEENU

STRINGS: CHENNAI STRINGS ORCHESTRA

STRINGS CONDUCTED BY: V J SRINIVAS MURTHY

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING: T.R. KRISHNA CHETAN, HENTRY KURUVILLA , DEEPAK P.A

ADDITIONAL VOCALS SUPERVISED BY: SRINIVAS

RECORDED IN CHENNAI: PANCHATHAN RECORD INN, AM STUDIO

SOUND ENGINEERS: S.SIVA KUMAR, DEEPAK P.A, KANNAN GANPAT, SURESH PERUMAL, VIVIANE CHAIX, MOHAMMED SAFIULLAH

MUMBAI: BLUE FROG, NIRVANA STUDIO

SOUND ENGINEER: PUNEET SAMTANI

LONDON: FOR KYLE MINOGUE – PHIJ ADAMS

MIXED AT PANCHATHAN RECORD INN, AM STUDIO BY DEEPAK P.A & K.J. SINGH

MASTERED AT AM STUDIO BY S. SIVAKUMAR

MUSICIAN FIXER: SAMIDURAI

MUSIC CO-ORDINATED BY: NOELL JAMES AND FAIZUDDIN T. M.

ALL SONGS PRODUCED BY A.R.RAHMAN

Passage ~ Music out on September 8.

Farzad — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:47:32 +0000

Shekhar Kapoor is on cloud nine. He has just finished a short film in Argentina, for which the music was by A.R. Rahman, and has been asked to sculpt a structure inspired by the film that will join likes of Salvadore Dali and Picasso in a museum in Europe. The 25-minute film “Passage” stars Haley Benett, Lily Cole and Julia Stiles.

Speaking about the music of Passage, Shekhar Kapoor quotes “Rahman composed a classic opera song that he recorded in India in an Indian female singer’s voice from his KM music institute in Chennai. When I played the song in Argentina, they said, ‘Oh My God, what a great opera and an operatic voice ‘ Their jaws fell open when I said both were Indians”

Rahman’s all compositions are mind blowing for this movie. The film was shot in Argentina. There is a beautiful song named Aria in French. I ask people to guess where it is from, and they search for all the great composers of the western classical form. And are stunned when I tell them the piece was composed by A R Rahman, sung by an Indian girl called Kavita Baliga from his Music Academy, and produced in his studio in Chennai.”

Synopsis : Three estranged sisters reunite one night when the oldest, Ella, comes back for her two younger sisters after leaving them years before in mysterious circumstances. Ella’s absence has taken its toll and the two younger sisters now struggle to find their way in the world without her. But Ella has returned for a reason to show her sisters a special place where they will experience an epiphany.

TRACK LISTING OF PASSAGE & LISTEN FULL SONGS ONLINE

Opening Track of Passage

Performed by A R Rahman

Tango

Originally Performed by Carla Pugliese

Atmosphere

Performed By A R Rahman

Aria

Performed by Kavita Baliga & A R Rahman

Waltz

Performed By A R Rahman

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WATCH THE EXCLUSIVE TRAILER ONLY ON RAHMANIAC.COM

SHEKHAR KAPOOR SPEAKS ABOUT AR RAHMAN’S OSCAR WIN

I am really happy for A R Rahman. He is a musical genius, and deserves everything he has got. In fact I gave him the title “Mozart of Madras” and it caught on. But does the West really get his art and his genius ? I remember getting into an argument with Andrew Lloyd Webber about allowing A R Rahman to explore his own creativity for Bombay Dreams. We had co produced the show and I had introduced Rahman and his music to him.

I asked A R Rahman to score the music for Golden Age, and even then I was allowed only to take him as a co composer. And I watched as the studio rejected the most beautiful compositions from A R Rahman, because they did not get or were not willing to embrace something from another culture. As it happened the score of Golden Age was not half as good as it could have been.

Recently Rahman did the score for my short film that I did for Swarovsky, called Paasage. The one I shot in Argentina. One of the pieces in it is a beautiful song and an aria in French. I ask people to guess where it is from, and they search for all the great composers of the western classical form. And are stunned when I tell them the piece was composed by A R Rahman, sung by an Indian girl from his Music Academy, and produced in his studio in Chennai.

That is the genius of A R Rahman. Then why do we need the West to tell us how great he is ?

And that’s why I don’t understand why this hype of the Oscars for A R Rahman in Indian Media (Rah Rah Rahman was the TOI headline).. He is bigger than the Oscars Slumdog is not his best work. His music has been far more evocative than in Slumdog.

We in India have a far greater culture of music. Our depth of understanding of music, its resonance, its culture, be it classical or modern, is far greater than any culture I know. So why don’t I see that the West celebrates when one of their artists becomes popular here in India ? Why don’t we see headlines in the LA times then ?

Why do we admire the West so much. Even in my career I thought that Bandit Queen was a far far better film, a more heartfelt film, and a much more meaningful film than Elizabeth or any of the other films I made in the West. But in India I was suddenly celebrated as a film maker after Elizabeth. I even was awarded a Padma Shree after that film. Why ? Because the film was nominated for 7 Oscars, and Bandit Queen was not.