Chennai greets Oscar winner A R Rahman

Music maestro A R Rahman, the first Indian to win two Oscars, returned to his home city — Chennai to a rousing welcome by his fans and friends in the wee hours of Thursday on February 26.

The 43-year-old musician, who won the Oscars for Best Original Music and Best Song for his compositions in “Slumdog Millionaire” at the 81st Academy Awards, arrived in Chennai from Dubai by an Emirates Airways flight at around 2.30 am.

A large number of people, who waited at the airport for the ‘Mozart of Madras’, cheered him up as he emerged out of the international terminal to the beats of drum specialist Sivamani and his troupe.

Kerala’s “Kottu Melam” (percussion instrument) artists gave a performance on behalf of the Indian Airlines.

On behalf of the state government, Tamil Nadu Information Minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi received Rahman with a bouquet at the airport terminal.

A visibly happy Rahman waved at the crowd acknowledging their support before leaving for his home.

Congrats America for finding Rahman

“I had a choice between love and hate, and I chose love. That’s why I am here today.” – AR Rahman on winning his second Oscar.

The Mozart from Madras created history on February 23, 2009 in Los Angeles and sent entire India into a euphoric frenzy. A special mention here for the hugely talented Resul Pookutty as well, who brought home the third Oscar for Sound Mixing.

The reverberations of Rahman’s two Oscar wins will be felt for a long time and also celebrated by brands that the music maestro endorses. Rahman’s association with these brands has been long and epoch making. He has given them a lot of credibility, respect, immense value addition in terms of brand positioning and a lot of social causes that the brands got associated with through him.

Congratulating Rahman, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman and Group CEO, Bharti Enterprises, said, “The global acclaim for ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ mirrors the growth story of India. This signals the arrival of India on the world entertainment stage. In particular, AR Rahman’s unique double Oscar win has made all of us very proud. Airtel has shared a long friendship with Rahman, who composed the Airtel signature tune, which is synonymous with the brand today. Our heartiest congratulations to Rahman and the entire ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ team.”

Nearly two years back, the opening song of Spike Lee’s movie ‘Inside Man’ had made many in the audience feel that a wrong soundtrack was being played. But as the air cleared, it made every Indian who watched that movie enjoy the magic of Rahman’s music in a Hollywood flick for the first time.

A R Rahman wins dual Oscars for Music

A.R. Rahman holds the Oscars for best original score and for best original song

It was a remarkable journey from Chennai to Hollywood for music maestro Allah Rakha Rahman who made a billion Indians proud, adding another feather in his cap by bagging two Oscars for his score in “Slumdog Millionaire”.

It was a ‘Jai ho’ for the soft-spoken Rahman, hailed by Time Magazine as the ‘Mozart of Madras’, when he walked to receive the award for Best Original Score and Best Song for ‘Jai Ho’. The ‘Mozart of Madras’, who redefined contemporary Indian music and has been a role model for millions of Indians, has already won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for his music in Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire”.

A.R. Rahman performs Oscar nominated original song “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire”

The 43-year-old music wizard, who has enthralled audience in the country and abroad with his heartwarming symphonies, is creating waves on the international stage with his composition in “Slumdog Millionaire”.

Born as A.S. Dileep Kumar in a musically affluent family in Chennai on 6 January 1966, he changed his name to Allah Rakha Rahman after his family converted to Islam in the late 1980’s.

Rahman was forced to shoulder the responsibilities of his family at the age of nine after his father R.K. Shekhar, who was a composer, arranger and conductor for Malayalam movies, died due to illness. The music genius came to the limelight with his music for a Bombay Dyeing ad and Leo Coffee in 1980’s which became very popular.

Stylish A R Rahman for Oscars Red Carpet

Come February 22, and all eyes will be on how Slumdog Millionaire will fare at the Oscars. But something Indian stars will be seen in at the man, it’s only Western clothes. Says his stylist Vijayeta Kumar. “Rahman has zeroed in on two outfits for each of the parties – the Oscars’ red carpet and the post-awards party by vanity Fair. He’s sticking only to Western wear and nothing really Indian or traditional. He wore traditional attire at the BAFTAs and given the strict dress code at the Oscars, he’s opting for a suit.”

Another source reveals that it’s a black tuxedo and a grey tux shirt by Lanvin that Rahman has chosen for the red carpet. He was shown a lot of options – some seven to eight outfits – to be worn for the main ceremony and he finally decided on the grey tux shirt as it has a classic air to it.”

Rahman will be accompanied by his wife Saira Bano, who will be wearng a Sabyasachi Mukherjee creation.

The making of a Musical Genius

Only two Indians have ever won an Oscar – costume designer Bhanu Athaiya for Gandhi (1982) and art house director Satyajit Ray who received a lifetime achievement award in 1992. However, with three Academy Award nominations this year for Slumdog Millionaire – one for overall score and for two songs – Chennai-based composer A R Rahman looks likely to be the third. He’s also up for the Best Music award at Sunday night’s Baftas.

“We’ve been waiting for this for 80 years,” said Rahman recently in The Hindu, the Indian daily newspaper. “I think it will create a bridge between Western and Indian audiences, and lead to more people exploring Indian music.”

While Rahman first came to the attention of Western audiences with his film music for Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) and stage shows Bombay Dreams and The Lord of the Rings, his already stellar profile will go into overdrive should he win. Numerous Hollywood offers have been coming his way since the film’s release.

Just as in a Bollywood film, in Slumdog Millionaire the music is almost as important as the imagery and the narrative, and is central to its ambience of grit and grandeur. “We wanted it edgy, upfront. Danny [Boyle, who directed] wanted it loud,” says Rahman.

Until now, the 43-year-old Rahman was often seen as a kind of Indian Andrew Lloyd Webber, inventive and full of melodic facility, often veering into the middle of the road. Lloyd Webber compares Rahman to Paul McCartney.

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A R Rahman: On a Song and a Prayer

Kareema Begum, formerly known as Kasturi, is a slight woman, clad in a shiny blue zari-edged sari, every square centimetre of her worn fingers studded with diamonds, her sparkling toothy smile belying the struggles of her past.

In the sets of Connections

A single mother since 1976, she kept her four children together by renting out the two keyboards her husband, music composer R.K. Shekhar, had left her when he died of stomach cancer.

Times were tough and her prodigiously talented son, then known as A.S. Dileep Kumar, was barely 11 when he started performing in public. “It got to the point where I had to go take him out of school every day to take him to performances,” she recalls, speaking in Tamil, translated rapidly by Dileep Kumar a.k.a. Allah Rakha Rahman’s imperious 12-year-old daughter.

“He was in Class X. He told me I should either let him study or let him perform. We had to survive. He had to drop out of school,’’ recalls Kareema. “I will always regret it.”

What kept her going was what gives 43-year-old Rahman strength even today. Prayer and work. Influenced by a Sufi mystic, Karimullah Shah Qadri, in whom Kareema found solace as she battled her husband’s illness, she converted the family to Islam in 1987. That faith drives her son today, with everything from the door to his recording studio to his mobile number bearing the holy numbers 786.

Rahman gives India a shot at Oscar glory

India woke up on Friday to news of “Slumdog Millionaire” bagging 10 Academy Award nominations as the media toasted the success of a critically acclaimed film the country claims as its own.

The rags-to-riches story about a boy from one of the Mumbai’s teeming slums competing on a TV game show has been nominated for best director, best adapted screenplay and best picture at the Academy Awards, and in seven other categories.

“Rah Rah Rahman” screamed a front-page headline in the Times of India newspaper, a leading English-language daily, referring to the three Oscar nominations for the film’s Indian music composer, A.R. Rahman.

Hindustan Times, another English daily, dubbed it the “Perfect 10.”

The cast and crew of “Slumdog,” in Mumbai for the film’s Indian premiere on Thursday, seemed overwhelmed by the attention.

“It’s incredible isn’t it? For us to be here, premiering the film on the night of the Oscar nominations is just incredible,” producer Christian Colson told Reuters, shouting to be heard above the sound of traditional Indian drums and members of the cast dancing on the red carpet.

Golden boy goes global, scripts history

Bollywood music director A.R. Rahman became the first Indian to win the Golden Globe Award, for best original musical score in Danny Boyle’s movie “Slumdog Millionaire”.

The honour bestowed on the maestro has brought much cheer to the Indian film industry.”The Golden Globe is a coveted award and it is a rare honour for an Indian music director. By winning it, competing with composers from around the world, Rahman has not only proved his worth, but has also conveyed to the world that, given a chance, an Indian music director can deservedly vie with any composer in the world,” fellow composer Anu Malik told.

Rahman won the prestigious award for his musical score in the song “Jai Ho”, for which Gulzar penned the lyrics. The song is a typical Rahman number and the composer stuck to his signature style while composing it.

Sukhwinder Singh, who has sung the song, told “Rahman has churned out treat songs even in the past but he did not get an award so I feel that he truly deserves this one. I am very happy for him and when he comes back to India, I will meet him.

A R Rahman swept the Critics’ Choice Awards

A.R. Rahman won the Best Composer award as Mumbai-set hit film “Slumdog Millionaire” swept the 14th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards winning five top prizes including Best Picture of 2008.The film also won Best Director for British Director Danny Boyle, Best Writer for Simon Beaufoy, and Best Young Actor/Actress for British Indian actor Dev Patel.

Patel plays the protagonist in the film telling the heart warming story of an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who goes on to win a staggering 20 million rupees on India’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” game show.

The awards were given out in Los Angeles Thursday night by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, which represents 200 of the top film critics across the United States.

The Critics’ Choice Awards have been a strong indicator of the Oscar front-runners with 70 percent of its award winners also going on to win at the Academy Awards. Last year, “No Country for Old Men” from Joel and Ethan Coen won Best Picture and Best Director from the BFCA and went on to win those same awards at the Oscars.

Starring Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Dev Patel, and Freida Pinto, the film is also nominated for four Golden Globe Awards which will be given out Sunday including Best Picture – Drama, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Score.