The seamless way in which the show was organized, co-ordinated and executed was a treat to watch on the television. Danny Boyle said to the organizers on winning the Best Director’s award, “…I wanted to thank you for that and also for an extraordinary, what a beautiful show you’ve done. I don’t know what it looks like on television, everybody, but in the room, it’s bloody wonderful, really. So, well done, everyone…” It looked beautiful on television too Danny. It was just stunningly well-coordinated. The opening sequence by the charming Australian Hugh Jackman was probably one of the best live performances I have seen. I admit I haven’t seen many (live performances) but if you have seen it you will agree like the audience in the Kodak theatre did. They gave him a standing ovation. He deserved it. Among his witty ways of introducing the key people, I really liked the part about himself the best – “An Australian, who played an Australian in a movie called Australia” and the next one was about Brangelina – “I don’t have joke on them. But I am contractually obligated to take their names atleast five times on this show”.

The first category to be awarded was the “Best supporting actress” one and I was absolutely amazed by the way they announced the nominations. Oscar awards are meant to signify excellence and the nominations are supposed to be the litmus test through which you actually qualify to be the best among the best. And the entire event lent itself to excellence right from the way the stage floor was done, the display screens coming together and splitting away, the curtain made of a chain of Swarovski crystals added a touch of grandeur, the lighting heightened the excitement and I was personally floored with the sensitivity of their mic and sound systems – I could hear Anne Hathaway breathe when she performed with Jackman. Coming back to the award, it was when Penelope Cruz gave her acceptance speech is when I realized how big a deal it was to win the Oscars:

“I grew up in a place called Alcobendas, where this was not a very realistic dream. And I, always on the night of the Academy Awards, I stay up to watch the show and I always felt that this was, this ceremony was a moment of unity for the world because art, in any form, is and has been and will always be our universal language and we should do everything we can, everything we can, to protect its survival”.

I will not lie. I had tears in my eyes when she said those words. It was just so damn touching. I didn’t quite know who exactly she was till now, from now on I will ensure I watch her movies with the same intensity as she has chosen to act. She sees this stage as a moment of unity and here back home we have people saying “Oscars mean nothing”. Penelope spoke words that defied her age. She has my undivided attention henceforth!

Then came the first Indian moment. In fact when the Sound Editing award went to ‘The Dark Knight’ I thought it was only obvious that the Sound Mixing one also went the same way. But no, it was meant to be a ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ sweep which started with this. Resul Pookutty made a moving speech about how it was not just an award but history being handed over to him. So true I thought. My mind was racing ahead – I was already thinking about Rahman.

Then came many awards. Each of them making moving acceptance speeches. Everyone of the award presentations blended so beautifully with each other. I would say it was flawless. While I was sitting amazed at the way it was organized, the original score nominations were being played out. An orchestra played out the themes of each of the nominations – I could only identify ‘Latika’s theme’ from ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. Rahman was backstage because he was due to come on next for his performance for the nominations of the best song. As it was being said, “And the Oscar goes to….”, and the envelope being opened, I guess my heart rate increased to equal Rahman’s and every other true Rahman fan. Simultaneously the maid servant of my house made an entry and the presenter announced “A R Ruhhman for Slumdog Millionaire” and that was it. My maid servant must have thought that I had a heart attack or something because I shouted so loudly that it would have blown anyone away. Irrespective of me, she just walked across the TV calmly and went on with her work. Here I was almost dying of happiness and she walked as if nothing had happened. Quite ironically, Rahman also walked as if he had won just another Filmfare or some such award. It was just such a simple thing for him – it was another award. For me, his true fans, Americans and the rest of the world the Oscars are like the pinnacle of excellence and Rahman did it like he always knew how to do it. In fact that’s true – he was always at the pinnacle of excellence in every film that he gave music to. Each one is a masterpiece. I sat numb through his acceptance speech.

In fact I think I was numb through his performance also or I don’t know if I didn’t like it. That guy who came in towards the end just made the whole thing sound so out of tune. I had to see the video repeatedly to confirm my feelings. Rahman himself was a little out of tune I guess for “O… Saya…” but I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t have been able to get a sound out of my throat! And then came the “Jai Ho” award. It was written I guess. And this acceptance speech literally swept me off my feet. Wow!

I could go and get ready to get to office finally. I got a message from a colleague “Dude, don’t come to office without sweets”. So I went with the auspicious Tirupathi laddoos that my wife had got from there a few days ago. No, she didn’t go there to pray for Rahman. I am the only guy who is so much in love with this man! The world now has opened up a possibility of letting Rahman berserk on a global scale. Now more people will fall in love with him. Till now, it was just me and my Tamil friends and then it was Hindi friends and now it is going to be everyone. Just about everyone. Rahman’s world was written already; looks like the time has come now when people like me will have to let go of him so that billions of others actually have the option of making the maximum out of him. Rahman’s music is available to those who are willing.

Those were Rahman’s words on winning his second Oscar (for Best Original Song – “Jai Ho” alongwith Gulzar) of the day. This is his full acceptance speech [Link]:

I just want to thank again the whole crew of Slumdog Millionaire, especially Danny Boyle for giving such a great opportunity. And the whole, all the people from Mumbai. The essence of the film which is about optimism and the power of hope in the lives, and all my life I had a choice of hate and love. I chose love and I’m here. God bless.

When he one the first one too he was quite at ease with the whole situation. This is what he said when he won his first one [Link]:

Before coming, I was excited and terrified. The last time I felt like that was during my marriage. There’s a dialogue from a Hindi film called “Mere paas ma hai,” which means “I have nothing but I have a mother,” so mother’s here, her blessings are there with me. I am grateful for her to have come all the way. And I want to thank the Academy for being so kind, all the jury members. I want to thank Sam Schwartz, I/D PR, all the crew of Slumdog, Mr. Gulzar, Raqueeb Alam, Blaaze, my musicians in Chennai and Mumbai. And I want to tell something in Tamil, which says, which I normally say after every award which is… “God is great.” Thank you.

If you didn’t know he won two Oscars today, then you have been living on the Moon or something! What a day! Thanks to all those who passed on their congratulatory wishes on the win! Really value each and every of those calls, sms’es and mails! Thanks guys! Thanks!

PS: This is my 300th post. Somehow I waited and waited and waited till I posted this and didn’t know what I was waiting for. Now we know, right?!

Source: http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/index.html

And this:

It was just a matter of time. If you followed the American press you would have predicted this easily. But for me, I was still doubtful because I thought ‘Water‘ was good enough for an Oscar nomination atleast. Anyway, here we are today. While the press is glossing over the first Indian to be presenting an award at the Golden Globe awards ceremony, here we have a fellow Indian citizen winning one. You know who means business!

And I hope the comparisons of ARR with the other Indian music directors stop now atleast. I am in this mood to take these infinite potshots today! Let me let that instinct be for now…

Photo courtesy: Arijit, fellow ARR fan.

This is my moment. This is every Indian’s moment. Let’s celebrate!

To Rahman:
On his birthday! Hoping that this is the year that people actually recognize his talent!

The rumours are that the collections of “Sivaji” have crossed Rs. 250 crores whereas the highest grossing Indian movie was somewhere near the Rs. 100 crore mark and that too was a Superstar Rajni movie. The nearest in collections by a non-Rajni movie was Rs. 60 crore. Imagine a single man churning out two movies that combine for revenues of about Rs. 350 crores. There are crores of companies with hundreds of people trying hard to generate that kind of revenue per year. Here, you have one man single-handedly ensuring that the movie will attain blockbuster status.

And people ask me why does it make front page news whenever he signs a new movie, ha!

Click here to continue reading.

It was the shooting of the final episode of the TV program “Ooh… la.. la.. la..“. My brother-in-law Girinandh [Link to one of the news articles on the formation of their band] leads a band called ‘Oxygen’ which has entered the finals. A R Rahman was the judge for the final round. After Oxygen’s performance, Girinandh and his band members went to Rahman to get a group photo done. Apparently, Girinandh had asked my wife to call me [while he finished with his group photo] so that he could introduce me to Rahman. [Can you imagine being introduced to A R Rahman?! As compared to meeting him as yet another guy on the road!] My wife ran up two flights of stairs to call me and I will be eternally grateful to her for the physical strain she undertook at 3AM in the morning.

As soon as I came to know what was happening I dashed downstairs and was standing next to the stage in a jiffy. Girinandh was still involved with the group photo. A R Rahman presented them [all the band members of all the finalists] with an autographed “Pray For Me Brother” DVD. And the band members dispersed after thanking Rahman. On his way back from the stage Girinandh spotted me and waved asking me to come onto the stage. I ran.

I was standing next to ARR. Girinandh introduced me to him, “He is a great fan of yours and blogs about you regularly”

ARR needn’t have reacted at all. But he did. He turned to me and asked (with a smile), “Nice. Which blog?”
I said, “Mysorean”. I was out of my wits and couldn’t even complete my one word answer of ‘mysorean dot com’.

ARR, in fact continued the conversation, “What did you write about me?” [I didn't notice if he had any tongue-in-his-cheek because I was like Oooohhh... is this really happening?]
“About the Bangalore concert” [Link]

ARR said, again, “Hmm….”. He meant it in a way that he remembered reading about it sometime.
I said, “You even commented on it”.[Link]

ARR said, “Oh yeah yeah…” vigorously nodding his head this time. He was being just so nice. He didn’t have to be.
I said, “Can I have one snap with you please?”
“Sure”

Girinandh clicked:

And Girinandh had clicked one more before, while we were conversing:

I don’t know what people mean when they say Rahman is not active in Tamil music industry. With one album per year he can shake the actual foundation of this industry with his mind-blowing music. Still people do some nitpicking with his instrumentation, orchestrisation, choice of singers, etc. I care two hoots about such comments because the final product from Rahman is so much above anyone I have heard in the past or in the present that all those comments sound like the rants of people-who-haven’t-been-able-to-move-on-with-life. Guys, get a break! Unwind! Sivaji is the right album to let your hair down, throw your inhibitions and just enjoy. Be the Boss! Let’s get on with it then.

And what better way to start a Rajni movie than a song like “Ballelakka” ! To the Shankar-ARR-Rajni combo you now add the everyoung, evergreen SPB and you get a blast of a song! The tempo of the song is so Rajni. I mean when you listen to the song you can imagine Rajni walking and doing his usual styles and stuff. Especially when the song goes into the breathless phase (for 25 seconds!)with “Sadugudu sadugudu…” you realize that the song has you engulfed into its endless energy. The tempo, the energy, the beat and the tune leave you finally wanting for more. Everytime I finish listening to the song, I feel Rahman could have added a little more of that breathless stuff there. But then my appetite for a Rahman song can never end. So, let that be as it is. A great song!

PS: Even Raihana’s voice which I hate whenever I see her in Rahman’s live concerts substituting Swapna Awasthi’s voice in “Chaiyya Chaiyya” is well modulated for this song as a village belle’s voice. A R Rahman can make me also a great singer I guess!

Then comes the “Style” song. A song that only A R Rahman could pull off; trust Shankar to give him the full leash on this one. The problem with this song is that it is sandwiched between two gems on the cd and I invariably end up pressing ‘next track’ as and when I come to this one. So, I will be honest and not simply praise it to the skies. Let me move on.

When the next song began I almost thought that it was Rajni who sang the first few lines. Hariharan has modulated his voice very well to suit the Superstar. And when Madhushree joins in with “Vaaji vaaji vaaji, en jeevan nee sivaji” the song goes onto its own. When I listen to such songs I wonder at A R Rahman’s brilliance. Nothing seems out of place. Every instrument, every sound, every voice sounds so natural and so rooted that you feel that they always belonged there. Nowadays what happens is, all of a sudden I break into loud shouts of “Poombaavaai Aambal Aambal” and then I just do oh ho ho ho for the rest of the song because I don’t understand a word of the song! But the song is so haunting that it is still playing at the back of my mind and am just sitting and frowning that I don’t get to listen to it at this instant!

Udit Narayan, criticized by the tamil purists (and there is no scarcity of them!) for his pronounciation and all that, comes up with a sterling performance in this song called “Sahaana saaral…”. To hell with his performance, the tune is just out-of-this world! Chinmayee adds such a great zing to the song that you are also lost in the alps of the Switzerland while listening to this song. Read what Chinmayi writes about Sahana here and here . Chinmayi the end portion really gives me those goosebumps whenever I listen to it. Great work! And yes like you say, “All credit to Rahman anna” Credit to him for giving you great songs like this where you sound so good! Amazing!

Next song. A R Rahman chose to sing this song. This one line is enough to say that the song would be outstanding. And damn anybody who thinks otherwise! “Athiradikkaaran – Machan! Machan! Machandi!” As soon as these lines come out I start shaking my head as if someone is hitting me from behind! Someone looking at me might think I am having those electric shocks or something! This song can shake the worst leg-shakers (or dancers if you please) to get onto the dance floor and just burst out! A great stress-buster of a song. And the heights of ecstasy that A R Rahman takes you through in this song is just so unbelievable that you only want to keep listening to this song over and over again! and again and again and again…!!!!!

Then comes the song of all so-called stylish songs genre. Stylish songs as in those which have great instrumentation and vocals but zero lyrcial value. You can imagine if I can understand the lyrics of this one then the words must be purely conversational. And so they are. The lyrics are as if written by the comedian ‘Vivek’. For example: “Sachin adichcha sixer thaan da, Sivaji adichcha puncher thaan da!” (You get it don’t you? Sachin:sixer::Sivaji:puncher, simple!) The bass guitar that is used prominently is the highlight in this song. Sometimes Rahman stops amazing you because your ability to get anymore amazed is exhausted. You are just in total control of this one man! I can already imagine this playing the background when Rajni is bashing up those bad men left, right and centre! Ooohh.. I can get that hair-raising feeling on imagination itself. God knows what will happen when I listen to it with Rajni on screen performing those antics for which we have come to love him most! The combination is deadly and they have taken the entire standard of tamil music to new levels! Any of those chota fellows like YSR, HJ, etc, cannot imagine coming up to this standard as yet! In fact they don’t even deserve a mention in this review hence their names will be cutoff! (Yes, I am being very mean, and I love this feeling! Muhahahaha!)

Vijay Yesduas debuts under A R Rahman with a slow version of the “Sahaana saaral” and excels. The song shows the range that A R Rahman can create on his own. Gomathi comes up with an equally powerful rendition partnering Yesudas Jr. here. A fitting end to one of the all-time best albums of stylish music I have ever heard.

The album succeeds at many levels. And the reason it’s such a great success is because it is able to satisfy each and everyone who listens to it (Otherwise they are plain lying!). Rajni fans, ARR fans, Shankar fans, SPB fans, tamil music fans, general film music lovers, critics and general tamil public. To satisfy such a diverse range of people (maybe there are common people among all this like me) is in itself a victory. And further what the music does is instills a sense of must-watch-the-movie to see what it is all about kind of a feeling without letting out anything about the storyline which has been protected like the kohinoor diamond on the queen’s crown! Only A R Rahman could pull it off like this! An album that you ought not to miss for anything. And please don’t deliver your verdicts as soon as you listen to it. These songs have the usual trademark of Rahman to grow on you. A R Rahman proves he is the boss! Yet again!