I’ve spent the last three posts mocking work that obviously took their creators painstaking effort to create. And for this I DO NOT APOLOGISE. But what I must do is give credit where credit is due. And let my first post in this series (oh yes, there is more to come) be dedicated to that man, the legend, the ‘Mozart of Madras’, A R Rahman.
For those of you not familiar with his genius, leave your cave and enter the real world now. He has amazed, even educated audiences of select (normally very good) Bollywood movies for the past 15 years or so. As a kid I remember trying to memorise the words to his various delectable songs (Roja, Sapnay). Recently he burst into international consciousness after he won Oscars for his soundtrack to the unfortunately masala movie Slumdog Millionaire. Shame its come through a frankly silly and hugely over-hyped movie, but all the same its credit long overdue.
Closer home he’s won awards for his musical score to such gems as Lagaan, Rang De Basanti and Guru. Practically every song with his stamp on it is guaranteed to be worth hundred listens or more and yet also fit the requirements of the movie aptly. Aside from those three movies that in my humble opinion needed very little additional help (the middle one in particular is an all-time fav.) he has made movies like Dil Se and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na worth the watch.
But sheer musical talent aside, the reason he gets into this ‘gets credit’ column is because of his painstaking efforts to bring national integration to the perhaps the most diverse country there ever was. Together with Javed Akthar, lyricist and writer par excellence, he has helped soothe the oldest divide plaguing the country – Hindus vs Muslims. Songs such as ‘Oh Palan Hare’ and ‘Pal Pal Hai Bhaari’ from Lagaan and Swades demonstrate a very healthy slice of respect for Hinduism by two practising Muslims. And it works the other way too - recently I heard my otherwise devout Hindu aunt humming ‘Arziyan’ to herself. Now my aunt would never hurt a fly (well one that’s not a blood sucking bast*rd, if it existed!) but you know what I mean.
Not just cross-religions, but cross-regions, cross-borders; I’m willing to bet good money his music had its effect in helping ease all the communal tension that is bound to be arise in a country so large and varied, where most people are trying desperately to make a life for themselves at the expense of the next man in line.
I may not know the ins and outs of this man’s life and actions (there’s bound to be some not-so-nice-nice stuff too) but for all I have seen and heard (and oh, the music we’ve heard) THANK YOU AR. I really wanted to text him and convey some of this stuff at his 'Jai Ho' show in Hyderabad but I didn’t so all the more reason for this post. (I know, I know he’s almost certainly not gonna read this but you know...)
I thought about providing links to each song but then decided not to because I basically couldn’t be bothered. Youtube it yourself, you lazy farts!
