Slumdog composer is a big deal says National Post

Slumdog composer A.R. Rahman is a big deal Posted: January 12, 2009, 10:56 AM by Jon Sufrin   Slumdog Millionaire is sucking back the awards like nobody's business. So too is its soundtrack. The film's score snagged Critic's Choice Awards last week and a Golden Globe on Sunday, making it a clear frontrunner for an Oscar. But have you heard of this A.R. Rahman guy, who composed the widely lauded score? Me neither. And we're not the only ones. As of Monday, the HMV Superstore in Toronto had just 1 (one) copy of an A.R. Rahman album in stock – Beyond Heaven and Earth (2004), one of Rahman's orchestral works.  Maybe it's because most of his best-known work lies in the realm of Bollywood. He is, after all, the first Indian composer to have won a Golden Globe, as Reuters reports.  His name may be unfamiliar to many of us, but Rahman is no composing newcomer.  His discography is fairly lengthy, with 19 releases since 1995, most of them Bollywood soundtracks, according to allmusic.com.  In terms of sales, however, Rahman is not only giant. He is a titanic juggernaut. His music has sold over 200 million cassettes, which is more than Madonna and Brittney Spears combined, according to rediff.com.  In sum, his sales place him amongst the top 25 highest selling recording artists of all time, says Interscope Records. A list compiled by Wikipediaplaces him even higher – amongst the top ten – right up there with AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, and higher than all-out legends like David Bowie or Frank Sinatra. So the Canadian Press may have been premature in calling Slumdog Millionaire an underdog. After all, we all know Danny Boyle from his work on Trainspotting. And now we all know A.R. Rahman – but we probably should have a long time ago.   [A.R. Rahman at the 2009 Critic's Choice Awards. REUTERS/Hector Mata]

Article Courtesy: National Post

I was terrified: AR Rahman-NDTV Interview

Music maestro A R Rahman, the first Indian to win a Golden Globe, was very nervous at the award ceremony as he did not want to let down a billion people back home in India.

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The Cast of "Slumdog Millionaire" Does a Bollywood Dance! on Ellen's Show

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Rahman Sir is a great treasure for Tamilians" - Actor Sathyaraj

Actor Sathyaraj ( Vandicholai Chinnarasu fame ) in Rahmania

 

Q :- What do you feel about Rahman's Music ?

 

When I was on my way for shooting, there were talks that a new Music Director had arrived in the scene for Maniratnam's new movie. There was a studio in Vahini, and on my way, I was listening to the songs of Roja. I was listening to Chinna Chinna aasai, and found the tune, the sound to be very different. I had faith that Maniratnam had found the right person for his music. When I arrived in the shooting spot, Heroine Banupriya was humming the tune of the songs from Roja. She was singing " Chinna Chinna aasai" from 9 Am to 6 PM on that day. Once the film got released, seeing the songs on the screen, I was stunned beyond words.

 

Those were times, when Illayaraja was the monarch and his songs were heard everywhere. Its so tough for a newcomer to make a name for himself in that space. Just as " Machana Paartheengala" from annakili was a new sound for Illayaraja, when MSV was previously reigning supreme at that moment.

 

Then, as every Hero would have a desire to act in the music of a great Music Director, I also had the desire. The song " Senthamiz Naatu Tamiachaye" became very famous. Hearing the song " Chitirai Nilavu " , the full team consisting of Dance Master Babu, Producer Mani, Director Manoj Kumar were puzzled, as to how to picturise the song. The senthamizh song suppressed the greatness of this song.

 

That is Rahman Sir 's success.

 

Q :- Apart from Vandhicholai chinnarasu songs, what are the other songs of Rahman which you like ?

 

Nowadays, we see Tamilians live across the globe, and it is the greatness of Rahman Sir, to highlight the importance of Tamil across the globe and make Tamilians proud. Music paves an important role in even change of Government. Music was a major reason for MGR to become a Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

 

In the same way, Music is an important role in uniting Tamilians across the Globe. Nowadays, its the Youth who tend to forget Tamil. and in that matter, Rahman Sir's songs create an important effect in arousing the desire of the youth towards Tamil.

 

All songs of his are excellent songs. He is a great treasure for Tamilians. And the speciality of him is that he has started doing Re recording for Hollywood Films, Hindi Films etc. Its a great privilege for any Tamilian, as tomorrow, when he would win the Oscars, it would get a lot of fame for the Tamil Fraternity itself. IT would be written that he started his career with Roja ( which is a Tamil movie )