It seems Deepa Mehta's Water may not release in India, thanks to the protests by the Hindu Fundamentalists :( So, the music too will not release in India. Water is the only album for which Rahman himself has given 10/10.

Are we going to miss this masterpiece totally?
The music actually leaked on the net - it is wonderful. However, the audio quality is poor. The original CDs have been shipped to those who have ordered it online - but not for India - It seems, there is a note on the CD label: "Not for sale in India and Pakistan" :( Heard that there is lots and lots of additional programming and strings backing in all songs which beautifies the song more and more.
The movie is creating waves in many film festivals the world over. It also features in the list of top-10 Canadian movies of 2005. The movie is critically well acclaimed too, and Deepa Mehta is receiving applause and appreciations for the movie all over. It's a pity that the dirty politics in India deprives us of such a beautiful movie and the masterpiece of the Asian Mozart.
By Aravind on Friday, December 30, 2005 at 7:01 PM Post Categories: , ,
Shoot-out in IISc campus in front of a conference hall!!! That too, within 12 hours of this news - about Bangalore as terrorist targets!!! Within an educational institution like IISc! No place is safe :(

Why IISc? Since security was beefed up in IT companies as they were considered as likely targets? So, they went to a different place? May be! Nothing is clear now... Hope the campus and Bangalore city returns to normal soon...

By Aravind on Wednesday, December 28, 2005 at 10:43 PM Post Categories:
Hmmm...Romba busy... No time to write a new post...So, copy adichifying a post from Vani's Blog. I really enjoyed this one!
I watched Ghajini sometime back...and the background score for the movie sent me into peals of laughter. Random noises getting characteristic of Harris Jeyaraj: Bozo Zulo...oh my god! =)
I really can't understand what's with all these guys who make wierd noises in the name of background music!

When A.R.Rahman started out, there were a number of people who were criticising and making fun of him for introducing such 'noises': but dammit, his sure make much more sense than these zulos and habibiyas!! (Yeah, like I'll ever give up on Rahman! :) )
The thing with Rahman's 'noises' are that nobody can make out that what they are supposed to be: have any of you been successful in deciphering what the background in Mudalvan that comes whenever Arjun does something revolutionary means?! I haven't!
HJ tried something of this sort in Anniyan. And the result, needless, was extremely funny. Praveen had done an awesome job in finding it out and posting it in his blog! :) Do check out his blog if you want to know what it is... ;)
Read the full article here.
By Aravind on Saturday, December 24, 2005 at 7:29 PM Post Categories:
Ahh... at last.... I found time to write the review. As usual, I have attempted to cover the finer aspects which are so beautiful but go unnoticed on cursory listenings.

Ik Onkar

Basically a Sikh Prayer song – This is actually adapted from what is known as the Mool Mantra. There is very minimal use of instruments – hardly any! This is beautifully rendered by Harshdeep Kaur. If u are wondering if u have heard her voice before – u are right! She has lent her voice to many commercials, including the Cadbury’s Perk ad.

Listen to this track early in the morning – when there is no disturbance to feel the magic of this one!

Rang De Basanti
Tired of all those punjabi songs with the same tune recycled again and again by the “Punjabi MC”…Want a bhangra song, which is as Bhangra as can be, and still fresh? Then , this is a track for you! ARR shows yet again, as to how you can retain the flavour, yet give something totally new. Huge relief that the lyrics are also fresh and do not have words like Kudi, Munda etc which find their way into any Punjabi song! Daler Mahendi and Chitra do a great job.

Notice the “aha aha” that comes throughout the song… It is not same throughout… Even that keeps changing in a set pattern!

Paathshala & Be a rebel
There are two versions of this song “Paathshala”. One is the rap version by Blaaze and the other without the rap. Naresh Iyer and Aslam lend their voice in both the songs. The continuous lead-guitar loop throughout the song keeps lingering in ur hears even after the song is over!
The rap by Blaaze rocks. Blaaze impresses with the rap lyrics as well, with innovative stuff like “Zinda-bad, Zinda good”!

The other version is again a typical Rahman youth song – yet different. A fast college song – so youthful in both the music and the lyrics – with words like “lose control”, “I am a rebel”, this track gets u in to the college mood. You think the song ends with someone shouting “Lose control”… But there is a surprise waiting after this, to close the song which impressed me a lot!

Tu Bin Bataye
A slow, melodious romantic duet. This is the second song for MadhuShree and Naresh Iyer together and they score yet again! ARR impresses with his awesome backing strings arrangements in this song. Very short hints of flute(a few seconds before the first interlude) tease us – but the flute stops right there after tempting us! The sax interlude is awesome. Rahman has given wonderful sax interludes in many songs like Azhagiya Cindrella (Kangalal Kaidhu Sei), Sabaq Aisa (Tehzeeb) and of course the songs in Duet. This song can be added to that list of songs with memorable sax interludes.

Khalbali
The song starts with awesome techno guitar stuff (which continues almost throughout the song). U expect a full-fledged techno/rock song…Then u get a huge surprise – ARR starts Khalbali Hai Khalbali in typical Arabian style… Wow… What a blend – techno + arabian… I doubt if anyone would even dare to try such a combination. Aslam and Aacim (who is the also the lyricist for this song) provide good support. The "Ziddi ziddi" part in the song is just too good!!!
Still wondering how Rahman perfected that Middle-east style of singing!!!

Khoon Chala
Basically an inspirational song. Mohit Chauhan of Silk Route gives a soothing touch. His voice at the starting of the songs reminds of ARR’s voice!

A very lovely melody which is beautified by the the piano accompaniments, wonderful orchestration and the haunting strings.The song which starts very melodiously ends with some fast beats.

Luka Chuppi
No electronic intruments… no synthesized voices… Plain acoustic guitar strumming, harmonium, Tabla and mellifluous voice of Lata Mangeshkar… and of course ARR’s voice. These are enough for ARR to create magic. It is a pure, unadulterated acoustic song. You can even hear those small screeching noises that are produced when you move your fingers along the strings of the guitar, to change chords. Those who claim that ARRs songs sound great only because of the electronic jazz he does, here is an awesome reply from the master!
Small hints of flute here and there in this song too… The swaras at the end, recited by ARR and Lata together provide an ideal closing for the wonderful song.

Lalkar
Nothing much to write about this one. Aamir Khan recites inspirational poetry, with some light instrumental and vocal chants in the background.

Roobaroo
A fun song – sung by ARR and Naresh Iyer. Opens beautifully with some great acoustic guitar strumming. Its been a long time since we have heard such prominent acoustic guitar strums from ARR (I think Vellai Pookal was the last song).
This song is a must in Karaoke mode… You thought you are hearing only one voice at a time (either ARR’s or Naresh’s)? Listen to this in Karaoke mode and you will know…Throughout the song there is ARR’s voice. Wherever Naresh is singing, there is one more layer -that of ARR’s voice - with the same lyrics, but ARR’s is at a lower pitch… Mannnnn…. This gave me goosebumps…It is two persons singing throughout and I did not even realise it!!!!

Listen to all songs in Karaoke mode (winamp has a plugin to remove voices) – u are in for some sweet surprises! These are what make any ARR album interesting – even after some 15-20 listenings, u are bound to find something new.. something that u missed… ARR continues with that trend with Rang De Basanti!

Long time since ARR composed for such a youthful movie in hindi and he comes back with a bang! A wonderful album with such a great variety - a bhangra, sikh devotional, arabic, rock, rap, love ballad...Wow... I dont think anyone can even come close to successfully providing such wide variety!

By Aravind on Saturday, December 17, 2005 at 7:42 PM Post Categories: , ,
Talking about Rajini, how can I leave out the 2 ads that were released just today! Yeah.. I am talking about the ads of Sivaji which appeared in newspapers today - to announce the starting of shooting for the movie. With a deadly team of Rajini, A.R.Rahman, Shankar, AVM, Vairamuthu and Thotta Tharani, the expectations of this film have touched the skies right from the day it was announced!
Here are the ads. (Courtesy: Rajinifans.com)
By Aravind on Wednesday, December 14, 2005 at 6:11 PM Post Categories:
11 December it was!
The eve of Rajinikanth's Birthday!
The celebrations for Superstar's Birthday started in the campus. Sambhar Mafia, the official thamizh junta of IIMB, celebrated this Thiruvizha (festival) with such grandeur! The mess was decorated with huge posters of Rajini. Charts with collage of loads and loads of Rajini photos adorned the walls! From 7:00 pm, all superhit songs of Rajini were played in the mess. Thus, the environment was all set for a huge celebration!The junta was also ready with drums and whistles (none of us knew how to whistle without the whistle!!!)

Posters and collage in mess

Life-size banner, posters, special sweets, birthday-cake, Crackers, poosani kaai, karpooram - all the stuff required for a full-fledged celebration - u name it, we had it! We screened the superhit movie Padayappa on big screen which ended at 11:55 pm on 11th Dec. Not only the Thamizhs, but lots of non-thamizh people also to join us to watch the movie and take part in the celebrations!


The 'enthu' crowd just before the movie... That's "yours truly" in the extreme right!

The movie ended at 11:55... Bursting of crackers started immediately - all over the hostel blocks! And at 12 Midnite, one of my friends, Manoj, who dressed up as SuperStar, did some typical Rajini styles! Then our own "superstar" Manoj cut the cake...

Manoj, the IIMB Superstar, performing the famous cooling-glass trick!

Then it was the time to "drishti suththi-fy" for Superstar! Our student-president, Sathya, did the honours by showing the camphor-lit poosani kaai in front of the life-size banner of superstar...When Sathya finally broke the "poosani kaai" the entire hostel was filled with chants of "thalaivar...vaazhga"!!! The next thing on our schedule was distribution of sweets to everyone in the hostel - door delivery - which was completed by 1:30 am!

President Sathya with the Poosani Kaai

It was a whole new experience as none of us have seen or been a part of anything like this before!
By Aravind on Post Categories:
The most expected album of this year - Rang De Basanti - was released last thursday at Planet M, Mumbai! Mannnnn... I am totally speechless.... Rahman shows his class and genius, yet again! Awesome variety in this one - fast peppy western numbers, Indian folk (Bhangra), Arabic, soothing and romantic, tender motherly touch, Inspirational, devotional - it is all there - and to a level of perfection we can't even dream about!
I am totally hooked on to this wonderful album...
I definitely want to write a review - but not at this stage -just after a few hearings... I would miss out on the fine rahmantic touches that are hidden in this great album! Will take me at least a week to digest this album!
By Aravind on Sunday, December 11, 2005 at 6:08 AM Post Categories: ,
Sachin created history, becoming the higest century maker in test cricket too! He scored 100* in 176 balls. Great way to silence those critics who questioned his form!!!
Congrats Sachin!
By Aravind on Post Categories:
The song "Mukkaala Mukabla" appears in the Limca book of records as the song that has been copied by most number of ppl. As many as 8 Hindi Music Directors copied this song and released their own version. (Ulagathila ore madhiri 7 peru -nnu solluvaanga... Adappaavigala... ore madhiri 8 paattaa??)

This is old news... There is stiff competition for this record now... And again, the source is A.R.Rahman. The Background music in almost every new tamil and Hindi movie trailer is directly lifted from the Chinese movie, Warriors of Heaven and Earth (WOHE), for which ARR composed the music. Here is the list:

1. Majaa (MD: Vidyasagar) - track used is Dacoit Duel from WOHE.
2. Cheran's Thavamaai Thavamirundhu - Track used: Golden Age
3. Kalaaba Kadhalan - Dacoit Duel and Golden Age
4. Ramakrishna - Dacoit Duel
5. ThagappanSamy - Dacoit Duel
6. Oru Kallooriyin Kadhai - Dacoit Duel, Warriors in Peace

This list is not complete... There are many more tamil movies.

Coming to hindi movie trailers:
1. James - Dacoit Duel
2. Ek Ajnabee - Dacoit Duel
3. Hul Chal - Dacoit Duel

This list is, again, not complete... And as is obvious, it is Dacoit Duel all the way!!! All the copycats seem to love this track!

Apart from movie trailers, the tracks of WOHE are being used for Hanniffa Textiles Ad., title songs of many game shows (including the one hosted by Ramya Krishnan), almost in all episodes of Paadhaigal serial (in Podhigai) and many other programs in Sun, Podhigai and all other Tamil Channels!

By lift, I do not mean inspiration - I mean direct rip-off - copy-paste job!!! Ivanga ellam thirundhave maattangalaaaa?

The music rights for WOHE are with SONY. I wonder how Sony is quiet for so long about this issue! This is no one-off incident... Every music director is lifting left, right and center from this ARR classic! Isn't this illegal? Aren't the copyright laws in India strong enough?
By Aravind on Saturday, December 03, 2005 at 4:09 PM Post Categories: , ,
Wowwwwwwwww.... So excited to read this news. However, the news item mentions that Rahman is "likely" to compose for this international film which means that it is not yet confirmed. Hope the confirmation comes soon!!!
Chennai's greatest gift to Indian film music, A.R. Rahman, is likely to compose a part of the track for an unusual international film project being planned to coincide with the 250th birth anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The brainchild of Salzburg-based Austrian music composer and violinmaker Winrich Sturies, the film has been in the works for over six months.

"It will roll very soon," says Sturies. "The release of the film is planned for mid 2006."

Mozart was born in Salzburg in January 1756.

The Indian partner in the film venture, Sanjay Kaushik of the Paramount group of companies, says the details are all in place.

"The script is ready, talks are on with Rahman and the process of casting will be completed before we set a firm date for the shoot to begin."

By Aravind on Thursday, December 01, 2005 at 9:00 PM Post Categories: