Isaippuyal A.R.Rahman completes 28 yeARRs in the film industry on the 15th of August 2020.
I'm inviting music lovers to write about one strong personal memory associated with one A.R.Rahman song. I know what you’re thinking... “...but we have so many!”
I understand. Just that this series is likely to have quite a few friends writing about it (hopefully) and hence that "one song".
Image courtesy - A.R.Rahman's instagram
- Did you sing an ARR song at a college culturals where He was one of the judges(Ahem)?
- Did you spend an entire day/ week/ month listening to one ARR song?
- Did you dedicate an ARR song on Pepsi Ungal Choice as a surprise for your favourite person?
- Was there an ARR favourite song of someone in your family who is no longer around? And you remember them every time you hear it?
Do mail your memories to blogeswari(at)gmail(dot)com. I'd prefer it if you could write a separate post than sharing your memory in the comments section.
Edited to add, on 15th August 2020: We've stopped accepting guest posts due to the overwhelming response. Thank you.
PS - Comments are moderated.
3 Responses:
Hi,
There was one such phase where I was completely hooked on to Chanda re and Vennileve (alternating between both versions as well as keyboard and piano versions on YT) for 3 or 4 days in a row. Sapnay was a movie I hadn't enjoyed too much maybe due to a weak script (though it was visually brilliant). But I loved the song picturisations in the movie including Aawara Bhavre and Ik Bagiya very much.
3 other soundtracks which keep playing in my mind atleast once or twice a week since thier release are Dil Se, Taal and Bombay. One of my bucket list items is learning to play Tu Hi Re, Ishq Bina, Taal se Taal Mila, Nahin Saamne, Ae Ajnabi, Dil se re on keyboard with both my hands. ARR is a true genius and a master. When the music of Taal was released, I bought the CD and listened to the sound of the water drops in the prelude of Taal se Taal Mila atleast more than 100 times at a stretch. ARRs secret I think lies in the prelude to his songs. It is so carefully orchestrated and thought of, that it lays the foundation of the song before it begins. Lyrics don't matter then. Example in case is Rangeela.
My birthday wish to him since the past few years always ends with 'Hope to meet you some day, Baithenge batein
The year was 2006 and I was 9 years old going into 10. That age is a very strange one, you don't want to be called a child and you "can't wait for high-school, and college and have your own money." I also felt like that was the time when one get's a slow introduction to emotions that are individual and personal to you; it could be people, events, hobbies, art, music or films. And that was the time when I first felt something very unprecedented, it was poignant and over-whelming, but it was beautiful.
Rang De Basanti was released that year and it was the hot talk in the country and the next thing I remember was my dad, my mum, my sister and I in the theatre. My in my mother's lap because I was small enough still to be a "half-ticket”. Rang De Basanti is of course a roller-coaster of emotions but then towards the end when Lukka Chuppi played, that song hit different. The music, the melody, the miss-en-scene was so perfect, remember what started as small sobs at intervals turned into heavy weeping and I held my mum’s hand real tight. At first, she thought I was scared with the idea of death and protest (as shown in the movie) and asked me to shut my eyes. But I knew it wasn’t that. I knew that I was feeling “heavy”, something I wasn’t able to describe at that time. Even with my eyes closed, I heard the music unfurl in the magic of Mr Rahman and Lata Mangeshkar and I felt a strange sad, a happy kinda sad - which I knew was monetary and would pass a few hours after the movie ended but I was happy to be in that moment; I felt like I was growing up and I was learning of the joys that one can gain from art and emotions and music. And AR Rehman was one of the firsts to make me realize that. The fact that I can remember this singular incident in detail is an epitome of how these small, personal experiences really shape you. Yes, I wasn’t aware of who he was at that time, nor did I know who was signing, I just knew that the music was stirring something inside of me and I was keen to have more experiences as such.
The years followed with me singing Lukka Chuppi, Maa Tujhe Salaam, Dil Se Re among many of the maestros hits for Mother’s Day, Independence Day etc at school events not knowing the singular link amongst the magic in all these that was AR Rehman.
I love scrolling through YouTube and a lot of my recommendations consist of choir music. Quite recently, I came across some videos of the Berklee Indian Ensemble’s tribute to AR Rahman where they performed some of his absolute classics, Jiya Jale, Kun Faaya Kun and my most favorite the Swades title track. And that was nothing less than a transcending experience, watching Indians and foreigns alike sing, play and grove to these powerful melodies; a supreme reminder of how music is beyond any boundaries and AR Rehman has not only accomplished that within our country, but taken us to the world.
In conclusion, Mr. Rahman GAVE to me, one of my very first coming-of-age experiences that I will cherish for life. And continues to deliver to us those moments of ecstatic surprise every now and then, and that is gold for me.
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