30 YEARS OF MUSIC WITH A R RAHMAN - TUJHE SALAAM (VOL 25) DOWN MEMORY LANE!

 

A R Rahman in action at Chicago concert 20Aug 2022

I normally do not attend live concerts the last one before this was about 6 years back in California Asha Bhosle live. Last week attended Rahman live at Chicago Highland Park the venue being close to our home. I was initially scared as Highland Park is where mass shooting occurred recently. The venue however had airport level security and felt relieved reaching there.

Ravinia Festival Chicago Entrance

 Ravinia Festival is the oldest music festival since 1904 an annual event that presents outstanding performances by the world’s greatest artists. The Non-Profit maintains student orchestras in elementary schools without music programs of their own—serve 75,000 people each year in Lake and Cook Counties in Chicagoland. The crowd was massive but mostly it was desi crowd but since Rahman is Oscar and Grammy winner there were lot of Americans also. Rental Chair was available for lawn ticket goers like me, and I got one and sat away from the crowd watching the big screen. The atmosphere was serene a forest like atmosphere with natural surroundings.

Crowd at Lawn outside Pavilion

Main Pavilion at Ravinia

The concert started on time at 8PM.Rahman started with a bang starting with Jai Ho continuously singing his own high-pitched songs one after another in the beginning of the concert to get the right concert mood. He understands the pulse of the audience very well. The orchestra was mind blowing just with 5 musicians. The selection of songs was awesome right mix of popular and classics over his 30 years journey. After a powerful start he settled for the melodies for the purists including the concert special Raag medley session ( Yaman,Bhatiyaar,Charukesi,Behaag,Riti Gowla,Chala Nattai,Dharmavath,Suddh Saranag,Dharmavathi,Purya Dhanshri,Bhim Plas) with his own songs based on these raags. Kudos to his young singers (Hari Charan,Jonita Gandhi,Rakshita and others) who can sing like the original and who can also perform on stage which appealed to the audience.

Main singers at concert

 Rahman’s stage presence made me wonder is he the same humble quiet introvert how well he sustains the energy singing and playing with keyboard simultaneously without a break. He connected well with the 5000+ audiences who were pleased with the music feast. The concert was for 2 hours but he continued for another 30 minutes and again raised the tempo with his solo hits to end on the high note.

Crowd outside Pavilion

As I returned my memories went back 30 years when I was in Mysore. That was the time (Year 1992) when Roja was released. I was already an ardent fan of music director Ilayaraja (IR) then who ruled 70s and 80s South Indian film music and before that of Viswanathan Ramamoorthy (VR) in 50s and 60s for their soft music. The combination of MSV and Kannadasan lyrics can never be matched for every situation in life even today.

Each composer brings their unique style in their creative period.  I don’t believe in comparing great composers.  It is like comparing who is great scientist (Einstein or Edison) or who is greater innovator (Steve Jobs or Bill Gates)! We are fortunate to live to enjoy the music of all of them and all are great composers. Their creativity goes down over a period and public taste also changes with time as they listen to new talent with their unique style.

Over this week had nostalgia of Rahman’s music and how he came and conquered not only Tamil and Hindi film music but also international arena in these 30 years journey. Here I am selecting 30 of my favorites, the criteria being only one song from each movie.

Rahman was lucky to be introduced by KB and Mani Ratnam in his first movie. Mani Ratnam wanted to continue with his favorite IR who had just given his best for him the last one being Thalapathi. KB also worked with IR after long years with MSV. There was some misunderstanding with IR and KB decided to introduce Rahman who was then playing Keyboard for IR for his own production Roja. 

Mani Ratnam reluctantly agreed to work with Rahman. Roja became a sensational Pan India hit and there was never going back, and the rest is history. This association of Rahman and Man Ratnam is still going strong after 30 years.

Roja was followed by Puthia Mugham in 1992 which had this lilting melody sung by Sujatha. This song Netru Illadha Matram was the favorite of my daughters then who had been associated with Rahman music since then.

In 1990s there was no internet. The audio cassette will be released one month before the movie. I will be the first one to buy the cassette to play at our home Philips 120 W Stereo system which was the only luxury possession we had.

In the year 1993 Mani ARR combo came up with Thiruda Thiruda.The movie was a flop, but the music was sensational. This melodious song Putham Pudu Bhoomi with good lyrics of Vairamuthu with the wishful thinking of how the world should be is my personal favorite although the other song Chandralekha was a rage.

I attended a classical concert of saxophone maestro Kadri Gopalnath held at Mylapore Fine Arts club during the Chennai music festival. KB who was working on his new movie based on saxophone player brought Rahman for the concert who was there till the end watching Kadri.  Duet movie released in the year 1994 which is the story of sax player. Who can forget the melody of this beautiful number Anjali?

The year 1995 was eventful year which established Rahman as #1 All India with 3 Mega hits Bombay with Mani Ratnam, his debut in Hindi with Rangeela and with superstar Rajini in Muthu.

Bombay brought out the best of ARR and all the songs became Pan India Hits. He got the rare compliment from Naushad who said Roja and Bombay are in the same league of the old classics of the golden era. He could relate very well with the Hindi audiences and this Qawwali kannalane  shows his class which even brought the then CM late Jayalalitha to his studio to listen to Bombay music.

Rangeela released also in this year 1995 made him a household name in North. Every song was composed with passion trying to be different. A perfect musical with powerful performances on screen which is the biggest hit for director Ram Gopal Varma.

 Asha Bhosle said this about this Rangeela song. When she recorded the song for Rangeela it was a simple tune but when she heard the final record, she could not believe it was the same song. Rahman used to work on improvisation and make changes until the movie is released. Rangeela launched him big as an All-India star.

Muthu also that year had atleast 2 songs to pick Thillana or Oruvan and I choose the later one for the fabulous beginning music and majestic voice of SPB.

The year 1996 had 2 big hits. First one with ace director Shankar and his first for Kamal as hero. The lilting melody Telephone still haunts still in the cell phone age a new dimension to his creativity. His association with Shankar continued in the years to come like his mentor Mani Ratnam.

The other hit of 1996 was Kaadal Desam on friendship and all songs were good. Here is my selection (Ennai  Kanavillaiye Netrodu)although Mustafa was more popular one.

In the year 1997 Mani came back with his political movie on friendship between MGR and Karunaniidhi which failed miserably in box office. Unlike other Music Directors Rahman was lucky in the sense that his music reached the wider audience irrespective of success or failure of the movie. Again, in Iruvar two Carnatic music legends Bombay Jayashree and Unnikrishnan sang a duet Narumugaiye which also launched Aishwarya Rai to films. It is a fact that when these classical wizards when they sing occasional film song, they can reach beyond their traditional Carnatic music fans due to young audience reaching out to their concerts. That is the power of film music!

Also, in the year 1997 cinematographer Rajiv Menon turned director with his Minsara Kanavu with Kajol and Prabhu Deva. It was ARR music which created the right ambience with this beautiful melody by Hariharan and Sadhna Sargam. Again, this song is always a beauty to listen anytime.

Jeans in 1998 taken on a lavish scale the songs became a craze. His style is used to bring the artist and ask them to sing as many variations as possible and these will be added in his recording. That way the artists add value to their song with their own creative interpretation. Here is carnatic vocalist   Nityashree who lifted this song “ Kannodu Kanbathellam” with her own swaras and improvisation.

 Dil Se movie was released in the year 1998. I used to buy Filmfare magazine also those days which used to promote Rahman music before release of the movie. Bollywood was very nice to Rahman. Even though ARR was young he was the first music director from south addressed as Rahman sir a rare honor. I used to buy the audio cassette which will be the preview or teaser for the movie.

 The movie flopped unfortunately but the music became chartbusters which is still loved till now.  I choose my favorite Yeh Ajnabee this mystic number from the movie as every song is a hit.

The thrill of seeing the night show in the first week those time by requesting tickets from people in the front or buying in black from shady people was an art. Even with the tickets bought in black for family which will be twice the counter rate it will still be less than the multiplex rates today for a single ticket. There was no other entertainment other than seeing movies in the theatre and hit movies will run for e 100 days or jubilee runs. Today with computer and idiot box everything is well known through previews and teasers   and the fate of the film depends on hype and one week run .  Where has thrill gone?

I have covered in this first part ARRs (13 out of 30 songs) first 7 years which is the most creative years. I will cover the rest in my next part

 

(To be Concluded)