Three awards to be carried...

The awards ceremony of International Indian Film Academy (IIFA)
for the year of 2008, held on the 8th of June at Bankok.
Acclaimed musician A.R.Rahman swept 3 awards at the function.
The list of awards are as follows,

Best Music Direction (GURU).
Outstanding achievement by an Indian in International Cinema.
Lifetime Achievement Award.

GURU received four more awards in the IIFA Awards ceremony.

Best Male Acting Award: Abhishek Bachan
Best Female Acting Award: Aishwarya Rai Bachan
Best Playback Singer (Female): Shreya Goshal for Barso Re...
Best Song Recording: H. Sridar for Barso Re...

[Thank you: Thulasi Ram]

Lifetime honor for young A.R.Rahman...

Musical whiz A.R.Rahman has been feted with
many awards and honors hitherto for his
musical accomplishments.
However, the awards he is about to receive this time,
is obviously a rare one.
This much celebrated music composer has been chosen
for the Lifetime Achievement Award by the
International Indian Film Academy (IIFA).
This award, which will be conferred to the
star musician on June 6th at the glittering award ceremony
in Bangkok, will be given to him for his massive involvement to
endorse Indian Film Music abroad and also creating
a global im pact with his melodies.
IIFA Awards, counted among the most esteemed
film awards of the lot,
will be graced by all the who's who of the industry.

[ http://www.musicindiaonline.com/n/i/top_stories/2591/ ]

K M Music Conservatory - Be the Future of Music...

For the first time in India, the Musical Mastero,
Isai Puyal Pathmashree A.R.Rahman an enigma,
who redefined contemporary music, presents
K M Music Conservatory - a college of Indian
and Western Music and Audio Media Education
(India's first Apple Authorized Training Center)
A College of Music Technology that would produce
'A Symphony Orchestra' with its own musicians.
KM Music Conservatory and AME would train the
talented aspirants to reach high standards of proficiency
as skilled musicians; with good grounding
or technology behind the whole process of 'making music'.
KM Music Conservatory and AME would meet
International High Standards of education
with a vision to become a deemed University.
It would be affiliated to one of the
best universities in India and abroad.

The KM Music Conservatory of Music
along with Audio Media Education,
An Apple Authorized Training Center
which opens in July this year will concentrate on
Western Music, Instrumental and Vocal Performance
and Music Technology.
Students will study Audio Engineering Theory and be
Apple Certified Professional in the first level of Logic Program.
Pathmashree A.R.Rahman will be interacting with students
through workshops in Music Production and Composition.

[Reference: http://www.kmmc.in]

A.R.Rahman rocked in Sharjah...!

2008 April 18th, A.R.Rahman rocked in Dubai.
The concert took place at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The show started at 8:30pm and ended around 12:00am.
A.R.Rahman did a part to interact with the audience.
He highlighted that this was the 10th anniversary of his
first concert in Dubai and that in itself a great achievement
for a performer like him.
He thanked everyone tremendously at the end for the support
and said mischievously that he had hoped to do this again after 5 years.

Following are the songs sung with time it started and the singers,

08:40 - Jaage Hain [GURU] - Chithra & A.R.Rahman
08:42 - Kalbhali He [Rang De Basanti] - A.R.Rahman
08:48 - Kaathal Rojave / Roja Jaaneman [Roja] - Hariharan & Sadana Sargam
08:53 - Barso Re [GURU] - Neethi Mohan & Mohamad Aslam
08:58 - Loose Control [Rang De Basanti] - Blaaze, Mohamad Aslam & Naresh Iyer
09:00 - 3mins show with the Guitarist - Steve
09:03 - Girl Friend [Boys] - Karthik & Benny Dayal
09:09 - Jashn E Bahara [Jodha Akbar] - Javed Ali
09:15 - Kannalane / Kehana He Kya [Bombay] - Chithra
09:19 - Khabi Neem / Sandai Kozhi [Yuva/Aayutha Ezhuthu] - Madushree & A.R.Rahman
09:24 - Roobaroo [Rang De Basanti] - Naresh Iyer & A.R.Rahman
09:28 - Jiya Jale [Dil Se] - Chithra
09:33 - Dil Se Re... [Dil Se] - A.R.Rahman
09:36 - Ithayam / In Lamhon De [Jodha Akbar] - Karthik, Madushree & Javed Ali
09:42 - Vaji Vaji [Sivaji] - Hariharan & Madushree
09:48 - Athirade - [Sivaji] - Karthil, Naresh Iyer, Benny, Synora, Mohamad Aslam & A.R.Rahman
09:55 - Chaiya Chaiya [Dil Se] - Javed Ali, Rahna, Mohamad Aslam
10:02 - 3mins of Azeem O Shan [Jodha Akbar] intro, changing into O-Oh-O-O in Rukkumani [Roja] and then a line from Veerapandi [Thiruda Thiruda] - Mohamad Aslam, Sivamani & A.R.Rahman
10:05 - Sivamani on a roll non-stop for 13mins
10:19- Blazze come in rapping Oru Koodai Sunlight [Sivaji]
10:24 - Pray for me Brother [Pray for me Brother] - Blaaze & A.R.Rahman
10:31 - Bombay Theme [Bombay] - Naveen on flute
10:34 - Kwaja Mere [Jodha Akbar] A.R.Rahman, Javed Ali & Mohaman Aslam
10:42 - Ae Hairathe [GURU] - Hariharan, Sadana Sargam, Mohamad Aslam & Dr. Narayan
10:50 - Vaari Vaari [Rising] - Hariharan & Sadana Sargam
10:57 - Mathuraikku Pogathadi [ATM] - Tanvi & Benny Dayal
11:03 - Mayya Mayya [GURU] - Neethi Mohan & Mohamad Aslam
11:10 - Chandare / Vennilave [Sapney/Minsara Kanavu] - Hariharan & Sadana Sargam
11:16 - Tere Bina [GURU] - A.R.Rahman, Madushree & Mohamad Aslam
11:23 - Ghanana Ghanana [Lagaan] - Hariharan, Chithra, Madushree and Karthik
11:28 - Thottal Poo Malarum [New] - Hariharan & Saynora
11:32 - Telephone Manipol [Indian] - Hariharan
11:37 - Ik Onkar [Rang De Basanti] - Chithra
11:39 - Rang De Basanti [Rang De Basanti] - Singer in Pagdi, Chithra & A.R.Rahman
11:46 - Sa Re Ga Me [Boys] - Tanvi, Rahna, Saynora, Mohamad Aslam, Blaaze, Naresh Iyer & Benny Dayal
11:50 - Antha Arabi Kadaloram [Bombay] - Blaaze & A.R.Rahman
11:58 - Vanthe Maatharam [Vanthe Maatharam] - A.R.Rahman

• Rahman's wife came in by around 7:45pm wearing a white Khamiz Suit with the Children. They left before the last song.
• It was fun to watch ARR suddenly coming on stage wearing some real dark coolers during the Athirade song looking cool. His wife was laughing and waving at him from the audience at this time.
• A.R.Rahman while introducing the song 'Pray for Me Brother' said that he'll sing this for the rest of his life until there's no poverty in the world and concluded by asking the audience to keep thinking of this song and change the world.
  
• The whole crowd waved the mobile lights in air for the song Pray For Me Brother. And that was spectacular to see the view.

There have been a large number of audience up to 25,000 - 30,000 fans enjoyed the concert.
It has been a heavenly experience through out the show for all A.R.Rahman fans...

[Great Thanks for : Lakki -Abu Dhabi]

Winner of 21 Filmfare Awards...!

The Mastero, A.R.Rahman holds the highest number
of Filmfare Awards in the Indian Film Industry.
A.R.Rahman won his 20th and 21st Filmfare Awards recently
for his Best Music and Best Background Score
for the movie GURU directed by Maniratnam.
Dr.Kamalhasan has won 19 Filmfare Awards
and holds the second place.

Following are the details of A.R.Rahman's 21 Awards:

R D BURMAN Award - 1994

Best Music - Hindi (7)
Rangeela - 1995
Dil Se - 1998
Taal - 1999
Lagaan - 2001
Saathiya - 2002
Rang De Basani - 2005
GURU - 2007

Best Music - Tamil (10)
Roja - 1992
Gentleman - 1993
Kaathalan - 1994
Bombay - 1995
Kaathal Thesam - 1996
Minsara Kanavu - 1997
Jeans - 1998
Muthalvan - 1999
Alaipaayuthe - 2000
Sillunu Oru Kaathal - 2006

Best Background Score (3)
The Legend of Bhagath Singh - 2002
Swades - 2004
GURU - 2007

What is Music..?

Once Somebody asked me

to define music...
I didn't really have an answer,
Or... lets say I had more than one...
For me Music,
is like an unspoken language.
It's the sound of Nature.
If you listen carefully,
there's Music in everything...
- A.R.Rahman.
(For World Space Advertisement)

There is Power...

Anything creative is given by God.
When you acknowledge it
there is power that grows within you.
Trusting in God,
never makes the mountain smaller.
It just makes the climbing easier.
I never ask him for a lighter load,
but only for the strong back.
- A.R.Rahman.

Movies are the Channels...

Film Music in India is like Pop Music in the West.
Movies are the channels for this Music.
But, Music stays on long after the films.
If a music artist wants to blossom into a full-fledged person,
it's not enough if he knows only classical music;
nor is it enough if he's well-versed only in Raagas and Techniques.
Instead he should be a knowledgeable person
interested in life and philosophy.
In his personal life there should be,
at least in some corner of his heart,
a tingle of lingering sorrow...
- A.R.Rahman.

I try to do my best...

You can't have everything in life.
What one thinks is possible might not
always be so...
I try to do my best. But,
finally, everything lies in God's hands.
I consider my skills as a musician
to be a blessing from God.
Even today, before I perform,
I am unsure of whether I will be able
to move my audience.
I leave everything to him...
He pulls the strings in my life.
- A.R.Rahman.

Music is the only thing...,

I wanted to go beyond the
restrictions of languages, religion and Cast.
Music is really the only thing
that allows you to do that.
Besides, all the inspirations and
all the good things to me,
come from God.
- A.R.Rahman.

I had no Hope...

Roja, sort of set the standard for my Music.
When I made Music for Roja I was certain it would be
my first and last work...
The prevalent sound at the time was so typical.
I had no hope.
Not many People believed that much could be achieved
without the 'Dholak' and 'Harmonium'.
Yes, and from there I decided that I should
not go below that benchmark.
It was complementary because Roja also got
a lot of International Awards.
- A.R.Rahman.

Excitement Keeps Rahman Going...

If you like yourself,
you will get into trouble.
If you don't,
you will still get into trouble.
Hence God controls me.
If I am lazy, I will be
like a charge less battery.
Excitement keeps me going.
- A.R.Rahman.

Common Music Director.

Its true that I am not doing many Indian Films.
But that I have lost interest in them is Incorrect.
In early days I have been able to make movies frequently.
But now as a common Music Director for
Hollywood, Bollywood and Kollywood
I have to consider on a lot...
- A.R.Rahman.

It Works Beautifully

Orchestration is back into film Music.
It works beautifully, but then,
it also needs a big budget.
You need to spend around £2000 per day.
When we do it here, we don't get that kind of Orchestra.
Everybody takes to the Keyboard.
You need people to play the Violin and Guitar too.
It is important for the Government to take art seriously.
- A.R.Rahman.

Pray for me Brother Lyrics

Lyrics by: A.R.Rahman & Blazee.

Composed by: A.R.Rahman.

Perfomed by: A.R.Rahman & Blazee.

Presented by the A.R.Rahman foundation in association with

Nokia N Series...

Pray for me brother
Pray for me brother
Pray for me sister
Are you searchin’….
Pray for me brother

Lookin’ for the answers To all the questions In my life
Will I be alone Will you be there By my side
Is it something he said Is it something he did
I wonder why He is searchin’ For the answers
To stay alive

Could you ever listen Could you ever care
To speak your mind
Only for a minute For only one moment
In time

The joy is around us But show me the love
That we must find
Are you searchin’ For a reason to be kind, to be kind…
He said… Pray for me brother

Pray for me brother... Pray for me sister
Pray for me brother

Say what you wanna say now
But keep your hearts open
Be what you wanna be now
Let’s heal the confusion
Pray for me brother

Don’t let me take When you don’t wanna give
Don’t be afraid Just let me live
Don’t let me take When you don’t wanna give
Don’t be afraid

Say what you wanna say now
But keep your hearts open
Be what you wanna be now Let’s heal the confusion

Pray for me brother Pray for me brother

I’m ashamed ah, brother be dying of poverty
when he down on his knees its only then he prays
And it’s a shame ah, brother be dying of ignorance
cos the world is a trip and everybody’s a hypocrite
Need to stop ah , taking a look at the other
I’m not ashamed of poverty
need to be making his life better
So think about it, think about it once more
cos life is a blessing and it’s not just a show, ah

Round and round the world is spinning around
We need to be singing a prayer, we need to be singing it now
Round and round the world is turning around
We need to be singing a prayer, we need to be singing it now
Need to be feeling the power, need to be feeling the faith
We need to coming together just to win this race
Need to be feeling the power, need to be feeling the faith
We need to coming together just to win this race (twice)

Round and round the world is spinning around
We need to be singing a prayer, we need to be singing it now
Round and round the world is turning around
We need to be singing a prayer, we need to be singing it now

Are you searching for a reason to be kind ?

Sixty Years of Independent...

I find the greatest strength of our country is Freedom.

I have traveled all over the world.

When you see Occupied countries like
Iraq and Palestine and the way their people suffer,
you learn to value and appreciate the joys of independence.
Yes, we have riots and violence here, but these are internal things.
We also have problems like Kashmir.
But, the greatest strength of Freedom is peace, and we need to celebrate that.
You can sleep peacefully with your family and not have to think
about a bomb falling on your house.
Similarly Freedom also gives you wider choice.
In a free country, you can express lot more in Music and Art.
- A.R.Rahman