Bollywood wishes Rahman luck for Oscars

Music maestro A.R. Rahman has bagged two nominations at the 83rd Academy Awards for his work in Danny Boyle's127 Hours and the film frat is hoping that the composer triumphs again at the gala event.

His colleagues and friends wish him luck and are hoping he brings the golden statuette home again, having bagged two Oscars for the best original score and the song in 2009 for rags-to-riches drama Slumdog Millionaire. This time, Rahman has been nominated for the original score of 127 Hours as well as original song If I Rise.

'I feel great. I feel wonderful because Rahman is one person who has made us so proud and I am really, really happy. I wish him all the best,' said Rani Mukerji.

Actor-producer Arbaaz Khan said: 'That's a great achievement. The last time when he won the Oscar, it looked like one time dream. I wish him all the best. He is a true deserving candidate and pride of the country.'

'He had to get the nominations. He has already has two to his credit. He will continue getting them. He has already made India proud and would continue doing so. My best wishes are always with him,' said singer Udit Narayan.

Singer Kailash Kher said: 'I congratulate him and wish him all the best. Every year he should achieve more honours.'

'The whole country is proud of him. He is good, he is talented and I hope he delivers time and again. I am very happy. I wish him all the best,' actor Arshad Warsi said.

Composer Pritam Chakraborty said: 'I wish him luck. Anything you say about him is less. If you name a few pride of our country, he is one of them. I wish him all the best.'

'It's something to be proud of that an Indian has made a golden mark on the world map,' director Vishal Bhardwaj said.

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Danny Boyle's '127 Hours' releases on 26th January in India

After the phenomenal success of Slumdog Millionaire, Director Danny Boyle has once again teamed up with Fox Searchlight Pictures, producer Christian Colson, writer Simon Beaufoy & music maestro AR Rahman for an action drama starring James Franco. 

The film, called 127 Hours is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's (played by James Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. Throughout his journey, Ralston recalls friends, lovers (Clemence Poesy), family, and the two hikers (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara) he met before his accident. 

Over the next five days Ralston battles the elements and his own demons to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, descend a 65 foot wall and hike over eight miles before he is finally rescued. 

Told with a dynamic narrative structure, 127 Hours is a visceral, thrilling story that will take an audience on a never before experienced journey and prove what we can do when we choose life. 

After a hugely successful releases in the US & the UK, 127 Hours is slated for release in India on 26th January 2011.

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Aishwarya in A. R. Rahman’s ‘Changing Seasons’ [Video]

Age is just a number… And Aishwarya rai is a living proof to this adage. She truly is a timeless beauty. A R Rahman’s new song ‘Changing Seasons’ has Ash, mesmerizing us with her enchanting beauty..

Rahman released the song both in Hindi and Tamil keeping the video the same. It’s really gonna be a feast to the eyes for all Aishwarya’s fans. Those who missed watching the actress in Raavan, here is another chance to get a glimpse of her enchanting beauty.

The scenes in the video are taken from Raavan while the main video has the singer Rahman crooning Ud Ja Re.

Check the video and let us know what you feel about it…

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Ten reasons to watch Raavanan!

1. For Mani Ratnam fans, this one is reason enough, but for you sceptics out there, here are nine more! 

2. If you thought Iruvar, Roja and Bombay were Mani Ratnam's best, Raavan/ Raavanan is going to stun you! Says who? Just about everybody who has worked for the project! "Mani Ratnam has made this film like a penance. Mani Ratnam, Vikram and Aishwarya Rai will definitely get National Awards," said lyricist Vairamuthu.

3. Mani Ratnam's Raavanan is also special for its huge star cast: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Prithviraj, Karthik, Prabhu, Priyamani, Munna, John Vijay in Tamil and Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Govinda, Ravikissen, Priyamani, Nikhil Dwivedi in Hindi (Raavan).

4. Most parts of the movie were shot in deep interiors of dense forests. Our hero plays a tribal chief! 

5. Shyam Kaushal has choreographed the thrilling climax fight. "The shooting for Raavan began in January 2009 in Kolkata, then Ooty, and the climax was shot on Malsej Ghat, where there's a scene on bridges 2,000 feet above mountains. Mani loves challenges and likes challenging his actors and technicians too. His quest for perfection puts them through a grueling routine," he said. 

6. For the first time, Vikram simultaneously plays two diametrically different roles in two languages of the same film. Vikram play the role of Dev (Ram) in Hindi and Beera (Raavan) in Tamil. 

7. Aishwarya plays the role of Ragini, a spunky classical dance teacher. The first look of the movie shows her dancing gracefully in a song.

8. Interestingly, Aishwarya Rai will dub in her own voice for the Tamil version while Vikram is all set to speak Hindi in Raavan. 

9. Another highlight is Prabhu and Karthi, co-stars in the blockbuster Mani Ratnam movie Agni Natchathiram, they team up again for the same director after a long gap. 

10. A.R. Rahman's chart-busters, Vairamuthu's adorable lyrics, Santhosh Sivan's marvellous camera work and to top of all, 'The Mani Ratnam factor'. Well Raavanan is definitely one of the most-anticipated films of the year. So get ready for some action this Friday

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Raavan : Movie Review by Taran Adarsh

 RAAVAN is a king-sized disappointment, in terms of content. From the business point of view, a Mani Ratnam film might ensure a healthy opening [at plexes mainly], but the weak script on one hand and the heavy price tag on the other will make RAAVAN see red.

 

It's time for the modern-day version of 'Ramayana' to unfold this Friday, exactly two weeks after 'Mahabharata'. The very thought of watching an epic in the present-day milieu only enhances the curiosity for the film. And if the present-day adaptation of 'Ramayana' is helmed by a master storyteller [Mani Ratnam], the moviegoer should, and must expect the moon. Nothing less would suffice. After all, a Mani Ratnam film is not merely an experience, it's an event!

Mani Ratnam, who has penned the screenplay of RAAVAN, models his characters on the lines of 'Ramayana':

• An upright cop, the punisher, the law/Lord Rama [Vikram];
• His doting wife/Goddess Sita [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan];
• The lieutenant he befriends in the forest/Hanuman [Govinda];
• His confidante/Lakshmana [Nikhil Dwivedi];
• The antagonist's sister, who triggers off the war/Surpanakha [Priyamani]
• And, of course, the antagonist, the Robinhood turned Raavan who kidnaps the top cop's wife and keeps her in his custody, in his Lanka/Raavan [Abhishek Bachchan].

Mani Ratnam has also included the part where Goddess Sita was banished from the kingdom of Ayodhya due to the gossip of kingdom folk. It was agni pariksha then, but in the film, the husband [Vikram] asks the wife [Aishwarya] for a polygraph test to prove her chastity/fidelity. At the same time, RAAVAN brings back memories of a movie that, coincidentally, had a similar storyline -- JUNGLE [Ramgopal Varma]. 

You've come to expect scintillating visuals in the master film-maker's films and RAAVAN is no exception. But RAAVAN falters in narrating the story with dexterity. In fact, this one's a game of see-saw, with a dull and lifeless first hour, an absorbing second half and a weak, lacklustre climax.


Final word? RAAVAN comes with the baggage of humungous expectations, mainly for the one name attached to it: Mani Ratnam. Even though comparisons with the genius film-maker's earlier accomplishments like MOUNA RAAGAM, NAYAGAN, AGNI NAKSHATRAM, GEETHANJALI, ANJALI, ROJA, BOMBAY and GURU are sacrilegious since all belong to diverse genres, RAAVAN is nowhere close to those epics. The benchmarks only get higher and higher every time Mani Ratnam makes a film and RAAVAN, unfortunately, is a step down. Sorry, several steps down!


Dev [Vikram] falls in love with Ragini [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan], a spunky classical dancer who is as unconventional as him. They get married and he takes up his new post in Lal Maati, a small town in northern India. A town where the world of law is not the police, but Beera [Abhishek Bachchan], a tribal who has, over the years, shifted the power equation of the place from the ruling to the have-nots of the area.


Dev knows that the key to bringing order to any place is not to vanquish the big fish; in this case -- Beera. In one stroke Dev manages to rip open Beera's world and set in motion a change of event which will claim lives. Beera, injured but enraged, hits back, starting a battle that draws Dev, Beera and Ragini into the jungle. The forest becomes the battleground. The battle between good and evil, between Dev and Beera, between Ram and Raavan.


Mani Ratnam's adaptation of 'Ramayana' begins with the wife getting kidnapped and her husband launching a massive hunt to track down his wife and nail Raavan aka Beera. The reason why Beera takes this extreme step is revealed much, much later, towards the post-interval portions, which means that Mani Ratnam follows the nonlinear pattern to narrate his story.


Let's talk about the factors that pull this film down. First and foremost, when you've a title like RAAVAN, the demon king, who couldn't be vanquished by Gods, demons or spirits, you expect Raavan aka Beera to be equally powerful, who could send a chill down your spine, who spells terror and fear. But, in RAAVAN, Beera comes across as a psycho. The streak of madness in his character makes a mockery of the character itself.


Also, his makeup and also the shabby avtaars of his family/henchmen is not something that makes them looks menacing. In fact, it makes the entire gang look repulsive.


Even the finale leaves a lot to be desired. Ideally, the film should've ended after the fight on the bridge, but the entire track thereafter seems like an add-on, which is forced into the screenplay. Ash having a change of heart for Abhishek is equally unpalatable and makes you wonder, how and when did she develop such strong feelings/emotions for Beera? The writing is flawed, no two opinions on that!


On the plus side, the track, which starts from Nikhil's kidnap to the entire flashback portion, is attention grabbing. The factors that prompt Beera to spell havoc in Dev's life are apt, although Beera's sister's portions, while narrating the atrocities committed on her, aren't easy to comprehend in entirety. What was she trying to say, frankly? Yet, the impact of the flashback portions is worth noting.


The fight on the bridge -- between Abhishek and Vikram -- is astounding. One hasn't watched something like this on the Hindi screen yet, I'm sure. In fact, the execution of each and every stunt [Shyam Kaushal, Peter Hein] is exceptional. Every Mani Ratnam film is embellished with stunning visuals and RAAVAN boasts of mind-boggling visuals as well. Shooting the film at tough locales isn't easy and Santosh Sivan and V. Manikandan's vision creates magic on screen. Every frame is worth admiring and applauding.


A.R. Rahman's music is excellent and the visual appeal only enhances the impact. I'd like to single out 'Behne De' and 'Thok De Killi', two tracks that I'd like to hum even after the show has concluded. In fact, the latter is very energetic in terms of choreography. Vijay Krishna Acharya's dialogue hit you like a sharp object at times, which is in sync with the mood of the film.


I've admired Abhishek's work in Mani Ratnam's earlier films YUVA and GURU, but despite putting his best foot forward, for some strange, inexplicable reason, Abhishek doesn't look convincing for the part. Also, the dialogue delivered by him aren't coherent at times. Aishwarya is wonderful, looking ethereal and enacting her part with conviction. Vikram is first-rate, although the role isn't substantial enough. Govinda fails to create any impact whatsoever. Amongst the plethora of actors, Nikhil Dwivedi [a revelation; very good], Ravi Kishan [nice] and Priyamani [perfect] stand out.


On the whole, RAAVAN is a king-sized disappointment, in terms of content. From the business point of view, a Mani Ratnam film might ensure a healthy opening [at plexes mainly], but the weak script on one hand and the heavy price tag on the other will make RAAVAN see red.

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Rahman Wants to Use Music to Unite

AR Rahman, who after doing India proud with his double victory at both the Oscars and the Grammies, is set to promote love and unity through his music because it his belief that Islam has been hijacked by extremists. 

Allah Rakha (AR) Rahman, who was earlier called Dileep Kumar, expressed that Islam had a rich musical tradition. He reveals that Islam appealed to him because it was a religion based on unconditional love and a belief in one God and one love. He admits to being specifically drawn to Sufism. 

The 44-year-old musician clarified that Islam doesn’t forbid music, as contrary to what fundamentalists popularize. He states that he never skips prayers as it is his reprieve from tension and it gives him hope that God is with him. He wants to work to create music that will bring people together. 

Some of his best-known works like the soundtrack from Slumdog Millionaire, Elizabeth: the Golden Age, the hit musical Bollywood Dreams, and some of his landmark Indian films, such as Lagaan and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na willl be performed at The London Philharmonic. His concert next week is part of his mission to unite people through music. 

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‘Raavana' to release in July?

Mani Ratnam is currently busy with his big budget bilingual film titled ‘Raavana’ in Tamil and ‘Raavan’ in Hindi, is said to hit the theatres in July.

Earlier, there were reports that a 90-second trailer of the Hindi version would be launched soon. But now, the film will hit the theatres in July. Mani Ratnam plans to release the film simultaneously in Hindi and Tamil.

According to the sources, Mani is working overtime to finish the film by July. However, he decided to re-shoot a couple scenes he was not too satisfied with. With the re-shoot, Mani now feels that ‘Raavana’ has come out very well.

‘Raavana’ is said to be the modern adaptation of the Hindu epic ‘Ramayana,’ which revolves around Raavana, the ruler of Lanka. The story ends with Sita supporting Raavana instead of Rama, who suspects her virtue after having spend much time in Raavana’s custody.

Vikram is playing the villain. Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai are the lead pair in Hindi, while Vikram will star opposite Aishwarya in Tamil. The music is given by A.R. Rahman.

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Rahman wins two Grammy awards

The music composer A R Rahman won two awards at the 52nd Grammy Awards, he has also won two awards before for his Oscar winning movie Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman won the first Grammy Award before the show, at the Staples Center. He got the best compilation soundtrack for the category of motion picture. Jai Ho won the best motion picture song later.

Rahman said, “This is insane, god is great again”. The people nominated along with Rahman in the soundtrack category were Steve Jordan for Cadillac Records, Quentin Tarantino for Inglorious Bastard, and the producers of True Blood and Twilight. In the category of best song, Rahman has beaten people like Bruce Springsteen for his song The Wrestler for his Oscar nominated movie The Wrestler.

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A.R. Rahman gets honorary doctorate

Following his two Oscars, it is the third doctorate for him

Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Chandrayaan project director M. Annadurai were on Saturday (August 1) conferred with honorary doctorates by Anna University in Chennai.

Governor and university chancellor Surjit Singh Barnala gave away the honourary degrees at a special convocation.

The degrees were conferred on Rahman and Annadurai for their achievements in the realm of music and space technology respectively and on Stalin for his contribution to the state's administration, Anna University Vice Chancellor P. Mannar Jawahar said.

This is the third doctorate for Rahman after he won two Oscars for Hollywood movie "Slumdog Millionaire". The first was from Aligarh Muslim University and the second from London's Middlesex University.

This is the first honourary doctorate conferred on Stalin, 56, a graduate of Madras University.

Honorary doctorates from Tamil Nadu universities are normally given to chief ministers of the state with incumbent M. Karunanidhi, as also M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalitha who have previously occupied the post, among the major politicians to have been conferred the honour while in power.
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'Jai Ho, MJ!' says Rahman

"Jai Ho, MJ!" said Oscar winner A.R. Rahman, for whom pop legend Michael Jackson symbolised limitless energy, perfection and vision, while the death of his "role model" has left dancing star Prabhu Deva numb.

"MJ, for most of our generation, was an icon who made uncompromising music. He pushed the milestone of pop music to unbelievable levels through the 80s and 90s. I am yet to find an artist with that energy, perfection and vision," said Rahman, who had recently met the pop superstar following the Oscar awards.

"I met him personally after the Oscars in Los Angeles and we vibed very well. He said that he loved India and the Indian people. He said he heard good things about me and he was praising the chord progression of 'Jai Ho's' chorus.

"He was bursting with energy and told me that every dance move he did came from his soul and did a five second stunning example. It was like a lightning strike," the composer recalled.

"He was concerned about developmental issues such as global warming and about wars and its damages to the human community. He asked me to compose a unity anthem on the likes of 'We are the World' for him. I nodded in awe ...!" Rahman added.

"I remember my late sound engineer Sridhar had brought me a video of the premiere of 'Remember the Time' when I was recording 'Kadal Rojave' for my first movie Roja. Seeing it inspired all of us that afternoon," he said.

In a philosophical note, Rahman concluded his condolence statement: "Life is short..! Artists and their art live for ever. Jai Ho, MJ ! We love you for your music, regardless of all the controversies!"

The 50-year-old singing sensation died Thursday following a cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles, leaving millions of his fans around the world stunned.
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Oscar 2009 Winners, And the oscar goes to.....

Actress in a Leading Role- Kate Winslet

Movie: 'The Reader'

Actor in a Leading Role- Sean Penn Movie: 'Milk'

Directing- Danny Boyle Movie: 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Foreign Language Film- Departures (Japanese) Director: Yojiro Takita

Best Picture- Slumdog Millionaire Producer: Christian Colson

Music (SONG)- Slumdog Millionaire (Song-'Jai Ho') Music: A.R.Rahman Lyrics: Gulzar

Music (SCORE)- Slumdog Millionaire (Song-'Jai Ho') Music: A.R.Rahman

Film Editing- Slumdog Millionaire Editor: Chris Dickens

Sound Mixing- Slumdog Millionaire Sounds: Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty

Sound Editing The Dark Knight Sound Editing: Richard King

Visual Effects The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Visual Effects Team: Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron

Documentary Short Smile Pinki Director and Producer: Megan Mylan

Documentary Feature Man on Wire Directors : James Marsh and Simon Chinn

Actor in a Supporting Role Heath Ledger Movie : Dark Knight

Short Film (Live Action) Spielzeugland (Toyland) Director : Jochen Alexander Freydank

Cinematography Slumdog Millionaire Cinematography : Anthony Dod Mantle

Makeup Greg Cannom Movie : The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Costume Design Michael O'Connor Movie : The Duchess

Art Direction Donald Graham Burt (Art Direction); Victor J. Zolfo (Set Decoration) Movie : The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Short Film (Animated) La Maison en Petits Cubes Japanese Animator : Kunio Kato

Animated Feature Film WALL-E Director : Andrew Stanton

Writing (Adapted Screenlay) Simon Beaufoy Movie : Slumdog Millionaire

Writing (Original Screenlay) Dustin Lance Black Movie : Milk

Actress in Supporting Role Penelope Cruz Movie : Vicky Christina Barcelona

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