Oscarization of Rahman!

Respected Brother

Sadar Charan Sparsh

Not one but two Indians share three oscars this year! It must be a great feeling for the Resul and Rahman of Slumdog Millionaire. I am happy for them, not becuase they achieved the oscar but more for the recognition of their talent. as someone said that Jay ho and the score of Slumdog is not what has been the best from Rahman himself, I would rather put Vande Mataram as his pinnacle- the music moves you and probably more so as it was enacted so very well at Nirmala College of Muvattapuzha more than a year ago when we went their for Awareness program. I had recorded the brilliant performance by the students of the college and till date I feel that they had performed extraordinarily, if I had not lost my digital camera at Cochin airport or enroute to Mumbai that day, I would have proved my point. I wish someone from the college could put it on Youtibe or send me a copy- that would be a great service to me.

Coming back to Rahman - I think his best number I like other than the Vande mataram is - Dil hai chhota sa chhoti si asha- Oh it is very catchy tune! I might have had an oipinion of Rahman that his music is too similar to his own previous pieces - yet Vande Mataram was quite different and great work! If he had got an oscar for that it would have been more understandable atleast to me. Yet a recognition at the highest level - Yes, I do consider despite all my writings against Slumdog and my reservations about the film - that yes it matters a great deal to win an Oscar- it is not the only milestone that one could achieve yet a big honor for anyone in any category.

The two awards that have come for Rahman are actually big awards- lot of people in the world would come to know of Indian musician winning two Oscars- I naturally assume that many would also go a bit further and find out more for India’s music and musicians- They might also go on to discover Naushad and Sachin Dev Burman and they may also realize how the world has been so apathetic to the Indian recognition at Oscars.

The victory for Slumdog is not an Indian victory - however well crafted the slumdog millionaire could be, when I have formed an opinion of it as an anti-India or rather displaying India in too poor a light, I will not go and watch the movie even if brother (Amitabh Bachchan) asks me to join him! It is not to display my strong adamant behaviour or apathy for the film, I somehow can not like india to be shown in poor light when in fact it is actually moving ahead in rapid strides in almost every field! I think India is truly a country that has not been affected too seriously by the Recession!

I think I have been too rigid in my stand (on slumdog!) - whatever be the reason, mai aisa hi hoon, jo achcha lage to apna lo jo bura lage to jaane do.

If I do not congratulate the two Indians at oscar it would be unbecoming of me!

CONGRATULATIONS RAHMAN AND RASOOL FOR WINNING THREE OSCARS. WE ARE PROUD OF YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS. DANNY BOYLE AND THE TEAM SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE ALSO DESERVE A PAT ON THE BACK FOR EIGHT OSCARS FOR THEIR EFFORTS!

Abhaya Sharma, India February 23 2009 11:59 AM

Post Script: I found that on day 306 some other Abhaya Sharma has surfaced, please do not confuse me with him, I have wanted to be short in my communications to you but have never achieved to be so short, and the remarks what you think of SM are completely contradictory to my standing on the movie- I would not be able to watch the movie even if you take me along with you to the best theatre, not that it would not be a good movie but probably as it wrongly shows the kind of life our slums actually live!