AR Rahman Wins 2 Oscars

The first time I heard the songs of Roja, I knew my life and the lives of millions of Indians would never be the same again. Just listening to the song brought alive vignettes of every day life, joys, heartbreaks and everything basically. The music made you connect you with yourself. It made you want to cry. It made you want to sing. It made you want to dive into your inner depths with joy and revisit every moment that made your life worth living. That's just the kind of beginning A.R. Rahman brought alive on celluloid through his music. Time Magazine called the songs in Roja as one of the top 10 sound tracks of all times.

He didnt go the way many others did. He didnt swamp himself with people who praised him to the skies. He didnt go around showing off his newfound status. He didnt do anything but plunge more and more into music. In fact, Rahman has always stayed away from publicity. He has tried to be as 'invisible' as possible.

At the same time, Rahman revolutionized the music industry and did so much to introduce talented young musicians and instrumentalists. So many talented youngsters were not given a chance in the Southern industry till AR Rahman began introducing brilliant and fine artists. He introduced only the best and redefined their learning and career curves too. It is very unusual for people to do that in the cut-throat world of the film industry.

Today, when I see pictures of AR Rahman holding the two Oscars, talking about success with his characteristic modesty and smiling away with a shyness that is so innocent, I can only say, "God bless this wonderful person."

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