Thanks a lot. I have to share soemthing.. One of my cousin's classmates had actually got a similar call-up from ARR for a trial. She was just at the end of 11th Std. guess what ? She & her family decided to concentrate on studies !!! and so denied AR's request :)) This happened several years bk.. but still makes me think what a foolish decision it was....
On Sun, Aug 10, 2008 at 1:57 PM, Madhavan Rajan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > I just saw a program called "Ninaivalaigal" (Memories) in Jaya TV. > Singer Karthik was the chief guest and was asked to share his memories in > his musical career. I'm sharing below whatever he said that is related to > ARR... > > "I was doing my college. I used to be a participant in IIT Sarang. I'm a > crazy Rahman fan". Interviewer asks "So did you think that you have to > somehow get a chance and sing for Rahman". Karthik replied, "No No...I just > wanted to see him atleast once...I was such a crazy fan. I used to call the > studios so many times and usually the studio manager or someone picks and > keeps the phone...It was one of my cousin who was close to singer srinivas > who got me that golden opportunity to meet Rahman...It was purely by God's > grace. When I met him, he asked " Do you sing? " and I said yes and sang a > song in front of him. He then immediately said, "You have a nice voice. why > don't you choose singing as your career". That was the moment, I left > everything else and again started practising daily. I was so happy to hear > that from him. But I didn't get a chance immediately. It was an interesting > incident and unforgettable even now - The opportunity that I got to sing for > Rahman...That day was one of my friends birthday...So we a gang of friends > went out to a snooker parlour and decided to spend till midnight and give a > surprise birthday gift to our friend...Those days Cellphones were not that > popular and only one of our friend had...Rahmanji was looking for some fresh > voices to do a chorus and Singer Srinivas was trying to reach Tippu, Harish > Raghavendra, Gopalrao etc...When he couldn't get hold of one of them he > tried reaching my home number...My mom was trying to reach my friend's cell > phone but unfortunately couldn't reach as the signal was so poor in the > snooker parlour...Srinivas had atleast tried 8 times to my home and my mom > started literally crying because she knows how much interest I was showing > towards singing...It was at 11:45 when we came upstairs, after 3.5 hours, i > got to attend my mom's call and came to know about the call from the > studio..I took my bike and rushed to the studio...I saw Javed Akthar sir for > the first time...The movie was Pukar and I had to sing with the chorus with > Tippu, Harish, and Dr.Narayan. That was my first recording and it just > happened in 30 mins and at around 1.00 am, I'm home...I couldn't just > beleive that I did a recording in Rahmanji's studio...I told all my friends > but no one beleived...Unfortunately, that song in Pukar didn't release. > (Does anybody know anything about this unreleased song?) Then I used to > regularly do some chorus with Tippu and Harish and I was singing Chorus for > 1 year. Rahman always gets confused in identifying Tippu and me. He always > thought I'm Tippu...One day during a chorus session, Rahman said, "You...the > guy without spectacles, you stay there...others come out". That was me. I > know he is going to ask me to sing. I thought this is the opportunity and i > have to prove myself else pack my bags and go back to studies...He asked to > sing a sad alaap.. I was singing and he was guiding by playing the > chords...He wanted more cry in the alaap and I just forgot myself and > started singing continuously, closing my eyes...After a while, I opened my > eyes to see everyone laughing...Rahman had already standing next to me and > said "Good Job. You did well". Next day, he asked me to come to the studio > for a track. He said he is going to try something and also said if it works > well, he will use it. That was the song for the movie Jodi and the song is > "Nendhukittaen Nendhukittaen". I was nervous but Rahman has a special > capability. He knows what technique to use to extract the work from the > singers. He sets the right mood to each singer. He started cutting jokes > with me and made me really comfortable before recording the song..It took me > 45 minutes to complete the song. After the recording, he said, it's good, > let's see, if it works out, we will use it...This is how I got my first > break with Rahman... > > The "Girl Friend" song in boys was really interesting. While working with > Rahman, you will never know how the song will come out but this is the one > song that every one of us knew that it's gonna rock...When I started > recording this song, Rahman interrupted and said, "I want you to sing in a > "Blues" feel". I smiled and said, "I don't know blues, please guide me" Then > he started singing it for me...He said think a saxaphone and deliver the > words like a saxaphone....It was interesting. > > One interesting thing is that the first recording that I did for Rahman > (for Pukar) and the first recording that I did for Ilayaraja (for Kadhal > Jodhi) never released! > > Interviewer asks, "You need to sing in the night while working for Rahman. > Doesn't it feel uncomfortable?" > Karthik: "Michael Jackson says that he is going to meet you at 3 AM. Will > you tell him, "No, come at 6:00PM". I know what you are trying to ask. If > you like a work and you have commitment to do that work, these things > doesn't matter at all. It's all about the passion that makes you work, be it > any time". > > After A R Rahman, I owe to Harris who had given me some good breaks.... > > and he starts sharing his memories with other composers... > > Thanks, > Madhavan.R > > PS: I just thought of sharing this and if you anyone feels it's to be > boring, I'm really sorry ;-) > > > > -- Cheers, Pradeepan. "All you need to do is, decide what to do with the time that is given to you !"
