"Ulagamellam engal tamil paatu!
Nilavu saaindhada enna rate??
Western engaluku vilayattu!!No Problem!!"
(The World resounds with our tamil songs!!
What is the bet for the moon to dance to it??
Western music is child's play for us!!No Problem)

These lines from "No Problem" in "Lovebirds" underline the significance of Allah Rakha Rahman in the world of Indian music.
In the late 1980s,Indian cine music was steeped in outdated and blase sounds.People were ready to write an epitaph for the Indian music industry.Even the great Ilayaraja's albums were selling in mere thousands.Then the sun rose in "Chinna Chinna Aasai" in "Roja".The sunrise was symbolic of a musical transition.The baton was silently passed from Ilayaraja to Rahman."Aatha" to "Humma".Maniratnam was laughed at for giving up the Midas of his earlier films-Ilayaraja(Think of "Anjali","Thalapathy","Nayagan" etc)- for this new gold merchant known for some ad jingles."Roja" happened.Rahman became an overnight star nationwide.The new sounds of "Rukkumani" enthralled fans all over.Rahman won the national award that year.Think of Sachin being dropped from the team and his replacement coming into the stadium with loud boos.Think what would happen if the replacement hits six sixers in the first six deliveries of his career!!Maniratnam was having the last laugh.
Then Rahman teamed with a youngster chock full of commercial stories with social relevance.Shankar's "Gentleman" was another revelation."Chikku Bukku Rayile" was the youth anthem of early 1990s."Thiruda Thiruda" with Maniratnam was full of international sounds.Music unheard in Indian films.Audio cassettes started selling in groves.Audio release functions which were hitherto mere rituals became an important part of the film's promotion.Music became the lifeline of the movies.
"Pettai rap","Mukkala muqabla" and "Urvasi" gave the right platform for Prabhu Deva to burst into Tamil cinema with breathtaking choreography."Pettai Rap" became the catchword of 1994."Bombay" sold a record 5 million cassettes-the combined sale of 50 Ilayaraja films.With "Rangeela",he burst into direct hindi films."Minsara Kanavu" fetched him another national award.
Then came "Vande Matharam".Some purists dissed it.But patriotism could be fed to youngsters only this way.The 50th year of independence saw this lovely musical tribute to India by Rahman.Full of passion and energy,this is the perennial favourite for all independence day occasions.August 15.Switch on your tv.Tune in to your favourite radio station.Go to the Parade grounds where your whole city will be celebrating the day with fervour.There will be one voice and one voice only.The Voice of Rahman singing "Maa Thuje Salaam".
The same year saw the best friendship song in tamil cinema.No one expected Vineeth and Abbas,two nondescript heroes,to feature in the best friendship song video.That is the power of "Musthafa Musthafa".Anyone who has passed out from college will sob after hearing this song.Many music directors are trying to get in their own replacement for "musthafa".Alas!it is yet to happen!!
"Dil Se" released in 1998."Chaiyya chaiyya" became a big chartbuster.The stunning visuals atop the Ooty train,sizzling Mallika Arora and fantastic choreography gelled together to give the only song in Bollywood which has a separate article in Wikipedia.
Then a group of new music directors tried to steal the Rahman place.Harris,Yuvan,Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy,Pritam...The list goes on.Rahman,unmindful of them,went global.He composed for the musical theatrical "Bombay Dreams" produced by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.It was enacted on Broadway.
TIME magazine called him the "Mozart Of Madras"."His songs were recognizably Indian but paraded a world of musical influences, from raga to reggae, from Broadway to Ennio Morricone, with each tune heightening the film's drama",TIME magazine noted.His "Roja" featured in the top 10 albums of all time.He started appearing in the list of 100 most selling international artists.He became the first Indian to appear on the cover of "Rolling Stones".
"Lagaan" was called "a gripping musical" by the Academy Awards Committee."Yeh jo des hai" struck a chord with NRIs all over the world."Chaiyya Chaiyya" was used in the title credits of the Hollywood flick "Inside Man".He composed music for "The Lord Of The Rings" theatre production.The theme music in "Bombay" was used in "Lord Of War".2 tracks from "Rang De Basanti" and one from "Water" were shortlisted for 2007 Academy Awards but just could not make it.He has done international concerts in Singapore,Australia,Dubai,USA,Malaysia,Canada and UK.He is the Indian ambassador for the global campaign against TB(an undertaking of WHO).He has won 23 filmfare awards,6 state awards and 4 national awards.He has been conferred the "Padma Shri"...............
So who the hell started comparin Rahman with the likes of Harris Jeyaraj?Harris has done 2 extraordinary albums(Minnale,VA).His claim to posterity ends there.Rahman is the one-stop for music whose mediocre albums were far better than the general fare dished out by others.Folk,yes.(Kizhakku Cheemayile,Karuthamma,Maduraiku Pogadhadi)..Rap,yes(Taxi Taxi,Dating)..Adrenaline pumping intro songs,yes(Oruvan oruvan,Ella pugazhum),Jazz,yes(jillunu oru kadhal,hello mr.edhirkatchi),Qawwali,yes(Khwaja mere Khwaja),ad jingles,yes(airtel).....The list is endless...
This BBBIIIGGG article has been written in response to many imbeciles who are writing Rahman off.He may look off colour to some.But many chartbusters of 2008 are his.."Kabhi Kabhi","Tu meri DostHain","Gujarish","Azeem o Shansahenshah","Khwaja mere Khwaja","Jashn e bahaara","Behka","Taxi Taxi"....
He has been nominated for the "Golden Globe Award" for "Slumdog millionaire" which has been winning critics' awards all over USA in film festivals.Let the Harris Jeyarajs of music industry rule here.Rahman!U go and conquer the world!!!
By
A Passionate Rahmaniac From Birth(umesh)