Three-time National Film Award winner, Madhur Bhandarkar welcomes the global recognition that has come for musician AR Rahman
What is your view of "Slumdog Millionaire’s" worldwide success?
This is expected. Though the film is directed by a British Director, Danny Boyle, the star cast is from India. Music is scored by our own legendary AR Rahman. Most of the production team is from India and the film was shot completely in India. So, we have popular faces like Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Saurabh Shukla and Mahesh
Manjrekar in the movie. When four Golden Globe awards, 11 BAFTA and 10 Oscar nomination type of international recognition comes, people certainly go gaga about it. It’s natural. Because, we Indians are sentimental people and we always look towards West for recognition.
Does it mean Oscar is the ultimate stamp of cinematic excellence in world cinema?
In commercial and popular sense, yes, but in the artistic sense no. Forget about the controversies and forget about the `Indian slums and poverty sell in the West’ theory. For the first time our own Rahman has been nominated for three Oscar awards. That itself is a great honour.
Would you rate the background music of "Slumdog Millionaire" as AR Rahman’s all time best?
No, I am not saying that. Rahman would have got the Oscars at least eight to ten years ago. He is a genius and God of cinematic music world. The Mozart of Madras has scored much more melodious back scores. If you go through his career, from Roja to Ghajini, he has scored many memorable and heart wrenching original back ground scores. Today, he is the world's topmost music composer. I am sorry to say but it took long time for global recognition to come and fall into his lap. At last the so-called West has recognised his talent through "Slumdog Millionaire" and he truly deserves that award. No doubt about that.....Continue
What is your view of "Slumdog Millionaire’s" worldwide success?
This is expected. Though the film is directed by a British Director, Danny Boyle, the star cast is from India. Music is scored by our own legendary AR Rahman. Most of the production team is from India and the film was shot completely in India. So, we have popular faces like Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Saurabh Shukla and Mahesh
Manjrekar in the movie. When four Golden Globe awards, 11 BAFTA and 10 Oscar nomination type of international recognition comes, people certainly go gaga about it. It’s natural. Because, we Indians are sentimental people and we always look towards West for recognition.Does it mean Oscar is the ultimate stamp of cinematic excellence in world cinema?
In commercial and popular sense, yes, but in the artistic sense no. Forget about the controversies and forget about the `Indian slums and poverty sell in the West’ theory. For the first time our own Rahman has been nominated for three Oscar awards. That itself is a great honour.
Would you rate the background music of "Slumdog Millionaire" as AR Rahman’s all time best?
No, I am not saying that. Rahman would have got the Oscars at least eight to ten years ago. He is a genius and God of cinematic music world. The Mozart of Madras has scored much more melodious back scores. If you go through his career, from Roja to Ghajini, he has scored many memorable and heart wrenching original back ground scores. Today, he is the world's topmost music composer. I am sorry to say but it took long time for global recognition to come and fall into his lap. At last the so-called West has recognised his talent through "Slumdog Millionaire" and he truly deserves that award. No doubt about that.....Continue
