The time now is Tue 07 Sep, 2010 08:30
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 'Rahman's become overconfident' Vinita Chaturvedi, TNN, Sep 3, 2010, 12.00am IST <>var facebookktitle='\'Rahman\'s become overconfident\'';var facebooksyn='With everyone panning AR Rahman\'s CWG song, Sukhwinder Singh, who sang the Oscar-Grammy winning song for the maestro, hints at the real cause behind the disaster...'; It's unfortunate indeed! The man, who was getting standing ovations almost every other day, is now the butt of sneers, jeers and admonishing remarks from different quarters of society.
Oscar and Grammy winning composer A R Rahman, would be a baffled man, with his CWG song being trashed by all and sundry. With barely a month to go for the games, this is such a sad scenario! But, what exactly went wrong with the genius, who has given the world some real superlative compositions? Is it just a one -off incident, like Sachin Tendulk ar being out at zero? Sukhwinder Singh, the man, who has given some of the biggest hit songs like Chaiyya chaiyya & Jai Ho with Rahman, speaks his mind...
Verbal diarrhoea?
Sukhi, who has closely worked with the maverick composer, is "quite upset with the flak coming Rahman's way," but he candidly adds: "Sometime back, I read Rahman's interview where he said that 'the CWG theme song would be better than Shakira's Waka Waka!' I had wondered then if this is really the Rahman that I've known, who was very humble and would never praise his own creations so blatantly. At that time I felt that Rahman's become overconfident because a genius never speaks, only his work does the talking!"
'Gulzar ki yaad nahin aayi?'
Those, who have heard the song, are going hammer and tongs against the absurd lyrics of the song. Words like yaaro India bula liya...khelo jeeyo e-yo, they claim, sound rather juvenile and don't even represent an iota of Indian culture, colours and grandeur. One wonders how could an Oscar-winning composer present such a shallow song to showcase his country to the world? To this Sukhwinder says: "Whenever Rahman won a major award, there was a teamwork that supported his endeavour. There was poetic excellence and singers' contribution, which added life to his music. Usse Gulzar saab ki yaad kyun nahin aayi? After all, Jai Ho was his poetic contribution!"
'He can't sing every song!'
If the words of the theme song are being run down with a vengeance, the singing quality of Rahman's voice has also not gone too well with the masses as well as classes. Sukhi defends his friend, saying: "Rahman sings well, but he can't render all kinds of songs. His voice has certain limitations, so he should have got someone else to sing the song!" Ask him if the composer has become a victim of people's overexpectations, and he says: "People's appreciation is the biggest award and it's instant! So, it's not about overexpectations! Rahman's avoiding a small wound now, which can later became a major catastrophe!"
'Sad moment!'
Reports mention that Sukhwinder has also lent his voice for the CWG song. To this, the singer says: "I don't even know when or where it was recorded. But, honestly speaking, it's a sad moment for me! Earlier, I would have been proud to even sing a line with Rahman, but today, I'm giving statements that I have nothing to do with it! And I'm sure Rahman would be upset too because it's a professional setback for him. I really want to sit with him and have a lengthy chat, seedhe dil se!"
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http://www.independentfilm.com/resources/SUNDANCE-INSTITUTE-COMPOSERS-LAB-2007.shtml SIX MUSICIANS SELECTED FOR THE 2007 SUNDANCE INSTITUTE COMPOSERS LAB10th Annual Composers Lab Features Wide Range of Musical Talent from Jazz and Electronic to Vocalists, Violinists and Banjo Players10th Annual Composers Lab Features Wide Range of Musical Talent from Jazz and Electronic to Vocalists, Violinists and Banjo Players Los Angeles, CA and Park City, UT – Today, Sundance Institute announced the six musicians selected for the 10th Annual Sundance Institute Composers Lab, which runs from July 24 thru August 9 in Sundance, Utah. This year’s Composers Lab Fellows are Jeremy Flower, Derrick Hodge, Shahzad Ali Ismaily, Enis Rotthoff, Gingger Shankar, and Jeff Toyne. During this two-week intensive lab, Fellows participate in workshops and creative exercises under the guidance of the industry’s leading film composers and film music professionals. The Composers Lab Fellows also collaborate with filmmakers from the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and the Sundance Institute Documentary Program to explore the process of writing music for film and to create accompanying scores for scenes shot during the Feature Film Program’s Directors Lab and those workshopped through the Documentary Program’s Edit and Storytelling Lab. The Composers Lab is a major component of the Sundance Institute Film Music Program, dedicated to supporting emerging film composers and to enhancing the role of music in independent film. First offered from 1986-1989, the Composers Lab was re-introduced in the summer of 1998 to provide a collaborative and supportive environment in which composers experiment and expand their musical language. "Music is a vital part of filmmaking, but young filmmakers don't have many opportunities to learn about film music until they're in the hot seat. This Lab provides a unique opportunity for emerging composers and filmmakers to work together in an atmosphere that encourages experimentation," said Peter Golub, Director, Sundance Institute Film Music Program. "This year's Fellows represent an extraordinary range of musical styles and genres. By choosing composers from widely different musical backgrounds, some of whom have not had a great deal of experience in film, we're hoping to enliven the field of film composition. We're very excited about the work we'll be doing in our 10th Composers Lab and the impact we will have on the Fellows from the Directors Lab and the Documentary Program.” Over the past 10 years, the Composers Lab has paired emerging and established composers with filmmakers participating in the Sundance Institute Feature Film and Documentary Film Programs. The Lab brings composers and filmmakers together to provide talented composers with first-hand experience composing for film, while simultaneously enhancing the musical understanding of independent filmmakers. Over the past 10 years, Fellows have included Tyler Bates (DAWN OF THE DEAD), Camara Kambon (DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN), Jonathan Bepler (CREMASTER) and Andreas Kapsalis (BLACK GOLD, winner of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema Documentary). In addition to their work with filmmakers from the Feature Film and Documentary Film Programs, Composers Lab Fellows will work under the mentorship of noted Creative Advisors, a distinguished group of film composers, filmmakers, and film industry professionals. This year, Creative Advisors include film composers Jeff Beal (POLLACK, MONK); George S. Clinton (AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY, JOE SOMEBODY, A DIRTY SHAME); Osvaldo Golijov (ST. MARK PASSION, YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH); James Newton Howard (BLOOD DIAMOND, THE VILLAGE); Graeme Revell (SIN CITY, GRINDHOUSE) and Harry Gregson-Williams (NARNIA, THE NUMBER 23). Other Creative Advisors include director Lawrence Kasdan (MUMFORD, THE BIG CHILL); Paul Broucek (President, Music at New Line Cinema); music supervisor Tracy McKnight (THE GROOMSMEN, WORDPLAY, FRIENDS WITH MONEY); film music agent Robert Messinger (First Artists); Doreen Ringer Ross (Vice-President, Film/TV Relations at BMI); cellist Maya Beiser, percussionist Steven Schick, and sound artist Shahrokh Yadegari (THE CHILDREN OF HERAKLES). The Fellows for the 2007 Sundance Institute Composers Lab are: JEREMY FLOWER
Jeremy is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music and an active member of the underground electronic music world in Boston and New York. He has worked with Gustavo Santaolalla, David Krakauer, the Kronos Quartet and others. He collaborated with composer Osvaldo Golijov on his Grammy Award winning score Ayre, featuring Dawn Upshaw and on Golijov's score for the new Francis Ford Coppola film, YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH.
DERRICK HODGE
A noted jazz bassist, Derrick has performed and recorded with Terence Blanchard, Mulgrew Miller, Clark Terry, Mos Def, Sade and others. He has also assisted Terence Blanchard in composing a number of film scores, including She Hate Me, Waist Deep and Inside Man.
SHAHZAD ALI ISMAILY
Shahzad plays guitar, banjo, double bass, accordion, flute and percussion. He has performed and recorded with Laurie Anderson, Booker T, John Haskell, Will Oldham, Marc Ribot, Tom Waits, John Zorn, and others. He composed for dance companies such as Tadashi Endo, The Frankfurt Ballet, and Min Tanaka. Self-taught as a musician, he has a degree in Biochemistry.
ENIS ROTTHOFF
Hailing from Germany, Enis composed music for Digging for Belladonna, Quiet Love, Smiling Monster Fish, and others. He assisted Academy Award-winning composer Jan A.P. Kaczmarek on Finding Neverland, Unfaithful and Quo Vadis. He is the recipient of the Scholarship for Young Composers at the Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain in Berlin.
GINGGER SHANKAR
A vocalist/violinist/composer from a renowned family of musicians, Gingger plays her own invention, the 1-string stereophonicDouble Violin, and has toured with Peter Gabriel and Frank Zappa. She also composed and performed vocals and violin music on The Passion of the Christ and Born Into Brothels. She is the recipient of the World Peace Music Award.
JEFF TOYNE
Jeff's feature film credits include The Third Eye (2007), a dark psychological thriller; Shadow in the Trees (2007), a sentimental thriller featuring the voices of Canada’s premier women’s choir, Elektra; Midnight is Coming (2002), an urban drama with Ethiopian overtones; and Maxwell’s Demon (1998), a film noir in the crime jazz tradition. Among his other film credits Mr. Toyne counts over thirty short films, including two Academy Award nominees. He was one of eight musicians recently selected from across North America to write new film music for the Victoria Symphony’s Reel Music 2 concert competition (February 2007). His score for the Buster Keaton film clip, Steamboat Bill Jr. won Best Score in the Action-Comedy category.
The Sundance Institute Composers Lab receives major support from BMI and The Baisely Powell Elebash Fund, which helps support New York-based Lab Fellows and Creative Advisors; the 2007 Elebash Composers include Shahzad Ali Ismaily and Tracy McKnight. Additional support for the 2007 Composers Lab is generously provided by Alesis, Apple, Hewlett Packard, H.P. Marketing, JBL Professional, LaCie, Mackie, Mark of the Unicorn, Sony Business and Professional Products Company, Sony Media, Soundcraft, Tascam, Volkswagen and Yamaha. SUNDANCE INSTITUTE
Founded by Robert Redford in 1981 in the mountains of Sundance, Utah, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated year-round to the development of artists of independent vision and to the exhibition of their new work. Since its inception, the Institute has grown into an internationally recognized resource for thousands of independent artists through its Film Festival and its artistic development programs for filmmakers, screenwriters, composers, writers, playwrights and theatre artists. The original values of independence, creative risk-taking, and discovery continue to define and guide the work of Sundance Institute, both with US artists and, increasingly, with artists from other regions of the world.
The programs of Sundance Institute include the annual Sundance Film Festival which is held in Park City each January and is considered the premier U.S. showcase for American and international independent film. The Institute supports nonfiction filmmakers through the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program by providing year-round support through the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund and a series of programs that encourage the exploration of innovative nonfiction storytelling and promote the exhibition of documentary films to increasingly broader audiences. The Sundance Institute Feature Film Program is a year-round program dedicated to supporting artist development and the advancement of distinctive, singular independent projects. Each year 20-25 emerging filmmakers from the U.S. and abroad participate in the program which includes the Screenwriters and Filmmakers Labs, ongoing creative and practical advice, the post-production project, and financial support through fellowship opportunities. The Sundance Institute Theatre Program is committed to invigorating the national theatre movement with original and creative work and to nurturing the diversity of artistic expression among theatre artists. The Sundance Institute Film Music Program is dedicated to supporting the development of emerging film composers, as well as impacting the ways in which independent filmmakers approach music in their films. The Institute also maintains The Sundance Collection at UCLA, a unique archive of independent film. |
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Published: September 3, 2010 Houston, September 3, 2010 Indian filmmaker asked to leave U.S. within 90 days< type=text/java>var addthis_pub = "thehindu";PTI < language=java type=text/java>var min=8;var max=18;var min1=18;var max1=24; /* set cookie functions */function setCookie (name,value,days) {if (days){var date = new Date();date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();}else var expires = "";document.cookie = name+"="+value+expires+"; path=/";}function getCookie (name) {var nameEQ = name + "=";var ca = document.cookie.split(';');for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++){var c = ca[i];while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);}return null;}function increaseFontSize() {var temp=document.getElementById('inc').innerHTMLif(temp=="T-")decreaseFontSize();else{var p = document.getElementsByTagName('p');for(i=0;i T- ');-->}else{}< type=text/java src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/200/addthis_widget.js">The drama over the arrest of Indian documentary filmmaker Vijay Kumar in Houston for possessing jihadi literature and a set of brass knuckles, took a new turn with a U.S. court ordering him voluntary departure under safeguard till he leaves USA Indian filmmaker Vijay Kumar will remain behind bars without bail on federal immigration charges until allegations that he was illegally carrying brass knuckles in his checked airport baggage are resolved, a judge has ruled. The immigration hearing was held on schedule but the judge denied a bond, and ordered voluntary departure under safeguard till he leaves USA. Mr. Kumar has been asked to leave within 90 days. Voluntary bond means that his departure as an alien from the United States would be without an order of removal. Mr. Kumar is allowed to voluntarily depart concedes removability but does not have a bar to seeking admission at a port-of-entry at any time. However, failure to depart within the time would result in a fine and a 10-year bar to several forms of relief from deportation. And if he does not depart within the 90-day period he will be deported. However, his departure primarily depends on his criminal case hearing on Sept 8. Unless the case is dismissed he cannot leave. If his case is resolved within four months, he can leave voluntarily and can ask to return. Till then the judge has asked him to be in immigration custody. Mr. Kumar has not yet been charged by immigration judge. Mr. Kumar bonded out on Aug 23 and surrendered his passport to Harris County officials as a condition of his bail. When released, Mr. Kumar’s visa was revoked. He was then detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, because he had neither a passport nor a visa. At a hearing yesterday, a federal immigration judge refused to set a bail for Kumar. Federal officials would not say why Mr. Kumar’s visa was revoked. John Connolly, assistant agent in charge of ICE in Houston, said that Mr. Kumar is not the subject of a homeland security investigation. Mr. Kumar turned down an offer to plead guilty in exchange for time served because he did not want to jeopardise his chances to return to America, Mr. Kumar's attorney Grant Scheiner said. Now he faces the same dilemma. If his case is resolved within four months, he can leave voluntarily and can ask to return. If the case takes longer, he will be deported after it is complete, squelching his chances to return. Mr. Kumar, 40, a resident of Malad in Mumbai, was detained at Houston International airport for allegedly carrying brass knuckles and jihadist literature in his luggage and is now in federal custody since last week. Mr. Kumar could get a jail term of up to 10 years if convicted. |
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Cascading tunes< type=text/java>var addthis_pub = "thehindu";SRAVASTI DATTA Bangalore, September 2, 2010  Santoor maestro Rahul Sharma is excited about his new album Rainchanted. A fan of the Beatles, U2, Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel, each style of music, according to Rahul, has a unique charm Santoor musician Rahul Sharma's enthusiasm for his new album “Rainchanted” is palpable. “Personally, I am enchanted by the rains; hence I chose to name my album ‘Rainchanted'. The rains in Mumbai are beautiful and the monsoons are my favourite season.” How did he manage to express the beauty of the rains through the santoor? “The santoor is reminiscent of water. The tunes and notes that flow from the instrument sound like cascading water. In fact, an album interestingly named ‘Santoorain' captures this essence; the name suggests a blend of the santoor and the rains. Also, the pitter-patter of rains has a splendid rhythm.” It's not just the rains that have inspired him, but his frequent travels all over the world. Rahul found his journey to the Serengeti plains in Tanzania a memorable experience and this finds expression in the tracks in his album. Rahul learned to play the santoor at age 12, but his knowledge of both Eastern and western music is impressive. “Though I learned to play the santoor when I was a child and eastern classical music was encouraged at home, I have listened to different kinds of music, from rock to jazz.” Rahul is a fan of the Beatles, U2, Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel. Each style of music, according to Rahul, has a unique charm. “Bono has his own style of music while Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has his own.” Rahul expounds on the essential difference between western and eastern classical music. “Western musicians read music while playing. Although both Indian and western music is born from the seven notes, in Indian music, however, there are multiple shrutis and corresponding variation in pitch, and also so many different Indian musical instruments, each with a temperament of its own. In Indian music there are scales of ascending and descending order with different permutations and combinations. Much of Indian music, except the composition, is unwritten.” What about ragas? Do they assume a life of their own when played? “A raga can be compared to a painting. A painter starts off with a blank canvas. The painting evolves in front of the viewer as the painter fills his canvas with colour; thereby a definite form or expression emerges.” “In the same way, when a musician plays a raga, he begins with the alaap, moves to jod andjhalaa. All this put together builds the structure of a raga. To achieve mastery over music it takes a lifetime. You have to allow music to take over your soul and senses, and become one with it.” Rahul's father, the legendary Shiv Kumar Sharma made the santoor an independent instrument, and Rahul has continued the legacy. “In my fusion music, the drums, keyboard and tabla plays to the composition of the santoor. I prefer to keep it that way as I compose my own music.” Though music is considered a universal language that unites people across nationality and class, Rahul contends that music doesn't necessarily have to have a message in it. “It's good for music with lyrics to have a message in it. That being said, music should not be restricted by messages. Music should be fun too. The appeal of instrumental music lies in its expression of different moods.” Fusion is a rage among the youth in India. “The youth listen to fusion music first and later move to Indian classical music,” says Rahul. He plans a tie up with jazz musician Kenny G. “In my next album, you will see the santoor and the saxophone come together,” he signs off. |
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Wednesday, AAugust 25, 2010 (New Delhi) Music only positive connection between India-Pak: Shafqat Ali | | | Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali, who is the voice behind Bollywood hits like Mitwa and Tere Naina, feels that music is the only positive connection between the two countries.
Shafqat, who rose to prominence as the lead vocalist of Pakistani pop band Fuzon with hits like Ankhiya and Mora Saiyan is performing in Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi and Chandigarh as part of his tour.
"It's a proud feeling that I am here for a noble cause of bridging the gap between India and Pakistan. At least I am playing my role. The relationship between the two countries has worsened due to some people and the only positive connection we have is through music. The fan following of Pakistani singers in India and vice-versa proves my point," Shafqat told PTI in an interview.
Trained in classical music tradition of both India and Pakistan since he was just four-years-old, Shafqat left Fuzon in 2006 to embark on a solo career and has not looked back since then.
"There has been no change in my singing style. It wasn't a very difficult decision to break away from the band, they were insecure of me which I found hard to deal with," he said.
He stepped into Bollywood the same year with Mitwa and is now a recognisable name in Indian films with tracks like Tere Naina for My Name Is Khan and Bin Tere from the movie I Hate Luv Storys.
"So far I have sung only other people's compositions. They want you to sing in their own way but it's been really great. This new experience has been very good and doing play back is very exciting," Shafqat said.
"Mitwa was my first song in Bollywood. It always reminds me of my first step in films so it is very close to my heart. I am also looking forward to work with Vishal Bhardwaj and AR Rahman," he added.
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Rumours add to your life: AtifVinita Chaturvedi, TNN, Aug 21, 2010,
 SINGING SENSATION: Atif Aslam A couple of days back, his diehard fans in India got a jolt with SMSes flooding their inbox announcing his death “due to throat cancer” although there was no official news about anything untoward happening to 27-year-old Pakistani pop singer Atif Aslam, who has assumed iconic status in the musical arena.
In a candid teleconversation with Hyderabad Times, a bemused Atif Aslam said “I don’t know how these rumours began, and I thank my fans for their love, but I would request them to check the facts on my official website before pressing the panic button.”
‘Fasting & namaz!’
It’s really refreshing to know that the young singer, adored by youngsters cutting across geographical boundaries, is a “deeply spiritual man.” Ask him how he dealt with the upsetting rumours, and Atif says: “Although life and death are in Allah’s hands, I found solace in the saying that such rumours add to your life! Meri umar aur lambi ho gayi!” It’s fine to be spiritual, but is Atif, with his hectic schedule able to observe rozas in the Holy month of Ramadan? “Allah ke fazal se maine ab tak saare roze rakhe hain aur bakayada namaz ada ki hai,” says he.
‘Lend a helping hand!’
Right now Atif is raising funds and supporting the cause of flood victims in Pakistan. The pain in his voice is palpable as he says: “So many innocent people have died! Laashon ko dafnane ke liye kabren nahin hain. Of course funds will help, but it’s another thing to witness this calamity firsthand! My heart reaches out to all those who have suffered losses whether they are in Pakistan or Leh! Everyone must lend a helping hand !”
‘I love Sunidhi’s criticism!’
If his commitment to the social causes is applaudable, his popularity quotient in Bollywood is phenomenal. With superhit numbers like Pehli nazar main, Tera hone laga hoon, Tu jaane na and O mere khuda to his credit, which have won many awards and topped charts for weeks, he’s the blue-eyed boy of many Indian music directors. But, singers like Sunidhi Chauhan and Abhijeet have always maintained that “Atif is a non-singer!” Ask him if this criticism riles him, and he says with a laugh: “I’m not a trained singer, but I’m still doing a lot of projects in Bollywood, so that may have rankled some people. But, when it comes to Sunidhi, I respect her because she’s a great artiste. I appreciate her views whenever she criticises me!”
‘Acting debut’
If his success as a singer makes many go green, his acting debut is also making waves. To this Atif says: “I’m excited about my first film Bol, being directed by Shoaib Mansoor. I hope my fans like me in this new avatar!”
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 Ali Zafar makes it to the big screen
Read more: Pakistanis love Tere Bin...: Ali Zafar |
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 Pakistanis love Tere Bin...: Ali ZafarTOI Crest, Aug 21, 2010, 12.22pm IST
<>var facebookktitle='Pakistanis love Tere Bin...: Ali Zafar';var facebooksyn='Tere Bin Laden’s lead, Pakistani pop star Ali Zafar talks to TOI- Crest.'; Tere Bin Laden’s lead, Pakistani pop star Ali Zafar, has unshakeable faith in the umbilical cord that ties New Delhi to Islamabad. But why? He answers some questions for TOI-Crest
How did you enter Tere Bin Laden (TBL)?
Abhishek Sharma gave me a detailed narration. The story was hilarious and consolidated. It was a new form of filmmaking and a story that needed to be told. When Osama bin Laden’s name is mentioned, it creates darkness. For the first time, its antithesis, humour, was used. You can say serious things humourously.
Acting and singing apart, did you contribute inputs?
I helped with the look and language of the film as it's set in Pakistan. I helped with sets and dialects. Noora, for example, speaks not only in Punjabi but a particular kind of rural Punjabi. I recorded conversations in Pakistan on my phone and played them to Pradyuman to convey that twang.
Was there anything you advised the team not to show?
I was concerned they don’t show Pakistanis with long beards, wearing scarves...stereotyped images. I wanted Pakistanis shown as similar to Indians.
Were there difficulties?
None. The film was kept under wraps during shooting which happened before 26/11, when the situation was fine.
What was the best part about making TBL?
Learning that culture is independent of borders. An idea cannot be restrained. I appreciate how the director and producers took on a risk signing a Pakistani actor. It’s good to be brave.
How has TBL done in Pakistan?
TBL is not releasing commercially in Pakistan. The State feels there are extremist elements here with no sense of humour. They may use the film as an excuse for violence. Of course, people are watching it on pirated DVDs. Ordinary Pakistanis love TBL. My parents are very proud. Pakistanis stars don’t get big roles in Bollywood.
What about Salma Agha?
(Laughs). Okay, the men don’t get big roles! This is the first time a Pakistani male actor starred in a hit Bollywood film. This shows growth in creative and mass consciousness.
Do Indians and Pakistanis view terror the same way?
No, they don’t. There is, obviously, a distance of opinion. Let me explain. 26/11 was an incredibly disturbing event. But it is Pakistanis who suffer the most from terror globally. When Pakistanis are blamed for terror, they don’t feel good. The Pakistani youth is liberal and progressive. They don’t like being stereotyped. Life is difficult for Pakistanis internationally. India should understand the calamity facing Pakistan, how grave and complex our situation is. Terror, in turn, is linked to equally complicated issues. For peace, complex issues must be analysed. It will happen. India and Pakistan are destined to be friends
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Kailash Kher says no to HollywoodPTI / Saturday, August 21, 2010 12:35 IST Source:http://www.dnaindia.com/ He made his Hollywood debut singing an AR Rahman composition in Couple's Retreat and his sufiana renderings had the audience dancing at the Santa Monica Pier and Hollywood Bowl. But Kailash Kher says that he has no ambition to make it in the West. The singer who is back from his successful US tour, said that though the Western audiences love the new sound of Indian artistes, his style does not fit the Hollywood mould. "Performing at the Twilight Dance Series at the Santa Monica Pier was a great experience because at events like that you reach out to a totally different audience and the people went crazy when I sang Bum Lehri. The concerts went so well that I received offers to sing in the films too," Kher said. But the 35-year-old singer politely declined. "If I am doing a Hollywood project, it has to be worthy of my time and not the cliched idea of Indian music. The offers I got were all for the same kind of stuff," said Kher who was in the city for the launch of 'French Style Apartments'. The frontman of the folk-pop group Kailasa who took Bollywood by storm with the song Allah Ke Bande from Waisa Bhi Hota Hai in 2003 said that he has bigger and better plans than Hollywood. "I have composed and sung a song for the upcoming film Allah Ke Bande and am working on my third album, which is my priority right now. My Indian fans are most important to me. There are a number of concerts including the Qutub festival during the Commonwealth Games in Delhi," said Kher. The singer began training in classical music at the age of 8 but it was the traditional folk songs sung by his father that exerted the most influence on him and his style. In 2001, after a series of unsuccessful forays in various business ventures, Kher left Delhi for Mumbai to pursue his musical dreams. Homeless and living on a train station platform in Mumbai, Kher's first recording was an advertising jingle. He has come a long way since then. Besides Bollywood hits like Ya Rabba and Tu Jaane Naa, his collaborations with Naresh and Paresh Kamath created three successful albums Kailasa, Jhoomo Re and Chaandan Mein. But one of the biggest achievements in Kher's life came seven months ago, when he welcomed son Kabir with wife Sheetal. "Kabir comes before all now. The one thing I don't like about touring is that I have to leave my family behind, because he is too young to be travelling very long distances," said Kher. |
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Manna Dey rues lack of hard work Hindi film music today PTI / Friday, August 20, 2010 16:17 IST Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/ He continues to enthral with his golden voice even at the age of 90, but legendary singer Manna Dey feels today's musicians lack ingenuity. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner, who gave Hindi cinema gems like Poochho Na Kaise, Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli and Upar Gagan Vishal, says a lot of hard work went into the making of a song in the old days. "We used to rehearse for three to four days on a composition which eventually was made into a song with contributions from the music director, songwriter and film producer," Dey said. "But this is no longer the trend in the film industry. On-the-spot song compositions make it like a factory-made product. Ingenuity is lacking," the singer said. His advice to young singers is to adopt a regime of rehearsals to maintain the high standard of music that has been the mark of Bollywood. "I can only pray to God Almighty to give these young singers the good sense to think how to compose and sing. Indian music has a very rich and tremendous heritage," said Dey, who performed for a sold-out 'Manna Dey in the Flesh' concert in Singapore. Looking back at the golden period of Hindi music, Dey remembered the days of working with India's top producer and actor Raj Kapoor and his actor brother Shammi Kapoor as well as music directors Naushad, Ravi and Shanker-Jaikishen. "There was devotion and dedication. Raj Kapoor would sit through the composition and rehearsals, and at times enact scenes to get the right tempo in the song. Phrases in songs were re-worded to ensure it created the right impact," said Dey, who sang several memorable songs in Kapoor's films like Awara, Shri 420 and Chori Chori. "In the past, we had dedication and commitment to each and every song and music composition," he said, adding that rehearsing and recording for Raj Kapoor's film used to be a day-long industry event, which at times would start at 10am and continue till midnight. Dey, who began singing in the early 1940s, also laments the lack of recognition for music directors and songwriters in the past. "These were the vital contributors to the final song but, alas, praises were mostly showered on the main singer," he said. Dey, who has more than 3,500 songs to his credit, dominated the Hindi music industry from the 1950s to the 1970s with his distinctive voice since his debut with film Tamanna in 1943. The most memorable songs by Dey include Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua, Laga Chunri Mein Daag, Ae Meri Zohrazabi, Sur Na Saje Kya Gaun Main, Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala, Na To Karawan Ki Talash Hai, Aye Mere Pyare Vatan and Chunari Sambhal Gori. |
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So what are you waiting for? Vote now! |
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Resul team up with John , Alex for Robot TNN, Aug 14, 2010 Resul Pookutty has been quietly working in Los Angeles for a month now with his crew on the sounds effects of the Rajnikant-Aishwarya starrer “ Robot ” .
With a brief to come up with sounds never before heard in any Tamil film, it ’ s also been a race against time to complete the sound effects before he flies in to Mumbai for the music release of “ Robot ” on Saturday. And Resul is bringing home a bagful of surprises. “ This will be the first Tamil film to use the sound effect titled Wilhelm Scream. There are many more specially designed sounds for the movie. Also, all the robotic voices have been processed with special softwares, ” Resul said.
Expectations are sky high for another reason as well — Resul, who won the 2008 Oscar for the sound mixing of “ Slumdog Millionaire ” , has collaborated on the film with John and Alex, the duo who won the Oscar for “ Hurt Locker ” .
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My music gets affected: Adnan SamiSubhash K Jha, Aug 15, 2010  Adnan Sami and third wife Roya Adnan Samis soft-spoken new wife Roya has no intention of moving out of their home because as she argues, no court would ask her to stay away from her husband.
Displaying no shred of anger after the story broke out about the honourable court ordering her out, Roya said, I’ve been taught by my parents that wherever my husband stays is where I belong. I wouldn’t like them to be proven wrong. As long as I have his love, all the troubles that come our way are ours to share and deal with.
It's not easy being happily married when there’s so much pressure on the marriage from the outside. Says Adnan, Roya and I have our good days and bad days. But she is infinitely patient. When something comes in the news about the problem (read: former wife Sabah) I don’t have to be apprehensive about her reaction. I know shell take it with a sigh and a smile and try to make me feel better. I don’t know what Id do without that smile of hers.
The musician confesses, My music does get affected. In fact, my creativity was seriously impeded in the last one year when the sh..t hit the ceiling. I coped somehow, recorded one of my most evocative number Noor-e-khuda for Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan during this period. Now I’m working much better. Roya is my muse, to counter all the bad news.
Adnan does everything to Roya feel special. I love buying her gifts. She also loves to buy me things. But we don’t need to give things to one another to make each other feel special. We are just special for each other every second of our life together.
Roya displayed grace when Adnan’s second wife Sabah visited them last month. Sabah chose to dress in a burqa for the occasion. Fireworks were expected between the two wives. But Roya refused to bite the bait. Roya, Adnan says, isn’t going anywhere. No one can ask any wife to leave her husbands home. Its against every law, natural or man-made. How would Sabah have liked if my first wife Zeba Bakhtiar thundered into the house and asked her to leave Adnan thundered after hearing of his former wifes family court order asking his current wife to vacate the premises of the home that the first wife claims belongs to her.
States Adnan, Roya is here to stay. My lawyer has appealed against the order. But the order never said my wife couldn’t stay with me. Tell me which court in the world would issue such an order the family court order prohibits family and friends from staying in the house. Roya is neither. She is my wife.
Roya has told her husband she would abide by the law and continue to be supportive of every step that Adnan takes in his fight to restore normalcy in their lives
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Review: Peepli Live, Help and more..... Peepli [Live]: Best film of the year! Last updated on: August 13, 2010 
Omkar Das Manipuri Sukanya Verma and Sudarshana Dwivedi review Peepli [Live]. Sukanya Verma: Oh my god, 2010 is turning out to be fabulous at the movies. Ishqiya, Inception, Udaan and now Peepli [Live]? Sudarshana Dwivedi: I know! It was awaited like any other Aamir Khan movie even though he's only the producer. SV: I can understand why it would need this intensity of promotion. In the past too, there's been no dearth of relevant films that sank in oblivion or created buzz only in festival circuits. Imagine if Muzzafar Ali's Gaman was made today and promoted under the marketing genius of Aamir, it would definitely be remembered for much more than Seene mein jalan. SD: I agree. See, promotion does help but what works for Peepli [Live] is that it's a tale told with uncompromising conviction and commitment. SV: What is it about this film that appealed most to you? SD: They've portrayed harsh reality of farmer suicide without being melodramatic or condescending. The lot of the Indian farmer has not improved much since the days of Munshi Premchand's Godaan set in pre-Independence India. Actually, Natha (Omkar Das Manipuri) and Budhia (Raghubir Yadav) remind me of Hori Mahato. SV: Hori Mahato? SD: The hero of Godaan. In fact, there's a reference to him in the film; remember the malnourished farmer, also called Hori Mahato digging rough patches of earth to survive? Hori's plight hasn't changed even after more than six decades. SV: Mm-hmm. As someone who belongs to a relatively contemporary, metropolitan-bred generation, I could relate to the unfortunate divide between the urban mind-set and rural set-up. There is an urgent need to bridge the gap. We cannot be India in halves; one has to have a better understanding of where the other is coming from. Peepli [Live] provides insightful subtext to the same. But there's never any attempt to provide answers. SD: Answers? The bureaucracy has a Lal Bahadur, a Indra Vikas or a Annapurna. Or the 'Natha card' to deal with such inconvenient questions only, heh. SV: Gosh, that scene and countless others -- the one about Saif Ali Khan's school crush or journalists scampering to capture footage of Nattha taking nature's call -- had me in splits. At the same time, it's terribly tragic too. For better or worse, satire seems to be the only approach to communicate the existing despair. Is it fair to treat the subject like a comedy? SD: It is the comic treatment of a cruel situation that has made it so engrossing. The entire rigmarole of breaking news, TRPs, villager bytes and grass-root opportunism is both believable and hilarious. We, as a nation, lack the ability to laugh at ourselves. Peepli [Live] not only does so but does it with a healthy irreverence. Hope it gets appreciated.  SV: Fingers crossed. Speaking of breaking news, the role of press/electronic media in Peepli, though brings in the maximum laughs, is never really reduced to a contrived caricature. Rather director Anusha Rizvi depicts the all-too familiar rivalry between the vernacular (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) and English press (Malaika Shenoy) with delicious banter. She totally nails it.
SD: Right! There is never a dull moment. It gives the whole effort a healthy freshness. The fish bowl effect that you have while watching a village-based movie is totally absent here as I felt like a participant and not an observer of the unfolding drama. This I feel is Anusha's greatest strength. SV: Reminds me of a line from the movie, "Maut ki aisi raunak humne pehle kabhi nahi dekhi." SD: That's a good one. It's a compact script which has been executed with equal passion. There are no actors here only characters that all of us have seen or met at some point. I appreciate how Anusha has chosen unfamiliar faces with sound background in theatre. SV: Seconded. I mean, Farrukh Zaffer as Natha's venom-spewing mom is a firebrand. I'd love to see more of her. Others like Raghuvir Yadav, Malaika, Nawazuddin, Shalini Vatsa, Vishal Sharma and Sitaram Panchal are equally credible. Moreover, isn't Omkar as Natha simply wow? Notice how he doesn't have too many lines? It's either his constantly puzzled gawk or bobbling body language at work. At times, he reminds of a wide-eyed E.T. trying to escape an army of hounding government
agents. SD: Ooookay. SV: No, seriously. The only discordant note, I thought is the casting of Naseeruddin Shah. He appears too refined, too cocksure and too star-like in a crowd of uncorrupted artistry. SD: I do not agree that Naseer is a misfit. He brings just the right shade of polished cunning to his Salim Kidwai. In fact, the casting is so perfect that you can see many known faces of politics and media through these unknown faces. SV: I am with you on that. For all its engaging wit, every scene and close-up is a compelling study or an untold story. Bottom-line: Peepli [Live] is a well-researched, brilliantly-written and effectively documented creation that hasn't negotiated its wry vision for big screen. I'd go to the extent of saying it's the best Hindi film I've seen this year. And I honestly don't think whatever is left of 2010 could offer anything better to contest that. SD: Touche. That will be four stars and an appeal for tax-free. |
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Music composer A.R. Rahman's international career which has taken off in a biggish way after Slumdog Millionaire keeps encountering snags, thanks to long-pending assignments back home. According to sources, Rahman has to keep interrupting his international plans to be home for various pending assignments. The harried composer is now seriously thinking of putting all home-made assignments on hold to concentrate on building his career abroad, or else he feels he would lose the international advantage he obtained after Slumdog Millionaire. Says a friend of Rahman: "The Indian assignments after Slumdog Millioniare have been very time-consuming, especially Raavan where Rahman not only had to do two versions of the music in Hindi and Tamil, but director Mani Ratnam also asked him to give three to four tunes for every lyric before one was selected. The music of Raavan took more time than  Rahman could afford, with the result that other Indian assignments primarily Abbas Tyrewala's untitled John Abraham-Pakhi starrer got left behind." At the moment Rahman is back again in Chennai for mixing the music of Abbas' film. But the background score of the film which releases in October is still be done. No one is admitting it, but one of the primary reasons why Tyrewala's film got delayed is the music score which Rahman has been serving up piecemeal, for no fault of his, since the composer was committed to be out of the country for half the year for his world concerts. Says the source: "Rahman had to continuously keep breaking his international tours and other projects to be home for various reasons, like the music release of 'Raavan' and other things. He has begun to feel that his international career would never take off if he has to keep returning home." Abbas Tyrewala, in Chennai with Rahman for the mixing of his film's music, jumps to the composer's defence. "Yes Rahman has been a little tied up and therefore unable to deliver quickly. But that's because he has to be constantly moving back and forth between India and the US. Raavan took much longer than Rahman thought. I'm not worried about my music. It's almost done. Whatever time Rahman takes is finally worth the while." In the meanwhile, Rahman has not signed a single new assignment in Mumbai or Chennai in the last few months. After completing Abbas Tyrewala's music, Rahman will now focus on consolidating his career abroad. |
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