Backgroundscore.com completes 3 years today. I feel good.
Needle Drops
Tubby-Parik is composing the background score of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Guzaarish”. I wonder why Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who finds it extremely difficult to convey his ideas and emotions to other composers, did not do the film’s background score himself. It is for background score of the film that a film maker needs a lot of patience to put temp music, talk, communicate and help the composer in understanding the characters, emotions and the narrative better, than for the songs of the film. I find the reason given by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, for turning composer, quite ridiculous. The problems in working with some other composer must be of a different nature. Do not get me wrong. I am one of those few who immensely love Guzaarish songs. Tera Zikr hai.. yaaaa!
Here is a delicious interview of A.R.Rahman in which he speaks in detail about the intricacies of scoring music for Danny Boyle’s “127 Hours”. 127 Hours OST is releasing digitally on November 2nd, next week. It has over 31 minutes of A.R.Rahman’s music. I can’t wait.
7 background score cues from the film are getting released in Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Khelein Hum Jee Jaan sey” soundtrack. Wonder why Ashutosh did not get these ideas when he worked with A.R.Rahman and created three consecutive masterpieces with respect to Background score. What a mouth-watering idea it is to release Lagaan Title Music, Swades title music, Aayo Re, Jodhaa Akbar love theme, Akbar theme, Rajputana theme and many more such brilliant cues from Lagaan, Swades and Jodhaa Akbar in CD.
But, finally, some score is getting a legitimate release. A.R.Rahman’s Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya background score is getting released in a Special Edition pack along with the DVD of the best film soundtrack launch I have ever seen in the history of Indian film music. I know. I know. Stones are coming my way. But, that was truly one spectacular event to witness. Wasn’t it? Additional songs from Raavanan are also getting released. Both are releasing on November 4th. It is Diwali time folks!
And recently, Udaan Score got illegally released here.
When asked about the song “Arima”, A.R.Rahman talks more about the background score he composed out of the song.
I saw Udaan recently, and I could not stop thinking about the film and the score ever since. Amit Trivedi’s assured usage of silence is startling. The music, wherever it is, is extremely restrained in its tone and aura. Vikramaditya Motwane or Amit Trivedi - I do not know whom to credit for the way the songs are interwoven in the narrative. Especially, the song Azaadiyaan and the way it is used in the film is a lesson for every film maker and composer. I still get goose bumps when I think of the moment the song hits the exhilarating crescendo "Azaadiyan", precisely when Rohan sets himself free. Amit Trivedi’s background score for Udaan is the best in 2010, so far.
Every Rajini film starts with a grand title sequence in which each letter in S-U-P-E-R-S-T-A-R-R-A-J-N-I bombards the screen to stir an Euphoria among Rajini fans. It is a moment when the walls of Cinema halls are put to sonic shock test, what with the high decibels of cheer and uproar created by Rajini fanatics when they see their Thalaivar’s name on the screen. Traditionally, it is the Annamalai Theme (Composed by Deva) that was always played in the background of this title sequence. It isn’t a majestic fanfare like the prelude of “Oruvan Oruvan Mudhalaali”, but what that “ Hey! Hey! Hey!” piece has in abundance is the cool quotient and the attitude that is all Rajini. It actually is played out brilliantly in one of the scenes in Annamalai when Rajni beats his friend Mohan Sharath Babu in the election for Association president.
A.R.Rahman, the rebel that he always is, replaced the popular Annamalai theme and dared to play the peppy choir version of “Adhiradikkaaran” melody, for the film Sivaji. A melody from the most popular song of the film’s soundtrack is an easy choice, and moreover, it is the melody from the song that explored and enhanced every possible Rajini tricks on a massive scale. That quintessential cool quotient and attitude were clearly on Rahman’s mind, and that is why even Rahman couldn’t avoid putting the signature “ Hey! Hey! Hey!”. But, it is merged with "NaNaNa" in a way that musically fits this piece.
In Endhiran, A.R.Rahman goes even further. He doesn’t use the melody of any of the songs of the film. He doesn’t use the Annamalai theme. He doesn’t use the prelude of “Oruvan Oruvan Mudhalaali”. Instead, he dares to use a background score cue that plays in the most heroic moments of Chitti (Action sequence in the Electric Train, Fire Rescue sequence) in the film. It is again an intriguing choice, because there are better choir-orchestral pieces in the film, the trumpet that replicates the sound of Chitti bleating like a Goat, the grandiose choir-orchestral version of “Arima Arima”, but Rahman chooses the music made for good-hearted Chitti over ill-hearted Robot.
The letters bombard the screen in a rhythm, which matches with the rhythm of the racing string section in the piece, and when the letters R-A-J-N-I appear, the trumpets blow the fan fare. Rahman seems to have scored it diligently like scoring a regular film moment. I don’t like this piece, though. It doesn’t have the necessary regal aura that it intends to create.
I still wish Rahman’s “Oruvan Oruvan Mudhalaali” prelude becomes signature tune for introduction of name “Rajini” in the titles of Rajini’s films. Why not work around with the graphics of the formation of the name after composing or deciding on a piece of music?
But, what the heck? No one is going to be able to listen to or even hear the music even in the Cinema halls that have the best available Sound system. I personally don’t prefer Rajni name introduction accompanied by the musical theme of the character that he plays in the film. There may not be another theme that transcends films like Deva’s Annamalai theme, but they could ask a composer to compose something especially for Rajini’s name introduction which could be used in all of his future films.
