Reposted : from “I am what I am …” April 2008
Hate me or love me, i’ll always be me. I recently discovered, and to my delight, that being just myself is far better and satisfying than pretending to be something else for someone else.
Puleez … its my request to everybody reading this … admit frankly what you dislike, and what you like. Your sleep, your taste, your clothes, your deodorant, your money, your hobbies, your life is essentially yours; people come and go, you’ll stay with yourself forever. Be true, and responsible. I’m not writing this in a mood of ecstasy or distraught. I’m calm and composed, to say the least, and that has been asserted by a couple of people recently – so i’m happy too!
For AR Rahman
Who does it take to find Sukhvinder Singh, run into Rashid Ali, discover Javed Ali, rediscover Daler Mehndi, reinvent Alka Yagnik and create a Taal, imagine an RDB, procure a Jaane Tu or, yeah yeah, compose a Slumdog? AR Rehman.
Sometimes i feel so lucky that some things are happening in front of my eyes. Like Obama becoming President or 1999 becoming 2000. These are the things i’ll narrate to the next generation with the same fervour with which my parents describe to me the tales of Sholay or 1983 World Cup win. In my list of changing millenia or Obama’s is another man called AR Rehman.
How can anyone on earth be so delightful? so meaningful? so succesful? Allah Rakkha Rehman was born AS Dileep Kumar. He had to sell off his musical intruments in late childhood to earn an income and now has composed music for One Hundred and Seven movies. No, really. Wikipedia-fy it if you want. I suddenly want to learn Tamil because most of his music is for Tamil movies. So unfair to the rest of the world, innit?
He is a maestro. His choice of singers stuns(and pleases) everyone. And where does he get his rhythm from? He neither creates magic nor music. He makes mugic. He elevates us all.
Ten reasons why Rahman is who he is -
1 Roja is so sweet. Chhoti si aasha tugs at heart
2 Dil Se re e e e e e e e e. And the mountains(and the train and Malaika) were immortalised forever
3 There can never be no Taal again
4 Definitely, the clouds came raining in in Lagaan ‘cus it was Rahman singing-calling them
5 Daler never sang so enchantingly in front of anyone other than Rahman
6 Jashn-e-bahara is the most beautiful thing that’s ever touched my tympanic membrane
7 Aditi should be the new National Anthem
8 A polite Guzarish was mistaken for a fatwa by junta to buy Ghajini – or was it an excuse?
9 Masakali Masakali/ Udd Matakali Matakali – even Sonam looks good dancing on a Rahman
10 Jai Ho !
Oscar Ho !!
Music!
Absence teaches importance. In my case, the third semester exams have put an ephemeral break to something i was so used to that i did not notice how imperative it was. It was something which went into my head and my mood with an unceasing continuity. None the more difficult for me to surmise that it was a part of me. I was constantly fed with it, was made used to it. I ingested and absorbed it, and erupted – everytime – with joy. It was - music.
How a certain synchronised set of longitudinal/transeverse vibrations in air make you so attached to it!
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Coming home on the 23rd January.
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Have seen RNBDJ three time now on big screen. Replaced the perfunctory friday viewing of a fresh movie with a date with Taani partner (and Godji).
The problem
The problem with falling in love is that you start expecting too much too soon.
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Learn this : love is in the air. Anybody coming in contact with the scented winds blowing straight from St. Valentinesnagar is growing psychotic.
Burday shurday, new year etc
Happy birthday to me! I’m two decades old and feeling good about life. Had a fantastic time with friends today at a dance party. If only Insia was here… Eralier in the day, passed time by orginising the evening’s program and having a hair cut. The day was in contrast to previous year where i was on phone throughout the night, and was alone throughout the day – with her in both cases.
Anyway. New Year was ushered in with oh not a bang, but a little thump to say the most. Right from the evening we guys went restaurant trotting and then finally settled for a second helping of RNBDJ at PVR. But what was a micro-tragedy that we had to walk back from the mall at 2 in the night.
