How Rahman reinvented himself constantly to remain the Isaipuyal

Twenty five years back when a young A.R.Rahman burst into the scene with his chartbusting ‘Roja’ few would have thought he would grow into such global phenomenon.  Three films after that there were whispers that the young man sounded very western and cannot satisfy older music lovers.  ARR answered with Bharathiraja’s ‘Kizhakku Seemaiyile’ and ‘Uzhavan’ both of which redefined folk and village music.

A few years later the Mozart of Madras gave ‘Duet’ the album of which was entirely woven around the saxaphone and this happened in Tamil music many decades after ‘Thillana Mohanambal’ which had the Nadaswaram at the center.  Critics anticipated a fall when the genius signed on to score music for Rajinikanth’s ‘Muthu’ because it demanded hero glorifying music that Ilayaraja and Deva had provided to great success.  The Rajini-Rahman combo is unbreakable till todays ‘2.0’ as he amplified the mass element sky high in his music.

 Bolllywood beats were rearranged to the Rahman signature in films like ‘Bombay’, ‘Rangeela’ ,’Taal’, ‘Rang De Basanti’ and many others on the way to the Oscar’s with ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.  Today the versatality of the Isaipuyal is unquestionable as the globe lilts with his music and at his peak now he is rediscovering himself as a screen writer, producer and the director of India’s first Virtual Reality Film.  Happy Birthday to ARR the constant adventurer and the foremost role model to the young.