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Chaiyya Chaiyya plays in Hollywood

Arthur J Pais | April 17, 2006 21:11 IST

Eight years ago, perhaps two million people heard the song Chaiyya Chaiyya in movie theatres while watching the film Dil Se. By Sunday, at least 18 million movie fans will have heard the song, not once but twice, in more than 3,000 theatres in over a dozen countries including America, Canada, Britain and Italy, after watching the hit film Inside Man. The movie is in
its fourth week. With more countries to be added, the thriller starring Denzel Washington and directed by Spike Lee will soon have many more millions listening to the song at the very start of the film. And at its end.

The song has nothing to do with the film's theme, except that it caught Spike Lee's attention when the musical Bombay Dreams with A R Rahman's music was on Broadway over a year ago. Chaiyya Chaiyya was one of its highlights. The song sequence also received applause in the London version where, unlike on Broadway, the show was a big hit.

There are two versions of the song in Inside Man, which opened at the number one position in North America three weeks ago, and has grossed a strong $115 million worldwide so far. The first time, we hear the original recording, with a bit of enhanced music. The second time around, a hip-hop song is laid atop the Sukhvinder Singh number.

Although Bollywood songs are occasionally featured in Western films including Moulin Rouge, this is perhaps the first time a Bollywood song is heard over six minutes in a Hollywood film. That too in a film far bigger than Moulin Rouge. While that film grossed about $140 million worldwide, Inside Man could end its run with more than $160 million.

Audiences and critics were surprised and, in some cases, startled by the inclusion of the song.

"The opening and closing musical tracks of Spike Lee's Inside Man immediately attracted the attention of film critics and moviegoers alike because Lee chose an unexpected piece of Bollywood music as a curtain-raiser for his urban thriller," wrote Hollywood Reporter. The influential trade publication quoted the film's composer Terence Blanchard, saying that the song was in perfect keeping with Lee's "distinct musical choices."

Some critics had no idea what the song was about. While Blanchard says Lee chose the number to give "an energetic edge" to the bank heist thriller, a handful of critics begged to differ. The music "sounds like some sort of African or possibly middle-eastern folk music with a techno/funk edge," wrote The Northern Light. "It's a strange choice for a film about a New York
bank robbery."

The inclusion of the song could not have come as a bigger surprise to Rahman. When a reporter told him that 2006 could be his best year -- with half a dozen of his songs in the $20 million plus The Lord of the Rings now being staged in Toronto, and Rang De Basanti turned into a big hit -- Rahman merely said: "No one can plan anything like this. All this means that while I have to work even harder, it is also a reminder that one must remain humble even more than ever."

Music snippets

A fire in him: Aag hai mujhmen kahi (There is a fire somewhere within me) is what former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared to film director Rakesh Mehra after watching Rang De Basanti. Vajpayee, an accomplished lyricist and poet himself, was repeating a line from a song in the film. A.R. Rahman's music for Rang De Basanti has been making waves while the film's story has touched a nerve deep within the country's youth. Kudos to Rakesh Mehra.

A. R. Rahman has taken the Chinese by storm with his latest composition for the film "Warriors of Heaven And Earth". In conversation with SAVITHA GAUTAM

"WHY ARE you writing about A.R.Rahman now? Has he done something new," somebody asked. Well, one does not always need a reason to write about him. This time, the National Award-winning composer has been in the news for taking the Chinese by storm by composing music for "Warriors of Heaven And Earth", a Chinese/English costume drama about the ancient Silk Route. The background score (with one song) for the film will be released in India as soon as the Tamil and Hindi versions of the song are ready. Just wait at Panchatan Recording Inn, his studio-cum-residence in Kodambakkam, and you get an insight into the life and times of the man. There are people, including director Khalid Mohammed, waiting in the courtyard. A TV camera crew is getting organised for a shoot, while an office boy walks from room to room, fanning a pot of smoking incense. In the background, a man is heard on the phone asking for the price of a blues harp! In the middle of all this, Rahman's daughter is seen flitting in and out before finally deciding "to go upstairs." Well, the place has a definite character. Just like A.R.Rahman. He's an Indian all right with a sensibility of a world musician. And he's as friendly as ever when you meet him, after almost a year. Clad in black churidar kurta, and his trademark hairstyle still in place, Rahman tells you, "I give interviews when I want to chill out!" Excerpts... On the Chinese project: The head of Sony Classical Music, whom I met in London, suggested that I do a project for them in the Western Classical mode. I was supposed to work with Joshua Bell, violinist (of "Red Violin" fame). It was while working with him that the Sony chief suggested I take up the Chinese film. I felt this was a better route to take instead of directly jumping into Hollywood. I met the director He Ping in January this year. The recording: Originally the music was supposed to be recorded in Beijing. But because of SARS, we moved to Prague. At that time, I was busy wrapping up "Boys". So much so, just three days before I had to leave, I realised I had not even started composing! I finally began work only in Prague. That too without the director, who could not get a visa. Fortunately, we worked on alternate days. So I found enough time to compose. Also, I was not doing five things at the same time. It was focussed work. The compositions: What's interesting about the music is it's completely acoustic! I have mixed Chinese, Turkish and Indian sounds as the film is about the Silk Route. I wanted to give the Chinese something they had not heard before, while retaining that international flavour. We have used a Western orchestra and rare instruments such as the Armenian duduk. Looking back, strangely, the first three records I owned were a Chinese one, a Jim Reeves and one by a brass band! The style: It is a departure from electronic sound, all right. I have always been passionate about Western Classical. I must admit that for the first time, when I heard my music played by the orchestra, it sounded exactly like what I had in my head! I found the whole experience liberating. What's more, what would usually have taken me about a month to finish took just three days! Reactions in China: (The film has been released there) It has been very encouraging. The Chinese media has been particularly appreciative. Some of them, who saw the film without the sound track and later with it, said the music lifted the film to a different plane. More Hindi than Tamil films on hand: It is not a sudden shift. If you see my work over the last 10 years, the sound tracks that really made a mark in Tamil have been with directors like Mani Ratnam, Shankar, Kadhir, Bharatirajaa and Rajeev Menon. Other than that, even when you worked very hard, it went unnoticed. Therefore, I do not want to take a risk because of time constraints. To fill the lacuna, I hope to translate some of my Hindi songs into Tamil and release them as albums without associating them with any film. The Symphony: The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has commissioned two works. One is an orchestral reworking of the themes from my various films, which is likely to open in March 2004. The other is a symphony based on "The Conference of the Birds" by Farid Ud-Din Attar, a Persian Sufi. The story is about birds and music, and I thought why not take up the challenge. It may be premiered in September next year. Here I would like to add that unlike in the West, we Indians are not too proud of our heritage. There's so much of Indian art that goes unnoticed because too much importance is given to films. Bombay Dreams, the Broadway version: We are planning to add three numbers and take away three. The script is undergoing some changes to cater for the American audience. Comment on the music industry: I think at this point, things are looking up. In 1999-2000, the business was overvalued by 40 per cent and exaggerated prices were being paid for film scores. So, when the market actually slumped, the scenario seemed worse than it really was. As for FM, I think it's great. But how to use it as a marketing tool is something we are still exploring. His daughters: Well, I'll know in another year if they have any inclination towards music. They are seven and five. I think the younger one is showing some interest. The future: I am looking forward to some rest. There's a lot of travelling in the future. Lots of projects on hand and so little time. In fact, as we leave, a little bird tells us that yet another major musical might be in the offing! FUTURE FLICKS
M.F. Husain's "Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities" A.M. Ratnam's "Enakku 20 Unakku 18" "Taj Mahal" (IMAX) Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Black", "Bajirao Mastani" Shekar Kapur's "Paani" Shyam Benegal's epic "Netaji" Ketan Mehta's "1857/The Rising" Subhash Ghai's "Homeland" Ashutosh Gowrikar's "Swadesh" Mani Ratnam's bilingual (untitled)

Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu

The Lord of the Rings

Though technically not on Broadway, the stage production of The Lord of the Rings is so massive in size that it might as well be a Broadway production. Tolkien's epic novels most recently made the jump to film with Peter Jackson's critically acclaimed and immensely popular works, now the tales will grace the stage at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theater.

The creators of the work are quick to say that this incarnation is not a musical, more like a theatrical event or play with music, so don't expect Gollum to sing a love song about his precious. With more than $8 million in advanced sales, the show has big shoes to fill.

The Lord of the Rings features direction by Matthew Warchus, book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus, and music by A.R Rahman and Varttina with Christopher Nightingdale.

Starring in the epic is Brent Carver as Gandalf, James Loye as Frodo, Evan Buliung as Aragorn, Richard McMillan as Saruman, Peter Howe as Sam, Dylan Roberts as Merry, Owen Sharpe as Pippin, Gabriel Burrafato as Legolas, Dion Johnstone as Boromoir, Carly Street as Arwen, Victor A. Young as Elrond, Kerry Dorey as Theoden, Kristin Galer as Rosie, Rebecca Jackson Mendoza as Galadriel, and Cliff Saunders as Bilbo.

AR Rahman - Live in Melbourne

Hollywood calling

London, May 1
After charting many a hit at home, music wizard A.R. Rahman is all braced up for going global with a couple of Hollywood offers coming his way.

Rahman, whose first musical "Bombay Dreams" opens at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London on June 19, told reporters here late last night that he had received a couple of Hollywood offers from Sony music. The 35-year-old Rahman who has composed hit soundtracks for over 50 films including Oscar-nominated Lagaan, Fiza, Taal, Earth, Dil Se, Fire and Bombay, however, declined to give details. "I wanted Rahman's work to reach a new audience. It was his music which inspired the whole project," said Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, producer of 'Bombay Dreams'. The musical is based on an original idea by Shekhar Kapoor and Webber and the Bollywood dance sequences in it are directed by noted choreographer Farah Khan. Terming his project as a "wonderful story" which would "break new grounds", Webber, says "it is a story of Akaash and Priya: two lovers from different worlds, sharing one dream". "The box office for 'Bombay Dreams' has already opened and so far advance booking has grossed 700,000," says Webber, adding that it took nearly three years to complete the musical. Some of Rahman's hit tunes from Bollywood films like Dil Se, Rangeela and Taal also find their echo in Bombay Dreams. Webber said the idea of producing a Bollywood musical had been brewing in his head for about five years. "It started when I was pottering round the kitchen... Channel 4 used to do a Bollywood movie on a Saturday morning and rather good song came on, but I completely forgot to write down what it was."

A little later, he met Kapoor and he offered to put together a video of the best of Bollywood. I found that one in every five songs was great and one in every five songs was composed by Rahman." PTI