"It's easy making a masti number but this song was
challenging."
|
Forget Roja, forget Bombay, forget Rangeela -- forget
everything. Even if he had never composed a successful piece of film music in his life, he
would have gone down in history for one unforgettable night: August 14-15, 1997. That was
the night Rahman gave his country its most rapturous 50th birthday present. Vande Matram
... Ma tujhe salaam: it was as if the very soul of India had found voice once more. As
Rahman sang to his people from the heart of Delhi, the dam of patriotic fervour burst.
Here was an Indian of our time, unafraid to admit his passion for his matrubhoomi.
Somewhere in the heavens, our ancients must have smiled. Rahman's unstinted celebration of
India didn't go unreciprocated. Four months on, the evocative video of Ma tujhe salaam
still figures on countdown shows. The salutations are mutual. |
