Classic Incantations - Experience of a lifetime

When I first heard that a German Orchestra was going to perform A R Rahman's film scores in five Indian cities, I never thought I would get a chance to watch it. In all previous cases of his concerts that happened inside the country, I never got to watch any. But this time, I strongly felt that I was going to attend it. 

The "Effort" that lead to "The Pass"

It all started with LAPP India, the sponsors for the event starting the Facebook page with the “Info”  section giving out this. 

“All you A. R. Rahman fans, here’s your chance to pay a tribute to him.This January, the German Orchestra 'Babelsberg' will play Rahman's scores in five different cities. Keep following this page and the updates to get lucky and receive an invitation!”

I don’t remember how I landed up at the page though. I thought I'll give a try anyway.

My first try was a failure. 

But hope grew as I got the reply the next day saying that I have to do more and since I didn’t have anything in my mind at that point of time, I posted this and it happened. I got the invite.

They call me "writer" too (Nobody 'dared' to address me that before!).  I thanked them, by plagiarizing A R Rahman’s Oscar acceptance speech. They informed that all will get unique codes to be used to get the passes.

The excitement triggered the immediate query.

They posted a list which confirmed my name in it.

In between to show that I am active there (although I was pretty inactive!), I tried this too.

 The impatience grew.

Then they said this.

I was one among them and thought I will miss a concert opportunity this time too. But they asked to add “LAPP India Execution” as a friend in Facebook and within 1-2 days I got my unique code/reference number.

As per their advice, I had to collect the pass a day before (12 noon -7 pm) at Max Mueller Bhavan or just before the concert (3pm -7 pm) at the venue. An official trip came in between on the day prior to the concert. But I reached back in time at 6 pm. I got the pass after divulging the reference number to the LAPP India representative and thanked him. I forgot to ask his name as I was so excited.

The Concert

I reached the venue at 5 pm and had to wait along with others in the queue to enter. The wait outside lasted till 5.45 pm. Then we all had to wait just outside the doors till 6.15 pm. Then came in many well-known personalities including Vairamuthu, Suhasini, Ranjit Barot, singers Karthik, Sreenivas, Shweta Mohan etc. and Rahman’s family came in too. The silent auditorium became active when the cameras flashed non-stop and Rajnikanth walked in. Hoots and whistles all over. A R Rahman followed.

The proceedings started with Indian and German National Anthems.Three dignitaries from Max Mueller Bhavan, German consulate and LAPP India talked about the Germany-India 2011-12: Infinite Opportunities, just before the concert.

The Repertoire

The orchestra started with the “Warriors of Heaven and Earth Suite” which played the main melody and other pieces (like Horses) from the score of the movie. The strings, brass, percussion and KMMC choir was in perfect harmony. 

The following piece was the “Lagaan Theme” that comes as the last track in the CD. The KMMC choir was awesome in this piece. All instruments came alive in this performance. Live orchestra took the music to a different level.

“The Rising” suite followed. To be honest, I had forgotten many pieces in the movie. Although I felt familiar at places, I couldn’t dig it from my memory. It was a calm piece. I guess "Mangal Mangal" can't have an engaging orchestral interpretation, as I didn't hear it.

“Passage Suite” featured solo by Kavita Baliga and was so amazed how vocals can just define the whole “Aria” track. It was heavenly. The orchestra easily followed her vocals.

“Cry of the Rose” featured tracks from Roja. It started with the finishing portions of “Thamizha Thamizha” which suited the live orchestral version so well and then went on to “Kaadhal Rojaave/Roja Jaaneman”. Navin’s flute rendition made me feel that these are timeless masterpieces. The orchestra complemented well. 

“Enthiran/Robot Suite” started with a mismatch (I felt so, may be I'm wrong) between the visuals and the pieces. KMMC choir performed “Arima Arima”, which sounded good although I felt it needs many more vocalists in the choir to give that effect when we watch it on a cinema screen. But, “Puthiya Manitha” was too good. It was great. To know what we witnessed and listened to, just observe where all the tune is used in the movie, especially at the movie end credits. The performance gave that proper symphony effect. And never thought that it will sound so grand. The orchestra was simply amazing. 

“127 Hours Suite” started with “If I Rise”, followed with “Tears of Sun”. I was expecting “Liberation” themes to make it large. It didn’t happen. The orchestra was so good that I didn’t miss them.

“Lord of the Rings Suite” was grand with the vocals and the instruments were all over the place. A special mention to the male vocalist, Arun HK. His vocal range  is amazing. Kavita Baliga was splendid too. The “Lothlorien” piece was too good.

The interval followed. A short film on KMMC Music Conservatory was played. Audience loved it. 

“Bombay Theme” opened the second half. Navin’s rendition on flute was superb. The orchestra, especially strings, made it grand. The orchestra didn’t do anything different, but it was enough. After all, the same version is being widely used all over the globe because of its universal appeal.  

“Tribute to Indian Composers” was splendid. It started with a piece by his father, R K Shekhar, followed by MSV, Ilaiyaraja (Sendoorappoove), SD Burman, Naushad, Laxmikant Pyarelal (Hero), Jatin-Lalit (Pehla Nasha) and SEL (Kal Ho Naa Ho). Apologies for the ones I missed. But, the piece became grand by a sudden switch to ARR's tracks. “Kannalane/Kehna Hi Kya” was too good and then those epic portions from “Oruvan Oruvan Muthalali” followed. The orchestra was wonderful on all instruments. The applause at the end was deafening.

“Elizabeth: The Golden Age Suite” again showcased the importance of vocals. A girl from the KMMC choir took the lead. The orchestra followed it very well. I guess the lead portion was the “Divinity Theme”.

“Netaji Suite” started with portions from “Azaadi”. The visuals gave a patriotic feel. The orchestra played it well. I couldn’t really connect the other portions and the names of those themes. Sounded familiar, but was elusive.

“Meenaxi Suite” had some beautiful pieces from the movie. The visuals were a tribute to Indian beauties such as Madhubala, Nargis, Hemamalini, Madhuri Dixit etc. to name a few. The orchestra was good and kept a minimal character.

“Slumdog Millionaire Suite” started with the “Latika’s Theme”. The vocals by KMMC choir added the beauty. “Mausam and Escape” followed. Asad Khan came on stage with Sitar. I felt he made a few mistakes here and there (Again, I may be wrong!). A R Rahman came on stage and sat at the piano. Both played a Jugalbandi kind as a beginning and the orchestra joined them. It was a wonderful finale. 

The "Swades Theme Suite" (which should have played before "Netaji Suite"), was not played.

The felicitations for the Babelsberg Orchestra, the KMMC Choir, the soloists Asad Khan, Navin Iyer, Kavita Baliga & Arun H K, the conductor Matt Dunkley and the maestro followed. (The MC told that Navin is getting engaged today. Best wishes to him)

After the felicitations, the orchestra performed “Aayo Re” from Water (incidentally, for which ARR has given himself 10/10). The male vocalists from KMMC choir were too good (even with 1-2 mistakes here and there) and female vocals did their portions very well. The orchestra was splendid too.

The Man. The Music. The Legend

A few words. It was amazing to see what a simple and humble MAN could create within 20 years of MUSIC, MUSIC and only MUSIC. And, only a true LEGEND can do a tribute to include even those who negatively criticized and took potshots at him when he flourished across the boundaries and won hearts.

Other Notes

I met Suresh Kumar of the famous “Background Score” blog. Talked to him briefly. 

They issued 1132 passes (the seating capacity of the hall!) in Chennai and the number of people who couldn’t get was more than 4000. Although lady luck eludes me a lot, she gave me company at the right time.  

The experience was so unique that I’m sure I won’t forget it for a long time.

And finally, Thank You A R Rahman, for your MUSIC.

Aren't they critical part of our society?

I always find verifiable data and information answering lot of questions and clearing doubts. In statistics terms, it gives trends, seasonality, prove or disprove hypotheses, which helps us to substantiate facts and discard factual errors. Economics data is something that fascinates me at present because of my job as well as due to my general interest in the same. A significant data in the field is the economic value generated inside our country or the GDP (not going into detailed technicalities). Every analyst speaks of how much a sector contributes to the growth of GDP or how much it pulls down and other stuff. But no one speaks anything about how much housemaids (I don’t know if there is any better word to use here) contribute to this economy. 

Even before women started coming into the skilled jobs that generate income (If I may count a homemaker as a skilled person who is not generating income in economics sense) in large numbers, we had housemaids. Then, it was mainly supporting work. But now, they have become a critical ingredient of every family such that sometimes a child is more attached to them than their mothers.  But in the social psyche, where do they stand? Does anyone care about their lives? What pushes them to do such hard jobs? Since they are mainly women, what do their husbands do?

I stay in an apartment where the housemaid comes every day to clean and she is paid an amount less than Rs.1000. Since I’m not paying it, I never thought if it was enough. She does the job at hand in 20-30 minutes and does the same at other nearby apartments and goes back to her place from where she travels around 1-2 hours in the morning to come for work. She doesn’t come strictly on time, but she comes almost every day and tells in advance when she doesn’t come. I’m not sure if she does the same work throughout the day too. Sometimes, she comes even when she is ill. She has two sons; one is doing his engineering and the younger one in school. Somehow with her income and with some help from the houses where she work, she managed to pay the fees and other related expenses. Her husband doesn’t go for any work.  

Currently, the elder son has some health issues and he had to be admitted in hospital and she was not able to understand and explain what his illness is. The doctor told that it is fever and she was not able to understand what it means. He was taking medicines for a month. Yesterday, she came for work and told that his son needs an operation. She looked so absent minded while doing the work. After all, she is the mother. A mother may be conscious about what she is doing even when she’s very sick; but if her child is sick, I don’t know how to explain how a mother feels. She told me that she doesn’t know what exactly is his illness or why is he being operated. I didn't know how to tell her that everything will be ok, even without knowing what exactly is the issue. Today, she didn’t come.

I’m not sure how many families would have sustained if the considerable inputs from housemaids had not been there. The surprising part is that we will easily stereotype them as depicted in that Tata Docomo Ad. May be the company had just used the normal societal notions about housemaids.  When Chetan Bhagat said he helped his maid and her daughter, he was made fun of in every way possible in social media. Nobody was trying to understand the significance of what he tried to convey. He even mentioned that his family warned him before he helped.  I don’t know the root cause of such behavior among us. May be this is what we have ‘learned’ over decades and centuries. May be this the dark side of our 'glorious' traditions. May be we are taking so many things for granted, about which we don’t even think or ponder about.  Coming back to the economics point, we may not be even realizing the value they are adding to this country by doing much work which don't count in any GDP numbers. 

Like almost in any social aspect, here too I have only questions. Why do many of us treat them like second class citizens, only because they were born in such conditions and had to struggle in life even from their time of birth and so they are unprivileged? Why do many of us treat them inhumanly for even the most trivial of mistakes? Why wouldn’t we think that their sons/daughters can also be like our sons/daughters, if proper resources are provided? Why wouldn’t we think that they also have same rights as we enjoy?  

One more point. In the traditional “breadwinner” stereotype, she is the one who is running the family in most cases I have seen, including the one I mentioned above. If he was a responsible man, how would have been her life? I still don’t get the idea of not taking any responsibility, being a husband and father. May be our patriarchal leanings never taught men to own up responsibilities, but to have only power.  Here again, I’m lost. I have no idea. Why is it so? Is there something really wrong with how our society has shaped up? I don’t know.  The questions just remain.

Innovations and their aftermaths

People surprise me a lot. I learn new things from everyone around me, every time. But, the new levels of consumerism which traps people in and the way they succumb to it is something I can’t even comprehend. 

We are living in a world of products. And these products are from brands. And if you ask someone what’s a brand, no one can give a right answer. Sometimes, a product itself is the brand. Sometimes, it’s a person and sometimes it’s an idea and sometimes it’s just a fad. Everyone wants to associate with some brands, for no reason but for just the sake of associating with the same. The story of brands started with innovations. 

Innovation is an overused and abused word. The new world always meant innovation means products, which, sometimes one doesn’t even need and that sell in large numbers as everyone needs a share of the pie. The biggest driver of capitalist economy also was based on these innovations where the one who innovated and made money out of it controlled the ones who couldn’t. The supposed-to-be world’s best companies based on the brand equity (whatever that means) or the market value are the ones who produce stuff which are borne out of this ‘human ingenuity’. 

The other –isms suffered because everyone in this world wanted a piece and to be part of innovation driven capitalism. But there is a dark side to this story. The people who were engaged in appreciating these innovations resulting in new products were never concerned about how they were getting produced. Mass production is lovely word for the producers. But how’s it done? There you’ll see stories like this one. But, somehow and surprisingly, it doesn’t affect anyone. There’s no hue and cry on the same. But when the company’s owner dies, it’s as if a catastrophe has happened. Let’s go a bit deeper.

If these innovations didn’t result in blockbuster products, you would be answerable to your shareholders. If these blockbuster products are not made in bulk, after the emotionally moving marketing gimmicks, you can’t sell accordingly to the demand. And to make this bulk production possible, factory workers have to over work at cheap labour and with no overtime dues, so that the cost at which these products are being made will be just pittance compared to the final selling price of the product. If such low cost production had not been possible, these ‘blockbuster’ companies based on ‘impressive’ sales wouldn’t have made any person ‘iconic’. So, what makes these ‘iconic’ people ‘visionaries’? Does those Asian and African blood and sweat count in? But, yeah, that’s the world order.

Consumerism, as a natural progression of capitalist economy, has ensured that any shit can be sold in this world, with takers. If there are no takers, create them. America is a land where workers’ rights were seriously taken in to account. Even the history of May Day as worker’s day has significant contribution from the country. And, it’s an irony that the companies from same America are driving inhuman conditions for workers worldwide, in the name of outsourcing and low cost production. But, in case if these low cost production workers fight for their right and shut down at the same time, which may sound least probable but possible, the sales numbers will go down the drain, blockbuster companies will go bust and the innovations will look stupid and no comments on the icons and visionaries.

To end abruptly, I stop with a thought. When we become “proud owner of product x”, who is more important here? I still don’t get it when someone says that.

Me vs. Me

The topic is religion and faith. I may sound stupid, offensive etc. So, it's just my opinion. 

I was born in a religion because my parents belong to that religion. Like the 99% of other kids, I was also introduced into the religion and my growing up is much related to the activities as part of that religion. I admit that many of my beautiful childhood memories are also associated with the same. It was all about, “God will hear a child's prayers more than adults” and such. So, till a stage of growing up, it was serious matter for me and I was very much involved. Education, especially science, had some other story to tell through the proofs it offered in subjects such as Physics, biology etc. Then then questions started in mind and increased in number more than the answers anyone could give.

Even when I saw people thanking god for good things in life and attributing the wonders in this world and universe to him/her, nobody gave me explanation for natural disasters and accidents. No one gave any explanation for diseases for which there were no remedies. No one gave any explanation for people fighting in name of religions and killing people who followed other religions, in the name of their respective gods. No one gave any explanations about why god was masculine and there were different rules for men and women. No one knew why they ate only vegetarian food as pat of their religious beliefs. There I started questioning myself and what I learned throughout.

The questions never stopped. If rains are attributed to god, whose responsibility is floods? Don’t tell me it’s due to humans, because it used to flood even where humans didn’t interfere at all. Why is human ingenuity considered below that supernatural power, which no one has ever found anything about? When the best education has taught me enough things to explain things without god, why should I worry about that entity? Why should one fear god if he is the one who does only good? Isn’t the religious faith and other superstitions make our life miserable than anything else, also with many worries about future? When I find out reasons not to believe in god and almost no reason to believe in god, what shall I do?

In education, somewhere down the line I learned about the normal distribution which gives almost correct explanation of the anything random happening in this world. So to take the two extremes of good and bad, there’s always things that happen most of the time, which comprises all the normally good and bad things, and in rare cases extremely good or bad things can happen. Mathematically, it may have limitations, but still it gives more satisfying explanation than any religion’s version about god. And that randomness is acceptable and rational. Won’t this give the proper explanation that the future, even the immediate future is just another random event, and not controlled by some power? There, doesn't the whole astrology sound meaningless?  

Coming back to science, please don’t tell me that science still don’t explain many things. Since science in 2011 is not what it was in 1911, it is just normal that science in 2111 will give you more explanations. That’s the scientific way.  And I find my mind free and my thoughts are free of any baggage, this way. So, are the explanations complex or simple?

Still, there are questions. The thoughts and debates continue….but as someone pointed it rightly, there are myths and some of the active myths are called religions.

Chennai Auto Rickshaw drivers & Some Basic Economics lessons

In a city I like (love is always for Kochi) for its “better than peers” infrastructure and a human face, Chennai has a lot…quite a lot to explore. Apart from the food outlets, my initial face to face interactions was with the necessary evil part of our public transport system; the auto rickshaws (autos from here on), to be exact the drivers. In Chennai, they don’t use meters in autos. If you take autos, it’s based on the destinations. However close you are, it’s what the driver decides and asks. 

So, on the first day to office, I got ready a bit early and was waiting for an auto. An auto came to me. I told him the location and also asked him how much will it be. He told Rs. 70. Although I was a bit shocked to hear that, I asked him why it’s so high. He told me that it’s a one way, so has to run more distance. But, Google Maps has already informed me that this one way will increase the trip distance from 2 km to 2.5 km. I tried to argue and he came down to Rs. 50. He didn’t budge further. He moved on. Then, the next one came, he asked for Rs. 40. I was startled again (considering that the previous guy asked Rs. 70). Still, I tried to get it down. I told him that I will give Rs. 30. To my surprise again, he agreed. The real stuff was during journey.  I told him that even at Rs. 30 it is Rs. 12/km, which is high. Also, I told him the fact that there are some drivers who are even asking insane amounts as high as Rs. 70. He smiled and told me, “Sir, I know it’s high. That’s why people are ready to face any difficulties and take share autos”. He knew basic economics.

That was my introduction to share autos. To know share autos, you just have to image how school children are taken in autos and Maruti Omni vans in our cities. This is even worse. And people are ready to take such difficulties, only because of the reason which the sensible auto driver told me. So, a few times, I tried going in these share autos and found that although comfortable only when not crowded, this was damn cheap. How else would you explain the same distance, that costs minimum Rs. 30 in autos after all arguments, will make you poor only by Rs. 5 or Rs. 7 or Rs. 10? When crowded, it’s another ball game though. And a funny part, you get small plastic chairs to sit at the back of these share autos which will give a lateral view from the back of these vehicles. Once or twice, when I had ample time, I tried that too. 

So, I tried to understand what forces some auto drivers to ask this insane amount of money. Some days passed, with me successfully negotiating down to Rs. 30 almost every single day. One day I asked an auto driver how much distance he drives a day and how much of that with passengers. The answer was startling. He told me that he drives around 100 kms a day in the Chennai city and he gets people for only about 50 kms. I asked him without much thought, “Isn’t it better to take people even at low rates than driving without anyone and spending almost the same amount of fuel? (In a sense, Opportunity Cost in economics parlance)”. Even though it was without much thought, I found that it was a useful one. I used this question on every further day as well. Almost every driver pondered over it with silence and the result was that no one asked any extra money when I got down.  What surprised me was the fact that almost all of them didn’t even think how much revenue they lost by driving without passengers. One day, a driver took only Rs. 25 from me.

Then one day I got that famous reply, which we all love, from one auto driver. “One person like you can’t change the entire auto drivers”. I knew I had no convincing reply to tell him. But, I told him that I know that fact very well and I’ll still try because the ones who don’t know will at least think about it and mostly won’t repeat the same because it helps him as well as the travellers.

The arguments still continue but that question always helps. The funny part is that most of the arguments are in Tamil, a language which I know (no, partly know!) only from A R Rahman songs and mostly Tamil movies. Sometimes, I get really stuck for words. Still, I just try because I feel it’s worth than not trying at all.

Jamal & Salim

When Danny Boyle made a very small film in 2008 with new comers, except for Anil Kapoor, playing the lead and other characters, the movie had not takers. No distributor was confident enough to take it up, with recession setting in; the task became tougher for the producers to sell the 'not-so-fascinating-product'.  The only backing the movie had was a nice story, a crisp screenplay, a steady mix of genres in music, other technically brilliant contributors and a classy director at the helm of affairs. The movie somehow got out of the can; it touched a chord with the commonest of the common people, who happens to constitute a majority in this world, across the globe. Although the movie had to withstand a lot of criticisms from pseudo and ‘real’ intellectuals, at home and abroad, about selling India’s filth and poverty to the West and the rest of the world, everyone knew that much of the facts were not far from truth. 

Anyway, the movie is not the point here. I watched the movie two weeks back and one thing I really observed, closely for the first time, is the characterization of the two brothers; Jamal & Salim. The author or screenplay writer may not have meant it the way I think, but there is something lively and interesting about these too characters.

The story’s hero is Jamal. He’s in pursuit of the girl with that quintessential Bollywoodish happy ending and Salim playing the villain at times, he’s definitely the hero, in every conventional sense. Jamal is a resilient character. He waits with patience all the years for his love. In the beginning, he’s the little brat, who always used to be bullied by Salim, but being younger he trusts his elder brother Salim many a time. He shows his enthusiasm when he tries his best to get his superstar idol’s autograph. He’s heartbroken when he finds out that it’s being sold for money by his big brother. But, soon life gets complicated with his mother dying in front of his eyes.  He, along with his brother, gets lured into the trap when they see money. He finds his love, for whom he comes back from Agra, finding out that she was alive and there he lose her again. With his optimism not dying out even a bit, the life rightly or coincidentally teaches him whatever he needs to snatch that victory that not many can even dream of and finally he gets his girl. Although here luck helps the brave, the resilience makes him cross all hurdles and helps even get rich on the way. He's that character everyone may want to be. 

In contrast, Salim’s character is different. He’s shady, dark and unpredictable. He bullies his younger brother; he sells Jamal’s prized possession of autograph from some change. He too goes through the pain seeing his mother die in flames, along with this brother and both of them falls in to the same trap. Realizing the truth, Salim runs away from it, but not without saving his brother. They make a living in Agra and he agrees to come back with Jamal to find the girl. There he changes his mind to take Latika for himself and when the urban economic growth made inroads in Mumbai, Salim, becomes a giant in his own right under his underworld boss. He lets the girl go to his boss and once he snatches her away from Jamal. But, finally even when he knew for sure that he will die, he lets her off and helps her to reach Jamal. Salim’s character doesn’t get a chance to celebrate at the end of the movie. 

Salim's character is full of contradictions. He’s bad; at the same time he’s also good. He’s real. He is the one, at any age, who takes all the DECISIONS; of selling Jamal’s autograph, saving his younger brother from the begging racket, taking the girl with him, making her available to his boss, snatching her from his younger brother on his boss’s orders, and finally risk his own life to let her go to Jamal. He never celebrates his life. But, he’s the one who gives the story a happy ending, at his own life’s cost. His character reminds us about there’s more to life, behind and beyond those happy endings. He's that character no one may want to be.

And, the movie ends with a victory track that made, and continues to make, its mark all over the world, which almost every radio listening, TV watching, iPod ‘wielding’, Internet accessing audience has heard it at least once, and may be many times more. And, in this fast changing world, maybe, we better should just worry about the results, in this case, the ending, mostly the happy ending. The character analyses, although with zilch expertise above, may not even deserve and have a scope.