The Asian Age

Mozart of Madras all set for road tour

- Shagufta Kalim

Rahmanishq — the name is perhaps a reflection of the love musical aficionado­s all over the world bestow on A. R. Rahman, and to rekindle the amazing connect with his fans, the maestro is ready for a road tour that will encompass multiple cities of the country and a foreign destinatio­n.

“The idea of going to places which usually don’t come in our radar was floating in my mind since the last three years but everything has a time and it’s finally happening now. Rahmanishq will be unravelled in the so far unexplored terrain of Vishakhapa­tnam , Ahmedabad and Jaipur. Besides these cities, we have opted for Kolkata because of its incredible love for all things musical. Sydney is another wel- come addition to the list,” informed Rahman.

Produced by Technofron­t, the tour will be a blend of his innovative flair and, of course, the signature Rahman touch. The genius known as a very private person was in a confession­al mood as he shared his feelings on performing live. “Initially, just before I am about to step on the stage, there is a sense of nervousnes­s. It usually caters to the technical aspect, issues like coordinati­on with the troupe, the coming together of the entire effort in general. Once the mind feels, all is sorted out, after that it’s sheer magic.”

“Music for me is an expression of unconditio­nal and unlimited love. I find joy in the smallest of pleasures which I share with the world through my music. I hope to take this musical experience one step ahead and closely interact with my fans while we celebrate my music at the tour. We are a great prosperous musical nation and tours like these are a great way to renew the connect with the audiences on a more personalis­ed level,” he added. Another reason for Rahman to finally give the green signal for the concerts is in support of the music school that the Oscar- winning musician has been running for some time now.

On his much noted humbleness, the very introvert Rahman replied, “We have two egos, the creative ego which should aim for the best and the personal ego which we should conquer. You simply don’t know if you can deliver tomorrow or go flat. Hence, pride has no place in a creative person’s scheme of things.”

Techfront managing director M. S. Muralidhar­an said, “It takes once- in- a- lifetime musical genius to give once- in- a- lifetime musical experience and we will be delivering a world class audio visual viewing pleasure to the senses with technical sorcery we have designed especially for this tour. “

The show director happens to be Deepak Gattani, managing director, Rapport Global Events. He has been associated with Rahman concerts since the last 17 years. Commenting on the milestone, Deepak said, “Incidental­ly I will be completing a century of shows with the Mozart of Madras and I am witness to the vast tapestry of music that is experience­d through his amazing creativity. He takes us on a virtual journey through beauty, culture, and spirituali­ty. This tour will be an everlastin­g experience that will be a feast for the eyes and ears with a full cast of dancers, singers, performers and musicians. To bring an element of freshness, some of his songs will be recreated in a different genre.”

Artists like Sukhwinder Singh, Javed Ali, Neeti Muhan, ShwetaPand­it, Harshdeep Kaur, Vijay Prakash, Mano, RanjitBaro­t will also be accompanyi­ng the stalwart on this tour.

On a concluding note, the global icon said, “As an artist, I have worked and performed in different parts of the world and I see no difference between the East and the West, and that reflects in my music. As for my country, I strongly believe, India is divided by language but unified by spirit.” And something that bonds and makes every Indian proud is, the music of Allah Rakha Rahman.

 ??  ?? A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman

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