Jai Ho, MJ Says A.R Rahman

"Jai Ho, MJ!" said Oscar winner A.R. Rahman, for whom pop legend Michael Jackson symbolised limitless energy, perfection and vision, while the death of his "role model" has left dancing star Prabhu Deva numb.

"MJ, for most of our generation, was an icon who made uncompromising music. He pushed the milestone of pop music to unbelievable levels through the 80s and 90s. I am yet to find an artist with that energy, perfection and vision," said Rahman, who had recently met the pop superstar following the Oscar awards.

"I met him personally after the Oscars in Los Angeles and we vibed very well. He said that he loved India and the Indian people. He said he heard good things about me and he was praising the chord progression of 'Jai Ho's' chorus

A.R Rahman gets Honourary Doctorate

Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Chandrayaan project director M. Annadurai were on Saturday (August 1) conferred with honorary doctorates by Anna University in Chennai.

Governor and university chancellor Surjit Singh Barnala gave away the honourary degrees at a special convocation.

The degrees were conferred on Rahman and Annadurai for their achievements in the realm of music and space technology respectively and on Stalin for his contribution to the state's administration, Anna University Vice Chancellor P. Mannar Jawahar said.

This is the third doctorate for Rahman after he won two Oscars for Hollywood movie"Slumdog Millionaire". The first was from Aligarh Muslim University and the second from London's Middlesex University.

A.R Rahman wins two Grammy Awards.

The music composer A R Rahman won two awards at the 52nd Grammy Awards, he has also won two awards before for his Oscar winning movie Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman won the first Grammy Award before the show, at the Staples Center. He got the best compilation soundtrack for the category of motion picture. Jai Ho won the best motion picture song later.

RAAVAN MOVIE BOLLYWOOD

RAAVAN is a king-sized disappointment, in terms of content. From thebusiness point of view, a Mani Ratnam film might ensure a healthy opening [at plexes mainly], but the weak script on one hand and the heavy price tag on the other will make RAAVAN see red.

It's time for the modern-day version of 'Ramayana' to unfold this Friday, exactly two weeks after 'Mahabharata'. The very thought of watching an epic in the present-day milieu only enhances the curiosity for the film. And if the present-day adaptation of 'Ramayana' is helmed by a master storyteller [Mani Ratnam], the moviegoer should, and must expect the moon. Nothing less would suffice. After all, a Mani Ratnam film is not merely an experience, it's an event!

Mani Ratnam, who has penned the screenplay of RAAVAN, models his characters on the lines of 'Ramayana':

Reason To Watch Raavanan

1. For Mani Ratnam fans, this one is reason enough, but for you sceptics out there, here are nine more!

2. If you thought Iruvar, Roja and Bombay were Mani Ratnam's best, Raavan/ Raavanan is going to stun you! Says who? Just about everybody who has worked for the project! "Mani Ratnam has made this film like a penance. Mani Ratnam, Vikram andAishwarya Rai will definitely get National Awards," said lyricist Vairamuthu.

3. Mani Ratnam's Raavanan is also special for its huge star cast: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Prithviraj, Karthik, Prabhu, Priyamani, Munna, John Vijay in Tamil and Abhishek Bachchan,Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Govinda, Ravikissen, Priyamani, Nikhil Dwivedi in Hindi (Raavan)