A R Rehman is more than the Oscar or any other accolade he has under his belt. For any of the rare public appearances he does, he is given a grand salute for the fact that he has won an Oscar. Some people measure his credibility by the fact that he reached his fan base to the white house and what not. Well no disrespect to the maestro but “Jai Ho” by his standards and previous songs is one of the most ordinary song he created. And it actually does not even match the scenario of Slumdog scenarios story. But still Jai Ho for a considerable period became huge hit in India and was used as the celebratory song for every stupid occasion. We never gave so much importance to his other songs which were of his artistic standards and more than soul touching. Yes Vande Matram got the respect it deserved but it was a song of the nation and so everyone would naturally like it. But his compositions for Taal, Swades, Roja, and most of all Rang de Basanti will be relevant for a millena.

Especially Rang de Basanti. The song “Roobaroo” is probably one of the best songs because its so damn easy and its complete with just one guitar. You don’t need to be a good singer of exceptionally amazing singing and music skills. You just need to know root third fifth chords in the guitar and you need to be young at heart. Sing it honestly in front of a group of people and they will all join you with the chorus. That’s why it’s a great song. It’s a song for everyone. And then there is “tu bin bataye” probably the happiest song he ever made. It’s a very difficult song to sing and its recommended you don’t try it out on stage unless you are equal to Shreya Ghoshal but otherwise the song has just a very few number of musical notes and it will stay in your head till death. That’s one great thing about the maestro. His simplicity. There is no competition in his music. Never will he try to create music which elites him out as the best musican. He simply touches the soul and makes you feel like you never felt before instead of making you feel that don’t know how to play music or sing a song. Musicans and instrumentalists do that. They simply go on the stage and concentrate on doing an act which no one else can do in the world and people like him because of that uniqueness. But he is not honest to his soul. And never the less it does not mean that A R Rehman lacks any virtuoso skills. Just look as his jazz piano skills in MTV Unplugged. Look at his singing skills in the song “tere bina” in the movie guru (mesmerizing from 1:30). That piece of singing is something an instrumentalist won’t imagine doing with his physical strength of fingers but the maestro did it from his vocals.

Apart from all these he has bought the nation together. Not just by creating a strong patriotic song no. He has created an awesome Punjabi themed song in the movie highway. Jiya jale a song from Dil is written in Indian classical raag. He still creates Carnatic music for the Tamil film industry. He plays jazz like he was born and raised in America (tu bole main bolun from Jaane tu ya jaane na) and apart from all this you know his aptitude for Sufi music. Real sufi music and not some sufi pop or sufi anything. And many people around are trying to compare his skills with Hans Zimmer. Well Hans Zimmer has created music for complex emotions like fear, adrenaline, adventure and those that might get you fuelled up in energy. He is the best at what he does. But can he compose music for a love story like Rang de Basanti or Swades where the script doest not allow you to be loud and that percussive. If there is anything that A R Rehman taught me is that awards and accomplishments are not a judge at all for a musician’s character and anyone who chooses to put up a musical act for us on the stage deserves to be heard as intently as A R Rehman. And as far as the Oscar his concerned. His previous Oscar was overrated. He will win an Oscar again for his lasts project which is a movie based on the bio epic on Pele and and very rightly seems the very correct script for his style. Plus if someone could hear me, please someone try and get Christopher Nolan to collaborate with the maestro.