I am probably going to get shot for what I am about to say next. I am not an AR Rahman fan! Yeah, you read that right!

This statement has made me get into many arguments, street brawls and even a couple of pistol duels. A lot of my friends have disowned me, I don't get invited to too many parties, I get laughed at when I walk on the street and my milkman refuses to give me credit. You get the picture. This statement has made my life more miserable than all of my other statements combined. Without justifying my taste in music (or lack of it), let me just say that I am not a fan because primarily I cannot hum his tunes. And please, do not even begin to  doubt my humming abilities because I am a three time winner of the All India Humming Championship. True.

Yesterday, I was invited by my friend Samar Khan, who is producing MTV Unplugged to a rehearsal of the show.

He called me and said,"Rahman is playing."

I scoffed.

"Ok," he said - "I'd have also liked you to take some pictures - but let it be."

"Bastard!!!," I thought.

"Ok, since you insist so much, I'll come along," I said.

I thought I heard him laugh before he disconnected. I travelled with him all the way to another planet where the studio is located (No, I am not going to give up the location!!!) and after a long wait Mr. Rahman showed up and started rehearsing.

What I saw and heard I cannot even begin to describe in words. I saw a man at one with the Universe. His eye for detail, his quest for perfection, his attention to each note, each instrument was so complete that it was almost unreal. And the joy, the happiness, the satisfaction on his face was something that I cannot even begin to describe. The man is a genius, of that, there is no doubt.

 

Ever since I have come back from the shoot yesterday, I have been constantly playing Rahman's music.

Am I a convert? No. I am trying to figure out what is it, that I have been missing. How can I be so moved by the man rehearsing and not be moved by his music? What is it? I am not going to let this one go until I figure it out.

Note: Please don't throw stones at my car if you see me passing by and as usual, you can see the extra large versions of the pictures on my Google+ page.