Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The 19th Step
Director - Bharatbala
Producer - Manas Malhotra, Bharatbala [Bharatbala Productions]
Script - M.T.Vasudevan Nair
- The 19th Step is the only Indian film to have ever been selected for the prestigious Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF).
- The 19th Step will be the first martial art film from India. It will also be the first Indo-Japanese co-production of its kind. It is a film about one culture's journey into the other, telling a universal story aimed a larger worldwide audience, tracing the origins of the martial arts to Kalarippayattu, a fighting style practiced in Kerala in Southern India. Kerala and Japan both have highly evolved forms of martial arts, literature and performing arts; and are uniquely linked through similar cultural practices. The 19th Step will be the first film to explore this cultural linkage.
- Kenji, a bloodthirsty Samurai warrior haunted by the ghosts of his turbulent past, travels to India seeking the infinite power of the ancient martial art Kalarippayattu, but ends up acquiring powers far greater & beyond the martial art’s 18 steps of learning – into the realms of a mystical 19thStep.
Ekam Satyam (single with Michael Jackson)
Lyrics - A.R.Parthasarathy (Sanskrit), Kanika Myer (English)
Choreographer - Raju Sundaram
Singers - A.R.Rahman (Sanskrit), Michael Jackson (English)
On stage in Munich - A.R.Rahman, Michael Jackson, Prabhu Deva, Shobhana and 30 German dancers.
- The song was recorded with MJ in September 1999.
- Performed at "Michael Jackson and Friends: What More Can I Give? " concert in Munich, Germany on June 1999. LINK
- Michael Jackson appeared on stage with folded hands wearing a white outfit designed by Indian fashion designer Manish Malhotra.
- The concert proceeds went to charities and aid agencies and a children's fund set up by former South African President Nelson Mandela.
CURRENT STATUS - No idea regarding the fate of this one, especially after Michael Jackson's split with Sony Music last year. We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope that we will get to hear the song soon.
The Heart of India (IMAX)
http://www.tajmahalfilm.com
Cast - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Director - Bharat Bala
Script Writer - Michael Caulfield
Producer - TriColor Films and MacGillivray Freeman Films
Executive Producer - Sushil Tyagi (President of Tricolor Films)
Associate Director, Editor - Kanika Myer
Director Of Photography - Reed Smoot
Historical Consultant - Martand Singh
Production Designer - Dashrath Patel
- This is India's first IMAX film. Other working titles for the film are Journey Across India and Taj Mahal: The Great Indian Experience
- This movie adheres to the 40- to 45-minute giant screen format.
- 4 songs complete ( 2 Hindi & 2 English) ; English songs written by Don Black.
- The movie takes a journey across India, through its ancient cities, mountain passages, and vast desert kingdoms. Follow the history behind the Taj Mahal, a testament to the timeless art and culture of India, and a monument to love for the entire world.
CURRENT STATUS - Shooting 50% complete. Expected to release in 2008/2009.
Solo pop album for UK-based pop singer, Karen David
http://www.karendavid.com<
- ARR has composed 2 songs for this album.
- "Shillong Shillong "
- "Carry Me Home "[Visit official website to hear 30 second song clips]
- The album will also feature a lot of compositions that Karen made with other co-writers and producers. The ARR collaboration will be available next year - when Karen has signed a new record deal. Carry Me Home will be available as a limited edition independent release soon - watch the website for more details coming soon. [Info courtesy - Gopal, ARRYG]
TRIVIA - Karen David has previously sung for Rahman in the title song of Bombay Dreams.
CURRENT STATUS - Karen David is releasing this album sometime soon. The album will feature the above 2 songs, as well as Provoked song " Alive".
Orchestral piece for CBSO [City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra]
http://www.cbso.co.uk
Here's a picture of A.R.Rahman in the conductor's podium at the Birmingham Symphony Hall on April 10, 2003. CLICK HERE
- This orchestral work will be based on The Conference of the Birds, a 12th century Persian poem by Farid Uddin Attar from Nishapur.
- Rahman will also conduct an autumn concert for the CBSO featuring his Bollywood film music.
- A.R.Rahman : "It was while I was at the Birmingham Film and Television Festival 2000 that I met people involved in the music industry in Birmingham and was encouraged to write a piece with the CBSO. I love the different cultures that Birmingham has and this collaboration provides a bridge between the East and West nations at an important time in history. I chose Birmingham because of its rich diversity and the friendly people. I would very much like to see Birmingham become Capital of Culture - it seems to be the only place in Britain where different cultures live happily alongside each other. Art is the only way to transcend our different cultures and I am very excited to be involved in this project. I will be composing the piece over the next six months between Birmingham, New York - where Bombay Dreams goes to Broadway - and my present home in Madras." [ Birmingham Post]
CURRENT STATUS- Advanced Booking had been opened from July 7, 2003. First part of the concerts were held on March 5th and 6th, 2004.
No official announcement regarding when the second part based on The Conference of the Birdswill be held.
Bombil and Beatrice
http://www.bombilandbeatrice.com
Cast - Prashant Narayanan, Katie McGuinness, Piyush Mishra
Director - Kaizad Gustad
Producers - Quest Films Limited & Crossover Joint Ventures in association with Medient Corp and TFK Films
Cinematography - Trevor Forrest
Editor - Steve Mercer, Robert Wallace
Production Design - Ayesha Shroff
Art Direction - Narendra Rahurikar
- One hundred years ago, a beautiful young English woman named Beatrice promised a young Indian man named Vilas that she would wait for him. For a hundred years, if need be. At the height of the British Raj, these star crossed-lovers shared a love that defied both their worlds. On the night of New Year's Eve, Beatrice escapes from her family and elopes to her lover. But tragedy strikes instead.........
One hundred years later, in the urban slums of today's Mumbai, Beatrice tracks down the reincarnation of her lover from a century ago. Vilas is now Bombil, the hitman, and she has a job for him. At the appointed hour, at the appointed time, one hundred years after destiny struck, what will he do? Can he redeem himself in this lifetime for promises made in the last? Can he kill the very thing he loved? Bombil and Beatrice. Love Doesn't Die.
Slumdog Millionaire
Cast - Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Dev Patel
Director - Danny Boyle
Script Writer - Simon Beaufoy [The Full Monty]
Producer - Christian Colson
Cinematographer - Anthony Dod Mantle
Lyrics - Gulzar
- The film is based on the bestselling novel "Q and A" by Vikas Swarup. Production began in Mumbai in November 2007.
- A.R.Rahman is collaborating with UK based hip-hop artiste M.I.A aka Maya Arulpragasam on this project.
- One song "Jai Ho" - sung by Sukhwinder Singh. According to Sukhwinder, "It's a very innocent song, but it's also energetic and stylish. When you hear the beginning, you will feel that you have started some bhajan, it's a soothing number with a style element."
- An illiterate Indian streetkid from Mumbai wins the jackpot on Kaun Banega Crorepati.
He had gone onto the game show to reach his missing girlfriend, who he knows watches the show religiously. When he wins the jackpot, he is suspected of cheating.
- The director plans to film partly in Hindi and mostly in English, expressing his love for Hinglish films as the influence.
CURRENT STATUS - Shooting complete. The movie will be premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (from September 4 - 11, 2008).
Shreya Goshal
