'Let's celebrate his life and music': Watch AR Rahman's video tribute to SPB

The debut movie of Academy Award-winning music director AR Rahman, Roja (1992), had the title song sung by singer SP Balasubrahmanyam. In the 1990s, Balasubrahmanyam was already a popular singer, but this particular song continues to top the list of his bests.

He sings, "Kaadhal rojavae, engae nee engae? Kanneer vazhiyudhadi kannae." (Rose of love, where, where are you? Tears drip, my dear).

This rendition by SP Balasubrahmanyam squeezes the hearts of listeners, conveying the pain and grief felt by the hero even as he goes missing in Kashmir, far away from his newly-married wife. Many years later, AR Rahman recalls the same song to rekindle memories of singer SP Balasubrahmanyam who passed away due to coronavirus-related complications on Friday.

In a video made by the music director, AR Rahman says, “SP Balasubrahmanyam came into the studio and said how can this studio produce a cinematic song? I smiled at him. After the movie's release, he came to me and said you proved that music can be made anywhere, it is what we do with it.” 

The reminiscent video posted by the music director laces such conversations and memories he shared with SP Balasubrahmanyam, along with the stage performances of the late singer. The video leaves fans with welled up eyes, evoking nostalgic days with SPB’s music.

The video starts with music director AR Rahman asking singer SPB who is his first love, music or work or a woman during a stage show. Balasubrahmanyam says music, but after a witty back-and-forth, he admits that his partner, who is somewhere in the audience, is his first love.

 

Celebrating #SPBalaSubramanyam's music, life and personality. https://t.co/7Gga4Ffflh

— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) September 26, 2020

 

Sharing similar anecdotes, AR Rahman then takes us to the memory lane of his first interaction with the singer.

Talking about his first interaction with the singer, AR Rahman says, “One of the performances I did in a big way is celebrating the birthday of SPB in 1982-1983 in Music Academy, a felicitation ceremony. I still remember that most of my life started in that way and I played keyboard for other music directors in which he was playing. (sic)”

He also reveals another aspect of the SP Balasubrahmanyam, fondly called as SPB, which fans know less about. Fans have known that SPB recorded over 20 songs in a single day, but AR Rahman says that SPB was a singer who learned the song in 15 minutes and sang it in 10 minutes and went for other recordings. “I do not think I have seen a singer like him so quick, so professional,” he says.

He continues, “SPB would never say no to anything, he is ready to experiment, be it music direction or acting or singing. For every hero, he will have a personality for that hero.”

“I do not know if any singer can be like him living a full life in music and a full personal life with kindness and modesty. He was loved by everyone be it Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada fans, he did it all. So, we should celebrate his music, we should celebrate his life and celebrate his personality,” he adds.

The music director finally requests the people to be kind with each other and respect when people are alive, like parents, senior artists or people who give unconditionally.