Jai Ho ! A R Rehman wins Two Oscars as Slumdog Millionaire sweeps the Oscars with Eight Awards

Jai Ho !

Saw the 81st Oscar Presentation Awards Ceremonies beamed out Live on Star Movies this morning from the Kodak Theatre in LA,USA

Oscar Recognition of a Genius finally came with Two Oscars for our Music Maestro, A R Rehman for Original Score and Original Song ‘Jai Ho’ ( Lyrics by Gulzar) for Slumdog Millionaire (SM)

Rehman warmed the audience when he remarked in lighter vein,on winning the Oscar for Best Original Score for SM, that he was excited and terrified as he stood there…a feeling he last experienced at the time of his marriage !…SM is about Optimism and Hope.

Today is Monday here in India and is a Holiday on account of ‘Maha Shiv Ratri”…celebration of Lord Shiva…so it was truly apt that Rehman concluded one of his acceptance speech with a Tamil Saying that meant ‘God is Great’…he also told the audience that all his life he had a choice between ‘Love’ and ‘Hate’ and he chose ‘Love’ and that’s why he was at the Oscars !…Hmmm!…He also got a bit sentimental about his Mom’s presence commenting in true ‘filmy’ style ” Mere Paas Maa Hai !”  

Resul Pookutty  also won an Oscar for Sound Mixing in SM…he spoke on behalf of his two other co winners…he was initially overwhelmed on stage and took some time to get his breath back !…he dedicated the award to India,which has given the world the chant of ‘OM’…preceded and followed by the Power of Silence …Pookutty,who grew up in the Village of Vilakkupara,80 kms from Thiruvananthapuram,in the State of Kerala, will inspire thousands ,if not millions,of Indians who reside in Villages that they too can achieve big in Life  

SM swept the Oscar Scene by winning Eight Oscars Today,taking the coveted Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director ( Danny Boyle) too

Boyle was simply overjoyed and overboard too when he, in all humility and grace, acknowledged that all people in Mumbai simply “Dwarf this Guy !”…the Dwarf Guy was the Oscar Statuette he held in his hand !….and it was terrific to see over Twenty People,cast and crew of SM…including kids flown in from Mumbai specially for this occasion !,come on Stage to accept the Best Picture Oscar !  

Freida Pinto,the SM Star also was bestowed the honour of co-presenting one of the Awards at the Oscar Presentation Ceremony

Another heartwarming  feeling was that ‘Smile Pinky’ also won the Oscar in the Short Documentary Category.It’s a 39 minute film made by Megan Mylan on a six year old rural Girl Pinky,from Dabai Village in the State of Uttar Pradesh in India…becasue of a cleft lip deformity she is an outcast…Dr Subodh Kumar Singh,who too was in the audience,perfomed corrective surgery on Pinky for free and enables her to get a normal life…In her acceptance speech,Mylan was gratitude and humility personified in praising and acknowledging the work of Dr Subodh Kumar Singh and the many Indians who helped her create this Documentary 

I’m sure the Post presentation Oscar Party/ies will have been dominated by all things Indian !..the Food,the Decor,the Music and ofcourse the People attending it !

When the Movie SM was released in Mumbai,I had blogged that I was not unduly impressed by it and I had specified many reasons why…thought ‘Taare Zameen Par’ was far better really for the Oscars !…and that Rehman was a genius and his scores for SM were good but nowhere great like his for ‘Roja’ and ‘Lagaan’ earlier

This view stands good but I do heartily applaud all of SM Cast and Crew for the Eight Oscars and their Moment of Glory and Place in the Sun

Meryl Streep did not win..Kate Winslett did for Best Actress…Mickey Rourke did not win…..Sean Penn did for Best Actor…Both gave entertaining,though slightly provocative acceptance speeches…but made their point in good humour and received as such by the audience…Both,Wife and Husband,Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt,were nominated in the Best Actress and Best Actor Categories too

Late Heath Ledger won the Oscar in the ‘Best Actor in a Supporting Role’ Category for his powerful and brilliant portrayal of the Villian ‘Joker’ in the ‘Dark Knight’….Penelope Cruz won the Oscar for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Hugh Jackman was the Host and he danced too…one medley number with Beyonce too !…..methinks Billy Crystal,host of Oscar shows in the past,would have connected better with the audience…Bring Back Billy 

Jai Ho !