Oscar winner musician A. R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire) will deliver a free concert in Sydney (Australia) to make a “statement of peace” in view of recent racial attacks on Indian students in Australia.
He reportedly said that this concert, to be held at Parramatta Park on January 16, was an attempt to “reunite culturally and spiritually” in view of the recent bad vibe. He hopes that it creates a “bridge of understanding and love” and breaks down “cultural misunderstandings”. Premier Nathan Rees of New South Wales has congratulated Rahman for this offer.
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan recently refused an honorary degree from the Queensland University of Technology of Australia in view of these racial attacks.

Rahman, who has reportedly recorded sales of over 300 million, was called “Mozart of Madras” by Time magazine. Pop icon Michael Jackson reportedly approached him before his death to partner on a peace anthem on the lines of “We are the World”. Rahman sees music as a “way to connect to spirituality and embrace it”.

The entire cine goers clan, the Bollywood fraternity along with Kamal Hassan wait with baited breath as newbie Shruti Hassan makes her grand debut with ‘Luck’ opposite Imran Khan. The on-screen chemistry between the couple as seen in the trailers and in the promotional events looks promising. Also, Shruti get to show some of her versatility as she does some karate and martial arts rounds in the flick with veterans like Sanjay Dutt and Danny Denzongpa.

Long Live the King of Pop Michael Jackson. There seems to be a lot of excitement in Kamal Haasan’s Daughter Shruti Haasan’s life, who is all set to make her debut with Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Ltd’s ‘Luck’ directed by Soham Shah. The latest news is that musician actor Shruti Haasan has geared up to pay tribute to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson on August 29!

As a tribute to the late pop star, a group of young singers will be performing live in Chennai. According to several Bollywood Sources, “Shruti will be performing on three Michael Jackson numbers. However, they are still to zero in on the songs. Young talents like Benny Dayal and Krish will also be performing.” The show will be held at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. Many performers and celebrities are expected while the details of which are being finalised.

However, it’s also confirmed that Shruti’s father Kamal Haasan along with AR Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan and others shall attend the extravaganza! While news is abuzz that several legends from the music industry are likely to be present at the event!

Signing off, Shruti Haasan said, “It’s a really big event in Chennai. It’s a meeting of all musicians, who are coming together to pay tribute to the career of a great man. We are all very excited and enthusiastic about the show. We are the first city to do something like this in India.”
MJ’s celebration of life continues…

Actor Kamal Haasan may not like his daughter’s debut movie Luck, media reported.Hassan’s daughter Shruti, who otherwise appears extremely confident, is nervous before the release of her film Luck, which stars Imran Khan and Sanjay Dutt.

“Yeah, I am not showing my film to them (parents) right now as I am quite nervous. I am too scared about their response. Maybe, sometime later…,” the actress quips.

Though Shruti has performed before at concerts and acted in commercials, she has become worried, more so about the reaction of her parents.

Kamal Haasan’s daughter Shruti Haasan is making her debut in Soham Shah’s ‘Luck’ and the debutante has no inhibitions in shedding off her clothes. For her, it is like any other scenes and feels no difference. She dons a two-piece and completely drenched at two degree temperature in Cape Town.
Says Shruti, "When Soham narrated the script, I did not even consider the bikini thing as a big deal it was logical to the premise. While shooting for it, the weather was very weird that day. It was freezing cold, but apart from that it was like any other scene in the film for me."
The director adds, "The scene involves Imran Khan, Ravi Kissen and Mithun Chakraborthy. Shruti was not at all apprehensive of wearing a two-piece swim wear as she was aware of it from before. The scene is totally justified as Ravi Kishen’s character pins his eyes on her."
Shruti’s bikini was specially designed by Soham’s designer wife, Binal Shah.

Imran Khan is all set to romance his childhood friend and debutant Shruti Hassan in upcoming flick Luck and both insists they are just good friends.

    When Shruti was quizzed whether she took Imran as her brother, she said, “Let’s not get into the brother sister relationships. We have been friends for the last so many years that I have lost count. We are romancing each other in the film so just keep to that. One can’t romance a brother, in fact the thought itself is repugnant.”

    Imran also reacted in the same way saying, “Don’t use the word sister, it sounds horrible. We are more of friends. One can’t romance a sister. It’s sounds very repulsive.”

Well Imran’s girl Avantika might not be happy with this statement.

Mozart of music A.R Rahman is shocked like rest of us by Michael Jackson’s sudden death and remembers the King of Pop with sadness.

Rahman says, “I am shocked at the untimely passing away of Michael Jackson, one of the greatest musicians of our times. MJ, for most of our generation was an icon who made uncompromising music. He pushed the milestone of Pop music to unbelievable levels through the 80s and 90s. I am yet to find an artist with that energy, perfection and vision. I met him personally after the Oscars in Los Angeles and we vibed very well. He said that he loved India and the Indian people. He said he heard good things about me and he was praising the chord progression of Jai Ho’s chorus.

He was bursting with energy and told me that every dance move he did came from his soul and did a five second stunning example. It was like a lightning strike. He was concerned about developmental issues such as Global Warming and about wars and its damages to the human community. He asked me to compose a unity anthem on the likes of “We are the World” for him. I nodded in awe…!

He introduced me to his three lovely bright kids. The kids told him “I love you Dad”. And he replied, “I love you more” as a proud father. I wished him well for his concerts and he said “God Bless you”. After hearing the shocking news, I wished it was another rumor which would fade away soon. It took me time to believe that he is no more. I remember, my late sound engineer H. Sridhar had brought me a video of the premiere of ‘Remember the Time’ when I was recording ‘Kadal Rojave’ for my first movie Roja. Seeing it inspired all of us that afternoon.

Now, there is no Sridhar and no Jackson anymore. I hope all of us value people’s existence more and respect them when they are alive. LIFE IS SHORT…! Artists and their art live for ever. Jai Ho, MJ! We love you for your music, regardless of all the controversies!”

Farhan Akhtar, we are given to believe, is one heck of a perfectionist. The director-turned-actor is currently shooting for his next film Karthik Calling Karthik.

And if reports are to be believed, Farhan Akhtar is taking his role very, very seriously.

Mumbai Mirror reports that the star has been obsessed with the Rubik’s Cube and has been carrying one with him wherever he goes!

Apparently the character he plays in the movie is a Cube fanatic.

So Farhan who supposedly loves to prepare for his role has been taking to solving the Rubik’s Cube earnestly.

How life changes after one award. Ask our very own composing guru A. R. Rahman. After the Oscars ARR who had already been a busy man in India, has been receiving offers and accolades from left, right and centre. Rahman was also named as one of the top 100 influential persons in the world by the prestigious Times magazine recently!

For the Chennai-based music composer life definitely has changed after the Academy awards. When asked how he feels now after the world recognition, Rahman revealed that getting the twin Oscars was a very unnerving experience. The composer who cannot attend even places of prayer without being noticed feels he has to now concentrate more on his music because that is his first priority.

The Indian Mozart who has literally been living out of his travel bags (thanks to the adulations he has been receiving after the Oscars) literally broke his past records for traveling the past week. He was in New York, Dubai, Calicut, Chennai, Pune Delhi Mumbai, the list goes on!

There seems to be only one downside that the Oscars have brought into ARR’s life. The composer is not able to spend much time with his children. But ARR is not complaining. All he says is that before the Oscars his wife had dreamt that she was walking the red carpet by his side. She can now dream of walking to the Oscars with our children, says ARR.

To a scribe’s query on how he felt being voted as one of the top hundred influential persons of the world the music director said and we quote:  At the function I was on the same table as Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and the CEO of Time magazine. When I went up to stage a chant of ‘Jai ho’ went up in the house 

Wow! ARR sir it must have been a moment to cherish!

We at Indiaglitz wish you the best in all your future endeavors and hope your music will be a note of love and peace to the entire world!

Aligarh: Oscar winning composer A R Rahman will be conferred an honorary doctorate by Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

Rahman shot to international fame with his compositions in Danny Boyle‘s underdog drama Slumdog Millionaire and he also won two Oscar awards.

Apart from Rahman, Gopichand Narang, former president of Sahitya Academy, would also be conferred an honorary doctorate at a convocation on June 7, said a press release from AMU.

West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi will be the chief guest at the 59th annual convocation function. AMU chancellor, AM Ahmadi, also former chief justice of India, will preside over the annual event.