DIRECTION: YM Movies Team
CAST: AR Rahman, Ranjit Barot, Ann Marie Calhoun, Haricharan, Jonita Gandhi, Annette Philip, Mohini Dey, Keba Jeremiah, Devi Rani Najev
One Heart, a 'concert movie' that is perhaps the first of its kind in this genre is a film based on the 'Intimate Concert Tour’ performed by the prolific musician AR Rahman along with his band who are cherry picked from across 14 cities in the US. The flick contains interesting sneak peek of behind the stage scenes, exciting personal side of Rahman, interviews with him and his band members, practicing sessions and choosing the songs and the singers.
The film begins with a brilliant top angle shot where AR Rahman is atop a yacht in the middle of a sea. Soon, we are taken to the live concert hall with background music, beginning with Chinna Chinna Aasai, the bouncy song from his debut film Roja which took Isai Puyal to dizzy heights. Dil Se Re number in the intense voice of ARR follows.
“My first concert I witnessed was Osibisa, the British-Afro rock band when I was 11 years old when they came to Madras. My dad had their song record. It was a surreal experience to me”, Rahman says even as the film unfolds.
Apparently, the Academy winner says that it was a nightmare to come on stage when he started in the 90s. “Today, When I come to stage, I feel ‘its all going to be good (smiles).”
A series of mixed magical songs in Hindi, Tamil and even a Punjabi number performed at the concerts rekindles our nostalgic moments. There’s this romantic number Saathiya (Saathiya), Endrendrum Punnagai (Alaipayudhe), peppy Dum Dara Dum Dara (Guru), soul stirring Naadan Parindey (Rockstar), mellifluous Munbe Vaa (Sillunu Oru Kadhal) and he fittingly ends with his Oscar winning composition Jai Ho.
These are intercepted with enjoyable revelations of band members – as ARR puts it, ‘in my shows, it is not me showcasing my talents, but to show audiences how great my band is’. His super Heavy band mate Ann Marie Calhoun in a lighter vein said that she was the least heavy member of SuperHeavy. Dancer Devi Rani Rajev revealed with excitement that she thought it was a prank call when the double Oscar winner called her and asked if she can be part of his concert. ‘After he came on skype twice, then only I believed it was him,” she says. And it also highlights others like Ranjith Barot, Jonitha Gandhi, Haricharan’s value added contributions to recreate the magic on stage. And not to forget the whole band’s club hopping at Nashville!
And we get to see few recorded footages of Rahman spending time happily with his wife Saira and children. Flying high above in a hot-air balloon, he looks down to his daughter and asks in a lighter vein, ‘shall I jump’. Then there’s a glimpse of photo shoot with Saira where both turn slightly crazy which captures the funny side of the musical wizard.
One Heart is all about music and nothing but ‘music’ and an honest attempt from the musical genius. With a crisp running time of 1 hour 26 minutes, the film is an enriching musical experience worth a watch!
