Live ’n’ exclusive: A.R.Rahman in Bangalore

Live ’n’ exclusive
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: We’ve had international artistes stirring the city’s music aficionados. This time, it will be India’s very own talented musician, someone who has created a taste for regional music among youngsters, once again.

Bangalore’s much-awaited concert is finally here. India Classic Arts (ICA) presents A.R. Rehman in the city and live in concert. Rehman will have people swinging to beats that have reigned the film industry across the country. And he’s not alone on this venture. Adding vocals to his upbeat scores are some of India’s most celebrated singers, which include Alka Yagnik, Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, Chitra, Sadhana Sargam, Madhushree, Rajesh ‘Blaaze’ Raman and Kailash Kher. Joining them will be Alma from Bosnia and Ani from Armenia. Adding to this, this is the first live 3D concert where virtual reality embraces live format.

The fact that Rehman’s music has gone beyond Indian boundaries is evident from his forthcoming world tour. The concert, slated for October 8, is a part of the tour that includes London, Birmingham, Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, United States, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

ICA is a US registered company that works towards promoting and taking Indian art forms to other countries. What started off as a dance academy in Bellur, was taken further by extending dance lessons to multiple classical disciplines and also to producing and coordinating events.

With this, Roopa Iyer (now Senior VP, ICA) started Gurukul, which later merged with ICA to form a global fine arts production company. Roopa, along with Ravi Rajagopal, President, ICA, is promoting art for art’s sake as well as for a humanitarian cause. Says Ravi, ‘‘Rehman’s concert will lay the foundation for a social project in Bangalore called ‘Namma Mane’ (Our Home). The project will open doors for the mentally challenged and the senior women citizens of the city providing a home for the homeless.’’

The company has set a designated amount from the concert’s proceeds that will be used for the project and according to Ravi, it is anywhere between 10 to 50 lakhs.

Tickets for the concert, to be held on October 8, are priced at Rs. 499, Rs. 999, Rs. 2,499, Rs. 2,999, Rs. 5,999 and Rs. 9,999. ‘‘The idea is to reach out to every segment of the population by giving them an opportunity to come to the concert. With eight to 10 audio-visual screens ready to be set up at the venue, audience at the Palace Grounds will get a complete experience of the concert, no matter which end they are in,’’ says Ravi.

Sale of tickets will begin on September 9 and go on till the day of the event. Tickets are available at PVR Cinemas, Planet M and at all Cafe Coffee Day outlets. For tele-ticketing and home delivery call: (080) 25705858. For mobile ticketing (for all GSM mobiles) call 9844100777. The caller will receive a bar code on his mobile, which can be exchanged for the ticket at any Spice Telecom outlet, the venue or at the above-mentioned outlets. For online booking visit www.spicetele.com/ www.indiaclassicarts.com