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Entertainment
By Uday Tarra Nayar
The First Lady of America, Michelle Obama, wife of also in typical American homes because the songs are
American President Barack Obama, did a few steps to pleasantly invigorating and soothing. “At every Rahman
match the rhythm of the title song of Rang De Basanti concert in America we have sold more CDs to Americans
when she visited a South Mumbai school and interacted than to Asians “, says Deepak Gattani the maestro's
with its kids. The lady wouldn't have had a clue what the manager and impresario.
song was all about but it was evident that she was
In the 70s when Kalyanji and Anandji returned to
enjoying the rhythm of the A.R. Rahman number Mumbai after their first live show in the U.S. they were
composed for one of the m o r e
thrilled by the overwhelming response they got from a
meaningful Hindi films of the mixed audience of Asians and Americans. The Gujarati
first decade of the new
brothers were smothered with admiration and love by the
century.
Gujaratis settled there and they were booked for concerts
In far in all the States where there was a sizable Asian
away population. So deep was the impact of Kalyanji and
Americ Anandji's compositions that in the Nineties their songs
a, Hindi were finding their way in bits and pieces into music
f i l m albums of popular American groups. In fact, a rap group
music went on to win a Grammy for a number that had the
h a s famous Don song Yeh Mera Dil Pyar ka Diwana
been in dominating in their scintillating mix.
demand
Needless to say, the enormous success of the Kalyanji
not only in
Anandji live shows in the U.S. set the pace for other Indian
Indian homes but
Kalyanji and Anandji
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