Latest news with #VandeMataram
News18
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Bharat Bala Recalls AR Rahman Recording Vande Mataram At 2 AM: ‘Woke Up, Lit A Candle'
Last Updated: Filmmaker Bharat Bala revealed that AR Rahman made a separate studio to record the song. AR Rahman's iconic 1997 rendition of Vande Mataram remains a classic hit to this day. Reminiscing about the old times, filmmaker Bharat Bala shared behind-the-scenes stories of recording this iconic track. Bala, who directed the music video, shocked fans as he revealed that AR Rahman recorded the track past midnight. AR Rahman Recorded The Song At 2 AM During an interview with The Lallantop, Bala revealed that AR Rahman made a separate studio to record the song. 'He made a separate studio on the second floor for this project. We were trying, but nothing was working out till six months," Bala recalled, sharing that one day AR Rahman woke up at 2 am and wanted to record the song. 'He suddenly woke up at 2 am. He made everything spiritual. He lit a candle that came from Ajmer Dargah and woke me up. He asked me to call the sound engineer, but there was no one," he added, revealing that he was the one who recorded the track with Rahman without anyone else present at the studio. Bala further stated that Rahman wanted him to sit down with him and work on the song. 'I didn't want to take responsibility for recording in those 15 minutes. But nobody was there. He went into the recording studio and started singing. 'Maa Tujhe Salaam.' That emotion…I was in tears!" Bala narrated the whole event. Filmmaker Bharat Bala's Vision Behind Vande Mataram Music Video Bala was also seen sharing his thoughts behind making the music video. While talking about the song, Bala shared that he wanted to go for a more romantic vibe than making it purely patriotic. 'I wanted to make an idea called Vande Mataram, not just a music video," he stated, revealing that he worked on it for nearly six months. 'Uss zamaane mein vo All India Radio mein aata tha, ek purana sa scratch tha. There was no feeling as such; I wanted to change that. Even though we took the idea of creating that for India, we wanted to keep it romantic. It's a love song for your country, your mother. That's why it's much deeper and stays like that even today," he said. Additionally, Bala confessed that there was no prior planning or storyboarding involved; he just wanted to capture the real people. 'I was clear about one thing: I will film with real people; there will be flags, and people of every village and landscape will be filmed artistically," he stated. 'Jahan bhi jayenge, ek bada jhanda rakhenge, logon ko ikkattha karenge, and we will shoot it. No makeup, no choreography, but it should be epic," Bala revealed about his vision. The music video was ultimately filmed within 20-25 days and was out in another ten days. First Published: July 26, 2025, 13:20 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Bharat Bala recalls AR Rahman recording Vande Mataram song at 2AM, says he makes everything spiritual: 'He lit a candle that comes from Ajmer dargah...'
Bharat Bala revealed that 'Maa Tujhe Salaam' aimed to be a love song for India, not just a patriotic anthem. AR Rahman recorded the iconic track at 2 a.m. after a spiritual awakening, using a candle from Ajmer Dargah. The final version is the raw, unedited take from that night, capturing pure emotion. 'Maa Tujhe Salaam' was more than just a song—it was a moment in history. Nearly three decades later, AR Rahman's 1997 rendition of Vande Mataram still echoes across generations. But few know the intimate, almost spiritual circumstances under which the track came to life. A love song, not a patriotic slogan During a conversation with The Lallantop, filmmaker Bharat Bala revealed that his vision for Vande Mataram went beyond a conventional patriotic anthem. He wanted the song to carry a romantic tone — a heartfelt ode to the country, rather than a jingoistic message. Bala shared that the idea was in development for nearly six months, inspired by an old scratch version that once aired on All India Radio. According to him, the goal was to craft something deeper — a love song for the nation and its people, one that would resonate emotionally and stand the test of time. A 2AM recording sparked by faith He also recalled the lengths AR Rahman went to for the recording of Vande Mataram. Rahman had set up a dedicated studio on the second floor of his home solely for the project. Despite months of effort, the right moment didn't arrive—until one night. Bala shared that they had been sleeping on the studio floor when Rahman suddenly woke up at 2 a.m., lit a candle brought from the Ajmer Dargah to set a spiritual tone, and felt inspired to record. With no sound engineer available at that hour, they still decided to capture the magic as it unfolded. Bharat went on to reveal that the version of Vande Mataram we hear today is the very same raw take recorded that night—without any retakes or refinements. With no sound engineer present, Rahman asked Bala to sit with him and assist. Though hesitant to take on the responsibility, Bala agreed, and within 15 minutes, Rahman stepped into the booth and began singing 'Maa Tujhe Salaam.' The emotion was so overwhelming that Bala was moved to tears. That powerful, impromptu rendition—captured in complete solitude—became the final version used in the now-iconic track. Details of the video Bala further shared that the Vande Mataram video was made with minimal planning and maximum emotion. There was no storyboarding or elaborate prep—instead, he focused on capturing real people, real landscapes, and genuine emotion. The vision was simple yet powerful: to shoot across diverse regions of India with a giant flag, gathering locals at each spot. There was no makeup, no choreography, no rehearsals—just raw, unscripted patriotism filmed artistically. The shoot wrapped in just 20–25 days, and Bala had the final video ready within another ten. His goal was clear: to make something epic, honest, and deeply human.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
AR Rahman sang ‘Vande Matram' at 2 am, filmmaker recalls wanting to keep it ‘romantic': ‘I was in tears…vohi recording aaj gaane mein hai'
AR Rahman's 1997 rendition of 'Vande Matram' remains an iconic track to this day. . In a recent interview, filmmaker Bharat Bala, who directed the music video of the song, revealed that Rahman recorded the track at 2 a.m. He also reminisced about the organic and natural approach they took while filming 'Vande Mataram'. During a conversation with The Lallantop, Bala shared that he wanted the song to have a 'romantic' vibe, instead of purely patriotic. 'I wanted to make an idea called Vande Matram, not just a music video. Worked on it for six months. Uss zamaane mein vo All India Radio mein aata tha, ek puraana sa scratch tha. There was no feeling as such, I wanted to change that. Even though we took the idea of creating that for India, but we wanted to keep it romantic. It should be like a love song, not patriotic or jingoistic. It's a love song for your country, your mother. That's why it's much deeper and stays like that even today,' he said. AR Rahman had made a separate studio to record the track. 'He made a separate studio on the second floor for this project. We were trying but nothing was working out till six months. We used to sleep on the floor in his studio. He suddenly woke up at 2 am. He makes everything spiritual. He lit a candle that comes from Ajmer dargah and woke me up. He asked me to call the sound engineer, but there was no one,' he shared. ALSO READ | AR Rahman joins forces with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for his AI project Secret Mountain, a musical metaverse Bharat Bala recorded the track with Rahman without anyone else present in the room and that version was used in the OG song. 'He asked me to sit with him and work on the song. I didn't want to take responsibility of the recording in those 15 minutes. But, nobody was there, it was quiet, everything started moving. He went in the recording studio and started singing 'Maa Tujhe Salaam'. That emotion…I was in tears! Merko nahi pata kya hua, he finished singing. That is the very recording jo uss gaane mein hai. We didn't refine it,' he revealed. The filmmaker continued, 'There wasn't any storyboarding or planning. I was clear about one thing, I will film with real people, there will be flags and people of every village and landscape will be filmed artistically. We identified the location, kahin recce nahi kia tha. It was filmed within 20-25 days, I got the video out in another ten days. Jahan bhi jayenge, ek bada jhanda rakhenge, logon ko ikkattha karenge and we will shoot it. No makeup, no choreography, but it should be epic.'
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
PM Modi Accorded Ceremonial Welcome, Guard Of Honour In Maldives
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome and guard of honour at the Republic Square in Male on Friday as he began his official engagements during a two-day State Visit to the country. Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu was also present on the occasion. Children performed dance to welcome PM Modi at the venue and the ceremonial welcome was followed by a meeting between the two leaders. Earlier in the day, in a special gesture, President Muizzu welcomed PM Modi at the airport in Male as he arrived from the United Kingdom. Maldives Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, Finance Minister and Minister of Homeland Security were also present at the airport to welcome PM Modi. PM Modi said that he is "deeply touched" by Muizzu's gesture of coming to the airport to receive him. He expressed confidence that the ties between two nations will scale new heights of progress in the coming times. "Landed in Male. Deeply touched by the gesture of President Muizzu to come to the airport to welcome me. I am confident that India-Maldives friendship will scale new heights of progress in the times to come," PM Modi posted on X. PM Modi will participate in the country's 60th Independence Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour on Saturday. This is his third visit to the Maldives and notably the first by any head of state or government since Muizzu assumed office. Chants of 'Vande Mataram' echoed as PM Modi also interacted with members of the Indian community who had gathered to welcome him. Prime Minister Modi met children and gave them autographs on the paintings made by them As part of the vibrant cultural reception, children also performed a traditional classical dance upon PM's arrival at the Kurumba Village Resort. After meeting PM Modi, a child said, "I painted this with the help of my mother. Honestly, I didn't believe he would actually give his autograph. But when he signed it, it was such an overwhelming feeling! I was so excited, I just started dancing." PM Modi shared glimpses of his interaction with Indian community members on X. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "The Indian diaspora plays a crucial role in furthering friendship between India and the Maldives. Happy to have interacted with members of the diaspora and I thank them for the warm welcome." Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that PM Modi's visit will not only contribute further to consolidating strong ties between the two nations but also enhance peace, prosperity and security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). "The relationship with the Maldives is comprehensive and multifaceted. It's been paid attention to by leadership at the highest levels and we believe that this visit by the Prime Minister will contribute further to consolidating these strong ties and contribute to peace, prosperity and security in the Indian Ocean Region that both of us inhabit," Foreign Secretary Misri stated during a special media briefing ahead of PM Modi's two-nation visit. The two leaders will also take stock of the progress in the implementation of the India-Maldives Joint Vision for a 'Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership', adopted during the State Visit of the President of Maldives to India in October 2024. "We have always been the first on hand to respond to the needs of Maldives in times whenever it has faced crisis, natural or man-made. There has been a robust, political relationship which has been bolstered by regular visits at high-levels," said Misri. "This joint vision, in a sense, has become the guiding framework for our ties. This year already, in the first six months, we have seen nearly half a dozen ministerial level visits from the Maldives. The speaker of the Maldives Parliament visited India. In fact, the very first engagement this year that the External Affairs Minister held was with the Foreign Minister of Maldives," he added.
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First Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Watch: PM Modi gets guard of honour as India's national anthem plays at Male's Republic Square
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour at Republic Square in Malé, marking a symbolic and warm welcome on his visit to the Maldives read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives a ceremonial welcome during his state visit to the Maldives. X/@presidencymv India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a ceremonial guard of honour at Republic Square in the capital of Maldives, Malé. #WATCH | National anthems of India and Maldives being played at Republic Square in Malé, Maldives, as PM Modi receives a ceremonial welcome here. Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu accompanies PM Modi. (Video source: ANI/DD) — ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, attended the event as well. PM Modi was greeted ceremoniously with a 21-gun salute. PM Modi landed in Maldives on Friday as a part of his second leg of the two-nation visit. He received a welcome from President Muizzu and senior ministers from the government upon his arrival. The Prime Minister of India, His Excellency Shri @narendramodi arrives in the Maldives on a state visit, at the invitation of His Excellency President Dr @MMuizzu. This historic visit is Prime Minister Modi's first visit to the Maldives since assuming his third term, and… — The President's Office (@presidencymv) July 25, 2025 With chants of Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata ki Jai, members of the Indian diaspora greeted the PM. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There was also a cultural performance hosted by the diaspora in his honour.
