Oscar winner A.R. Rahman (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE) for the first time will be seen in front of the camera in upcoming film SON OF A PREACHER MAN, about the life and times of Grammy winning singer-songwriter-producer PJ Morton.
Besides Rahman, other cast includes American Gospel musician Kirk Franklin (NORBIT), Grammy nominated American Idol Winner Ruben Studdard (LIFE ON A STICK), and producer Warryn Campbell (STOMP THE YARD). Shot in Atlanta and New Orleans in USA and London in United Kingdom, it will be released in 2010. Michael Akwesi Djaba (REASONABLE EXCUSE) is the director. Rahman and Morton collaborated on Sajna song in recent Hollywood comedy COUPLES RETREAT.
Rahman, who has reportedly recorded sales of over 300 million, was called "Mozart of Madras’’ by Time magazine. Rahman sees music "as a way to connect to spirituality and embrace it" and for "creating harmony in troubled times".
One year after 'Slumdog Millionaire' hit theatres are created a frenzy at the Oscars the buzz still hasn't died - music maestro AR Rahman has now been nominated for two Grammy Awards for hsi work on 'Slumdog'.
The ubiquitous 'Jai Ho' has been nominated in the category of 'Best Song written for Motion Picture, Television or Other visual media'. The songs has already won Rahman two Academy awards and a Golden Globe award. Rahman has also been nominated in the category of 'Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other visual Media' for 'Slumdog Millionaire'.
The 44-year0old has been nominated for the very first time at the Grammys. Bruce Springsteen's title track for 'The Wrestler', 'Once in a Lifetime' from film 'Cadillac Records', 'Decode' from 'Twilight' and 'The Client' from 'Hannah Montana: The Movie' will battle against Rahman's 'Jai Ho' for the big award. Moreover, the soundtrack album of 'Slumdog' will be up against biggies the likes of Quentin Tarantino's 'Inglourious Basterds', Beyonce starrer 'Cadillac Records', HBO's vampire series 'True Blood' and Robert Pattinson starrer Vampire-romance 'Twilight'.
Incidentally, 'Jai Ho' was re-recorded in 2009 by the Pussycat Dolls with English lyrics, a different key signature with all vocals from Nicole Scherzinger, produced in collaboration with Rahman and Ron Fair, and mixed by Peter Mokran. The original song was actually composed for 'Yuvvraaj', but was turned down by director Subhash Ghai who thought the song was not suitable for actor Zayed Khan to perform onscreen. 'Jai Ho' won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, beating out WALL-E's "Down to Earth" by Peter Gabriel, and "O…Saya", also of Slumdog Millionaire and by A. R. Rahman and M.I.A.
