‘Jai Ho, MJ!’ says Rahman, Prabhu Deva numbed

CHENNAI - “Jai Ho, MJ!” said Oscar winner A.R. Rahman, for whom pop legend Michael Jackson symbolised limitless energy, perfection and vision, while the death of his “role model” has left dancing star Prabhu Deva numb.

“MJ, for most of our generation, was an icon who made uncompromising music. He pushed the milestone of pop music to unbelievable levels through the 80s and 90s. I am yet to find an artist with that energy, perfection and vision,” said Rahman, who had recently met the pop superstar following the Oscar awards.

“I met him personally after the Oscars in Los Angeles and we vibed very well. He said that he loved India and the Indian people. He said he heard good things about me and he was praising the chord progression of ‘Jai Ho’s’ chorus.

“He was bursting with energy and told me that every dance move he did came from his soul and did a five second stunning example. It was like a lightning strike,” the composer recalled.

“He was concerned about developmental issues such as global warming and about wars and its damages to the human community. He asked me to compose a unity anthem on the likes of ‘We are the World’ for him. I nodded in awe …!” Rahman added.

“I remember my late sound engineer Sridhar had brought me a video of the premiere of ‘Remember the Time’ when I was recording ‘Kadal Rojave’ for my first movie Roja. Seeing it inspired all of us that afternoon,” he said.

In a philosophical note, Rahman concluded his condolence statement: “Life is short..! Artists and their art live for ever. Jai Ho, MJ ! We love you for your music, regardless of all the controversies!”

For Prabhu Deva, who is often called the ‘Michael Jackson of India’, the death of his “role model” is more than a personal loss.

“He was my biggest inspiration and actually I idolised him. I am still in a daze and it will take time for me to come to terms with reality”, said the choreographer-actor, who was struggling to get the right words.

Said Vidyasagar, another leading Tamil music director: “MJ had been a youth icon for over three decades. He deserves a special place in history. His demise has robbed us of a great musician and a noble human being.”

The 50-year-old singing sensation died Thursday following a cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles, leaving millions of his fans around the world stunned.