Oscars & ARR

The "Mozart of Madras", award-winning music director A. R. Rahman – sadly failed to pick up Oscars this year in either of the 2 categories he was nominated for. In the Best Original Score category, the composer lost out to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for "The Social Network" and Best Original Song went to Randy Newman for "Toy Story 3".

Rahman did however, have a chance to perform "If I Rise" from 127 Hours – the song which was nominated for Best Original Song. Though the original recording of the song features vocals by Dido, the singer was unable to make it to the ceremony, so ARR was joined on stage by Florence Welch – frontwoman of the band Florence and the Machine.

This may not have been the best start to the year that ARR was hoping for (having missed out on the BAFTA this year as well), but he did receive the Best Original Song award for "If I Rise" at the Critics’ Choice Awards in January.