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Just before he left for foreign shores, to pick up the trophies from the BAFTA and Cinema Audio Society (CAS) award and now the Oscar, Pookutty said: "I would have been crying now had I not been persuaded to join the project back."
"It was a difficult project and Danny was very demanding. It put a lot of strain on me emotionally and physically," Pookutty recalled. Since the film was shot in Mumbai, a "very noisy city", in motion, the sound designer had trouble recording the sound from the viewers' perception. In keeping with the film's flavour, Pookutty decided to record the soundscape of the city.
The sequences shot at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus were among the toughest. "Since I wanted to record the sound of city life, I positioned my assistants with mikes across the station," he said.
In fact, after a career spanning 13 years in the industry, 36-year-old Pookutty applied fresh tactics for this film. "I had to constantly reinvent ways of getting the best possible sound," he revealed.
But then, just like Jamal in Slumdog Millionaire, perseverance has been the story of Pookutty's life. He was the youngest of eight children born to an impoverished family in a non-descript Kerala village, Vilakkupara, 80 km from Thiruvananathapuram. His father was a private ticket bus examiner, and he learnt to study in the light of the kerosene lamp as their village had no electricity.
Cinema was far from mind, and Pookutty tried his hands at many things before straying into the world of celluloid. He reared domestic animals, sold milk, later took tuitions to finance college.
For a brief while, he dreamt of becoming a doctor, but gave it up when he failed the medical entrance. After graduation in Physics, he joined the Law College, Thiruvananthapuram.
However, even then, say acquaintances, sounds seemed to hold a strong fascination. "During a recent reception at the village, Resul said the chirping of birds and gurgling of the rivulet had always evoked much curiosity in him," said his brother Baiju.
It was only out of curiosity and peer pressure that he applied for the sound engineering course at the Pune Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). He failed the first time, returned to Thiruvananthapuram, and read up all the books he could find on sound engineering. In the next entrance examination and group discussion, Pookutty passed.
While there has been no looking back, in home state Kerala, it is only recently that people came to know Pookutty, who has been living in Mumbai with his wife Shadiya and two children for the past decade. "Even the people of Vilakkupara learned about the feat of its son only recently," said Baiju.
However, in the run-up to the Oscars, all that changed. Monday evening saw the entire village glued to television to watch the Oscars. As Pookutty's name was read out, the crowd was ecstatic. Many could not stop their tears and ran to kiss the screen. There were impromptu processions on the streets, many carried banners.
"After the results were out, Resul called me," says Baiju. "But emotionally choked, he could not speak." His regret remains that his parents, who are dead, couldn't see their son go so far.
Like most, Pookutty said he didn't have much inkling Slumdog Millionaire would go on to become such a phenomenon, though he was a fan of Boyle. "I even had a poster of Trainspotting in my room at FTII," he said.
When he first met Boyle, Pookutty added, he was tongue-tied when the British director asked him to suggest some films he should watch to know about his sound designing style. He replied, "Watch any of my films, you will find my mark." When he met Boyle for the second time, Pookutty said, he found that the director had done his homework.
Resul Pookutty dedicates Oscar to India
Sound engineer Resul Pookutty became the third Indian to bring Oscar glory for India by winning the award for sound mixing in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ here today.
"I dedicate this award to my country. This is not just a sound award but a piece of history that has been handed over to me," a beaming and emotional Pookutty said while dedicating the trophy to a billion Indians.
"I come from a country and civilisation that gave the world the word that precedes silence and is followed by more silence. That word is 'Om'. So I dedicate this award to my country," said Kerala-born sound technician.
Pookutty shared the honours with colleagues Ian Tapp and Richard Pryke.
"This is unbelievable. I share the stage with two magicians, who captured the noise and cacophony of Mumbai to create the soul stirring artful sound of 'Slumdog Millionaire'," he said.
Pookutty has won a BAFTA and a more recent Cinema Audio Society (CAS) awards for best sound mixing. He is the first Indian to win the CAS award.
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we all know how much ur petriotic..most my muslim friends are fan of azar ,akram,huk imran khan etc..but no one likes sachin ???they all supported indai wen azar was captain ..after that they are now only supprting pathan brothers..no sehwag or sachin..this is ur mind set...but no other relegion is like that way..same way with me.. i like sachin,ponting ,hussey etc..but no waqar or azar.....this is our miind set..its difficult to chage..so u support ur people and let us support our own..dnt play some patriotic drama here...
I am deeply hurt by some of the comments by fellow citizens. Where are we heading to? I am an indian and a very proud one too... the fact that i am a muslim has nothing to do with the love i have for my country. I was excited when Shashi Tharoor was nominated to the post of UN Chief, I felt proud when Vikram Pandit took over as head of Citibank... I never looked at the fact these where non-muslims... they are all indians making our country proud.It's a shame we bring religion out of the temples, mosques and churches in to everything that is remotely religious.Let the Gods be left alone in peace where they belong... My grand parents fought for the freedom of this land and now my patriotic feelings are being challenged.Jai Hind.
my dearest celebrity.i m proud of u man.
Its refreshing to see people like you Resul...Hats off to you and we all indians are proud of you
SHAME ON YOU STUPID PEOPLE WHO IS SPREADING FUNDEMENTALISM HERE.Congrats the people who bags the Oscar.
we all congratulate you on the effort you took for achieving this real award on 2009. may GOD bless you again with this kind of boon to you and all the indians.
It is disgusting to see prople showering linking patritism whenever a muslim earn laurels for the country. We saw in case of Kalam saheb and now in case of the heroes of Oscar award. No one gives the certificate of patrotism to Gulzar saheb. It only reflects the poor mindset of those who are distributing the certificates that they see muslims as non patriotic. This is a very sad state of affairs. Please stop doing so as it hurts the muslims. We Indian muslims do not need any certificate from any one to prove our credential. There are lumpen elements in the society and they belong to different religious belief including Islam. Their act should not be associated with the religion that they claim to follow.I congratulate all the Indian artists who made this film successful and contributed in winning the Oscar award.
What a shame. No body says that Gulzar you are true Indian. Why people utter this word in case of muslims? Who are these people who are distributing certificates of patritism to only muslims? Please open your mind and heart. This country belongs to one and all and muslims are not required to have your certificate to proove that they are good Indians.
Today only the people of the ideology which killed our father of nation and tried to sabotage our fredom movement are questioning Indian Muslims who shed their blod for this country's freedom....who stood back in the country during the partition.Because they loved their motherland.Funny is tha these groups couldn't produce even a single freedom fighter except Desh Drohis sofar...the price of freedom was not so cheap as these goons presume.
DO you know 95% of muslims voted for the creation of Paksitan, but only 15% migrated?That is because people were too poor to migrate, only the rich from India and some in the north were able to migrate to Pakistan.Anyway, thats not the question now, 95% of muslims in India were born in India and if some of them are not patriotic, well, its just their loss :)
we saw result of your hard work ,all indians are waiting Your next film, god bless you
AFTER ALL STILL "BHARAT' REMAINS. HEART FELT CONGRATS MR. RESUL POOKUTTY...YOU ARE THE TRUE INDIAN. "OM" AND INDIAN CULTURE IS NO WAY CMPARABLE TO SEMITIC RELIGION CONCEPT AS MOST OF THE SO CALLED SECULARISTS BELIEVES.
Why not Advani, Modi, Sudershan and Ashok Singhal recite Kalima la ila ha ill Allah. Why you guys always want Indian muslim to adopt or say hindu scripts? If we say or read scriptures then only you consider as indians??? What a shame is this...every individual has a right to follow the truth path.
u people shouted against danish cartoonist, agaisnt taslima nasrin...same job was done by mf husain but agaisnt another relegion ...then y u not shouted against mf hussain ? y ur universities are giving award to him ? same way..every individual got right..
Congratulations...Yesterday you made history and today your fellow countrymen cannot be more proud! You and the team worked hard and today enjoy the fruits of your efforts!
They have song 'Jai ho Jai ho' in the movie not 'Allah hu Allah hu', so I guess they do whatever is sellable. But surely a poor Muslim boy movie has market. Probably next year Oscars will go to movie based on Palestine where a kid will goto bomb schools in Israel or in Afghanistan or in Swat valley.
I wonder if a Hindu like me would have had the guts or the knowledge to say what Pookutty said about Om. Muslims like him (and many Indian muslims are like him) are very precious.
What a wonderful Human Being! I really liked his speech, keep up the good work. Bravo!
Pookutty showed amazing character in dedicating his well earned award to the people of India. India should be so proud. He talked so well and he said coz, that is what people here in the west connect with India, and in today's world Om and Shanti means a lot. Everyone should want peace and silence in today's chaotic world. People do not make it political and about secularism, as this was meant to hurt nobody's feelings. We are all Indians and we should be proud of our technicians and composers and lyricists. We are not a bunch of idiots, we are talented, but we just need someone to harness it in a proper channel. Thanks to Swarup, Boyle, Gulzar, and Rahman too for putting India on the world map. Congratulations to all of you. Job well done!
Thanks for the message. this is what I am goint to say. These stupid people are searching bloddy fundementalism on each aspects..that's the fate of India.
Lets go beyond the man made barriers of religion, caste, creed. Skin Deep we are all the same. Most of us are taught that religion is a path of goodness but in most cases we cant choose the religion we want to practice for our own personal peace. The physical differences, the customs are enforced after we are born as a child, where we do not understand anything.....maturity dawns very late....I wish we grow to love and practice Humanity which is love, tolerance, sacrifice and the other good virtues which are the foundation stones of all religion. Men have corrupted what God made to bring peace and happiness. There are real issues which we need to together resolve to solve - poverty, education, employment, protect environment
We are very proud of you, Resul. Congratulations. (Bobby's brother in law)
Kaayal Anbu raja Mohammed, it is nothing but Indian culture. Resul Pookutty is rightly conscious that his predecessors were not Muslims nor your's ! India is compressed with the adopted religions, reined in with promise of helps. How muslims are joining for the Satyanarayana pooja in Mumbai's building. It is a culture Mohammed; Just do not divide the society.
All religions are imported including Hinduism by Aryans. So lets not argue about that. Congrates to everyone who made India proud.
I think Mr. baseer should comment on fact which either he doesnt know, or know to an extent of his favourism. Hinduism is never imported, read any history book, there is no Guru (like Mohammed sahab in case of Islam or Jeses for christian) of Hinduism. It is the religion just adopted by default by the ancient generation. With the course of time, as the evulution progressed, different religion started. Those who liked the new flavour; changed; those who didnt, they dint change. And for your kind information Aryan were nobody but Hindus.
We Christians in kerala use Ohm.. shanti.. in some our meditations. It is something that lives in the every Indian mind since time immemorial, irrespective of what religious masks we wear..
A R Rehman we had always heard of but it is Resul Pookutty who really makes me proud. Shows to go that religion does not belong to anyone. This nation belongs to all. His dedicating his award to all Indians on Shivaratri and talking about the wonderful word 'Om' was heart-warming. This not to take anything away from Rehman who might have changed his religion but, I think, is no less a patriot than any other Indian. Congrats to both of them!
So, to show our patriotness we indian muslims have to hang out our hearts in our shirts and shout from rooftops OM, then only you people will accept as indians!!!!!!!!!. What a hypocracy of thoughts? Shame on you for those comments.
Josh, i read your comments. I salute you. u hav made the observation. Rasul is a gem , like a Taj, the symbol of Indianness.OM is for everyone who belives in this Indianness.What to say about Rehman, who had earlier silenced fanatics by chanting vande matram.I hope no mullah issue a fatwa against Rasul. We are all proud of you.
Pse look the political History ofIndia,who is responsible for partition, Jinnah or the Congress party dominated by Nhehu,Why Jinnah left the Congress Party, some one give an answer.Thank you
Hats off Resul Pookutty. You very deserve this award. Your paitriotism is amazing. I pray to Almighty God to bestow you many such laurels in the years to come.
Congrats Pookutty, Contrats!!!. Our heartiest felicitations for this wonderful occation, we salute you, for your dedication.
This is a calculated ploy by the US using the Academy .US knows that the Osacars are viewed by the people world over and a good marketing too They need to bridge the gap with the Muslim world. The Story line is of a poor Muslim boy getting rich . and the awards are given to two Muslim artist . if you see the movie you will be convinced that the movie and the music is nothing but average .
neither I agree nor do I deny your observation, no one denies the fact that A.R.Rahman is a music genius in India, but it is almost impossible to understand the train of thoughts of americans in all all aspects of worldly, commercial, political and ethical life, they are capable of doing what you suspect they have done, probably your are right, probably you are wrong, in the past 10 years or so Indian women chosen as the world beauty queens belong to this category too, americans will go to any extent to fall in love with india to create new merceneraries to fight the american empire building, it is a pity that India has fallen into the trap of zionists, neocons and their bossom friends.
I am not being fanatic as you think .You dont know how the Americal mind work .with the change in adminstration they need to bridge with the Muslim world and they have a right product in hand now .A filim portraying the resuregence of a Muslim youth and they have 2 muslim artists they can give the awards to .Do anybody sincerly think Slumdog Millionair worth these awards ,keeping aside the patriotic feeling . Can you explain why better indiam movies went to the Oscar did not get the award ?
Ahhhh....the creative power of the fundamentalist mind, laughable yet worrying because these are supposedly educated people who spout such nonsense.
Congratulations Mr Resul !! You made us proud