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 “In dealing with cancer - four times - it is my friends who’ve kept me going. It is my desire that they all join together and raise funds for the cause - Live. Beyond Cancer”. This was music director Mahesh’s will and last wish before he passed away
on October 29, 2002, after a valiant battle with cancer for 13 years. And Mahesh’s wish is soon to turn true.
Mahesh’s friends have all joined together to make his wish a reality. Music whiz kid A R Rahman has been roped in to conduct shows in India and abroad, to collect funds for the cause.
The show presented in Chennai by Hero Honda in association with Vijay TV, is titled ‘Unity of Light’.
The Chennai leg of the show will be on February 21 at the
Central Polytechnic-India Pistons Ground, Taramani, at 7.00 p.m. With around a hundred artistes participating including the likes of SPB, Chitra, Hariharan,
Shankar Mahadevan, Sukhwinder Singh, Janaki Devi, Sreenivasan, Unni Krishnan,
Sujatha, Udit Narayanan, Vasundhara Das, Sadhana Sargam and Mahalaxmi.
At the press meet organised in this regard,
Rahman said, “I’m really touched by these friends who’re dedicated to their friend and the cause. My father was a victim of cancer too, and I can relate to it. We're doing it for a great cause, so do pray for us and wish us good luck!”
Rahman, who for the past six years has been doing programmes in Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai etc., stated that it was the first time that he’s doing a live programme in Chennai for the Mahesh Memorial Trust.
Asked what the style of his concert would be, the 134 films-old and three times National Award winner replied, “It will be a culmination of exciting music. There will be more Tamil songs for the Chennai audiences, and we’re planning something special!”
 Mani
Ratnam, one of the trustees and a close friend of Mahesh, said of his friend, “We have 4-5 friends, but Mahesh had about 500 friends”. On how they got
Rahman to do the show for them, Mani Ratnam replied, “When we formed the Trust in November, we wanted something that would grow and do substantial work for cancer. The committee considered asking
Rahman to do a show for us. At first he said he had arranged other shows, and he could pass on some of the collections to the fund. But we wanted him here and do a special show for us. It took him just two seconds to say yes!”
As for the amount they hope to collect
Mani Ratnam’s answer was, “We’ll do our best. We’ve to start somewhere!”
Kamal Haasan remarked that though Mani Ratnam knew Mahesh before him, time didn’t matter in a friendship. “The Mahesh-effect is a fantastic effect. Chitra, his wife, can vouch for that. It’s friendship with a great man. He sowed the seeds for the cause. We’re only continuing his work!” So Chennaivasis, get ready for the spectacular event!
Tickets for seating are priced at Rs
3,000, 2,000 and 1,000; and for standing Rs 1,250, 750, 500 and 250.
You can pick your ticket from HDFC Bank, Foodworld, Musicworld,
Landmark, Odyssey, Crafts and Weaves, Marrybrown, Konica, Global Adjustments and Higginbothams.
Malini Mannath
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