From
the
Ramayan
to
Rahman,
that's
the
journey
that
according
to
Gulzar
saab,
the
phrase
'Jai
Ho'
has
made.
"It's
not
as
if
I
coined
it
on
the
spot
for
Slumdog
Millionaire," says
Gulzar
saab
after
hearing
that
'Jai
Ho'
has
been
nominated
on
Thursday
in
prestigious
category
of
'Best
Song
Written
For
A
Motion
Picture'
at
the
Grammys.
"'Jai
Ho'
is
a
term
that
is
as
ancient
as
it
is
sacrosanct.
I
would
sound
extremely
foolish
if
I
took
any
credit
for
that
phrase
or
for
the
success
of
that
song.
The
entire
credit
must
go
to
Rahman
and
Rahman
alone.
He
has
taken
our
popular
sounds
to
an
international
level."
On
hearing
of
his
song
'Jai
Ho'
being
nominated
for
the
coveted
Grammy,
the
song's
writer
Gulzar
saab
makes
a
startling
observation
and
suggestion.
"Both
me
and
Rahman
have
done
work
that
has
been
like
before.
What
makes
'Jai
Ho'
special
was
that
it
was
part
of
a
non-Indian
film.
Slumdog
Millionaire
is
not
an
Indian
film.
Just
like
Gandhi
was
not.
We
need
to
understand
that
international
recognition
comes
to
us
when
India
is
packaged
into
a
non-Indian
vehicle.
Slumdog
Millionaire
could
vie
for
mainstream
American
and
European
awards
because
it
was
an
international
film.
Otherwise
our
films
like
Neecha
Nagar,
Mother
India,
Do
Beegha
Zameen
and
the
films
of
Mrinal
Sen
and
Satyajit
Ray
have
been
nominated
in
the
'foreign'
categories." Gulzar
saab
has
a
suggestion.
"Let's
have
a
category
for
best
foreign
cinema
in
our
National
awards
so
that
we
too
have
a
chance
to
recognize
films
made
outside
India."
As
for
'Jai
Ho' acquiring
a
life
much
longer
than
the
film,
Gulzar
saab
says,
"When
I
wrote
'Jai
Ho'
I
was
looking
for
a
phrase
that
would
best
represent
Indian
sentiments.
That
it's
now
gone
from
the
Oscars
where
movies
are
honoured,
to
the
Grammys
where
music
gets
recognized,
is
an
amazing
journey
for
'Jai
Ho'.
Like
I
said
it's
from
the
Ramayan
to
Rahman.
I
will
take
no
credit
for
it."