23 February,2009 02:34 PM IST | | PTI
A R Rahman on Monday scripted history by becoming the first Indian to win two Oscars for the Best Original Score "Slumdog Millionaire" and its foot-tapping song "Jai Ho".
"Before coming here I was excited and terrified. The last time I felt that way was when I was getting married," he told in his acceptance speech after bagging the Original Score Academy.
"There is a Hindi dialogue 'mere pass ma hai' which means even if I have got nothing I have my mother here. I want to thank her for coming all the way to support me," the 43-year-old musician said.
Rahman was again on the dais to accept the Oscar for the best Original Song for the number "Jai ho", sung by Sukhwinder Singh and Mahalaxmi Iyer.
Before that he performed a medley of Jai ho and O saya assisted by dancers and singer John Legend.
"The essence of the film is about optimism and home. The power of hope in our lives. All my life I had the choice between hate and love. I choose love and here I am," said the musician while accepting the award for best song, penned by Gulzar.
"There is something I say (in Tamil) whenever I win an award: 'Ella pugazlum iravanuku' (which means 'all the fame and the glory I dedicate to god'," he said.
Rahman had earlier pocketed a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for his music in the Danny Boyle film, which won eight Oscars. He became the fourth Indian to win the coveted trophy joining the ranks of Bhanu Athaiya and Satyajit Ray and Resul Pookutty, who won the Oscar today for sound mixing in "Slumdog Millionaire".
