Salman Rushdie turns singer for 'Midnight's Children'

New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Renowned author Salman Rushdie has put his singing abilities on test for Deepa Mehta's new film "Midnight's Children".

"It was absolutely horrifying moment, when Deepa made me sing in the movie, though it's just very briefly but I feel like hiding behind the furniture when that scene comes in the film," Rushdie said Thursday during an event organised by Landmark Book Store.

Mehta confirmed it. "Yes, Salman sings in the film."

Rushdie was here along with Mehta to promote "Midnight's Children", which is the big screen adaptation of Rushdie's Booker Prize winning novel of the same name. Distributed by PVR Pictures, the film releases Feb 1.

Rushdie has not only written the screenplay of the film, he also dons the garb of a narrator and Mehta reveals it wasn't easy to convince him for it.

"I really wanted Salman to do that narration, because the narration is that of the older Salim (the protagonist in the film) and I felt it is right because an overview (of the story) was very important with respect to today's time," she said.

"I tried the voice of many actors for the voiceover of Salim, but it just didn't have an authenticity of the voice that is so beautiful in the book. We tussled about the idea of him giving the voiceover as he was not agreeing. After he was convinced, we tried couple of narrations and I got want I wanted," she added.

Rushdie says it was an emotional moment for him when he saw that the film is complete.

"It was a very pleasurable collaboration and we got closer and closer as it went on. And that moment when the film came together and we were able to see it, it was a very emotional moment at the time," said the 65-year-old author. Click the Movie button below for more info:
Midnight's Children