Beverly Hills, January 12
Music maestro AR Rahman today made history by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Golden Globe award for the Best Original Music Score for 'Slumdog Millionaire' which also won the Best Film and two other awards.

Directed by British filmmaker Danny Boyle, the rags-to-riches story of a Mumbai slumdweller swept awards in all the four categories it was nominated for, brightening its prospects at the Oscars awards next month.

The film won the Best Director award for Boyle, the Best Music Score for Rahman, Best Screenplay for Simon Beaufoy and also the Best Motion Picture Drama prize. 43-year-old Rahman, who won the prestigious award for his music score 'Jai Ho' in the film, thanked the director and his fellow musicians in Mumbai and Chennai, besides the "billion people from India".

"Unbelievable..! I thought, I would not win, so anyway thanks to the almighty God for bringing me here... Danny Boyle, Fox pictures, all my musicians in Chennai, Mumbai,..and the billion people from India," the Chennai-based musician said, while accepting the award at a star-studded ceremony in Beverly Hills in California.

Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, who was at the ceremony to represent India, introduced the film to the foreign audience with 'Slumdog' actress Frieda Pinto. The ceremony also saw Australian actor Heath Ledger being honoured posthumously for his portrayal of the villainous Joker in Batman sequel 'The Dark Knight'. He became the second actor to win the award posthumous after Peter Finch, who had won the Best Actor award for his film 'Network' in 1976. Kate Winslet romped home with both the Best Actress and the Best Supporting Actress awards for her performances in 'Revolutionary Road' and 'The Reader', respectively. She pipped aside the likes of Meryl Streep 'Doubt', Anne Hathaway 'Racheal Getting Married,' Angelina Jolie 'The Changeling' and Kristin Scott-Thomas in the best actress category. Colin Farrell won the Best Actor award for his performance in the film 'In Bruges'. The award for Best Animated Film went to 'Wall-E' and Israeli film 'Waltz With Bashir' was adjudged the Best Foreign film. Director Steven Spielberg was presented with the Cecil B DeMille award for lifetime achievement. — PTI