A. R. Rahman: A man of few words but endless melodies, A. R. Rahman is one of the greatest music composers the world has ever known. From creating jingles in a small studio to winning Oscars and Grammys and changing the sound of Indian cinema, Rahman’s journey is nothing short of magical. His music speaks every language — of love, loss, hope, and humanity — and continues to touch millions across the globe.
Early Life & Background
A. R. Rahman was born as A. S. Dileep Kumar on January 6, 1967, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. His father, R. K. Shekhar, was a composer for Malayalam films, which exposed Rahman to music at a very young age. Tragically, his father passed away when Rahman was just nine years old, leaving the family in financial difficulty. To support his family, Rahman began playing the keyboard professionally by the age of 11. He was a part of various music bands, including one with Ilayaraja and even played for Zakir Hussain and L. Shankar. He studied music at Trinity College, London, and earned a diploma in Western classical music from the Trinity College of Music. In 1989, he and his family converted to Islam and he adopted the name Allah Rakha Rahman (A. R. Rahman).
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Career & Achievements
Rahman started his career composing advertising jingles, one of which was for Allwyn watches. His big break came in 1992 when director Mani Ratnam offered him to compose for the Tamil film Roja. The music became a massive hit and was later listed by Time Magazine as one of the 10 Best Soundtracks of All Time. Rahman works in Indian film music with fresh, modern sounds in films like:
- Bombay (1995)
- Dil Se (1998)
- Lagaan (2001)
- Rang De Basanti (2006)
- Guru (2007)
- Rockstar (2011)
His international fame skyrocketed with Danny Boyle’s film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), for which he won:
- 2 Academy Awards (Oscars)
- 2 Grammy Awards
- Golden Globe Award
Other global works include:
- 127 Hours
- Million Dollar Arm
- Performing at the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony
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Honors & Recognition
- Awarded the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri by the Government of India.
- Multiple National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards (both Hindi and Tamil).