AR Rahman Biography
AR Rahman is an Indian music composer, record producer, singer, songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist and philanthropist. He is known for his works in Indian cinema, especially in Tamil and Hindi films, as well as in international cinema.
He has won many awards, including two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Padma Bhushan. He is nicknamed “the Mozart of Madras” and “Isai Puyal” (musical storm).
He started his musical career in the early 1990s with the Tamil film Roja. He has composed music for many films, such as Bombay, Kadhalan, Gentleman, Slumdog Millionaire, Couples Retreat, 127 Hours, Rockstar, and Dil Se.
AR Rahman Age
AR Rahman is 67 years old as of 2024.
AR Rahman Early Life and Education
Rahman was born as A. S. Dileep Kumar on 6 January 1967 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India. His father, R. K. Sekhar, was a prominent musician who composed scores for the Malayalam film industry. Rahman inherited his father’s musical talent and started learning piano at the age of four.
Unfortunately, Rahman lost his father when he was only nine years old. To support his family, he started playing piano professionally in various bands and orchestras. He dropped out of school, but his musical skills earned him a scholarship to study at Trinity College of Music, Oxford University, where he received a degree in Western classical music.
In 1989, Rahman and his family converted to Islam, following a sister’s recovery from a serious illness. He changed his name from A. S. Dileep Kumar to Allah Rakha Rahman, meaning “the merciful”.
He also began composing jingles for advertisements, which taught him how to deliver a powerful message in a short time. He soon caught the attention of the acclaimed film director Mani Ratnam, who offered him his first film project, Roja, in 1992. The rest, as they say, is history.
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AR Rahman Career
Rahman embarked on his career at the tender age of 11, joining Music Director Ilayaraja’s troupe as a keyboardist. He contributed to the orchestras of M S Vishwanathan, Ramesh Naidu, and Raj Koti, and toured worldwide alongside Zakir Hussain, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, and L. Shankar.
In 1991, he met Bollywood film director Mani Ratnam, who persuaded him to write music for motion pictures. Their first project was Roja (1992), which resulted in Rahman’s first film soundtrack hit.
Following this, Rahman composed music for over 100 movies, notably including the score for “Lagaan” (2001), which became the first Bollywood film to receive an Academy Award nomination. He also composed music for Tamil films, such as Bombay, Kadhalan, Gentleman, and S. Shankar’s debut film Gentleman.
Rahman’s international breakthrough came with the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), directed by Danny Boyle. The film’s soundtrack, featuring the song “Jai Ho”, earned him two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He also composed music for other Hollywood films, such as Couples Retreat (2009), 127 Hours (2010), and Million Dollar Arm (2014).
Rahman also ventured into other forms of music, such as theatre, pop, and classical. He collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the musical Bombay Dreams (2002), which ran in London and New York.
He also worked with Finnish folk group Värttinä on the musical The Lord of the Rings (2006), based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. He released several albums, such as Vande Mataram (1997), an ode to India’s independence, and Connections (2009), a collection of his personal favourites.
AR Rahman Wife and Children
AR Rahman is married to Saira Banu, whom he met through an arranged marriage in 1995. They have three children: Khatija, Rahima, and Ameen. Khatija and Ameen are both singers, while Rahima is a musician and a director-trustee at A. R. Rahman Foundation.
AR Rahman Religion
AR Rahman follows Islam as his religion. He converted to Islam along with his family in 1989, after the death of his father, who was also a music composer. He changed his name from A. S. Dileep Kumar to Allah Rakha Rahman, meaning “the merciful”. He has said that Islam has given him peace and happiness, and that he respects all faiths.
AR Rahman Net Worth
AR Rahman’s net worth is estimated to be around $280 million, which translates to approximately Rs. 2100 crores. He earns his income from composing music for films, albums, theatre, and live performances, as well as from producing, directing, and acting.
AR Rahman Social Media Handles
AR Rahman is active on various social media platforms, where he shares his music, thoughts, and updates with his fans and followers. Here are some of his official social media handles:
- X (formerly Twitter): @arrahman
- Instagram: @arrahman
- Facebook: @arrahman (A.R. Rahman)
- YouTube: ARRahman
- Spotify: A.R. Rahman
