A. R. Rahman Biography 
A. R. Rahman is an Indian music director and singer. He blends the eastern classical music with traditional orchestral arrangements. He has won Grammy Awards twice, BAFTA Award once, Golden Globe award once, National Film Award four times, Filmfare Award fourteen times, South Filmfare Awards thirteen times and many other awards and nominations. Time calls him Mozart of Madras.
He was born on 6th January 1966 in Chennai in Tamil Nadu in a Mudaliar Tamil family. His birth name was Dilip Kumar. His father was R. K. Shekhar who was also a music composer. He lost his father when he was nine. His mother was Kareema. He started his career as a keyboard player. He got his training under Master Dhanraj. Soon he began to work with other composers like M. S. Viswanathan, Ilayaraja, Ramesh Naidu, Zakir Hussain, Kunnakkudi Vaidhyanathan, etc.
He studied at Chennai got diploma in Western classical music. When his younger sister fell ill in 1984, he was introduced to Qadri Islam. He with his family was converted to Islam in 1989 at his age of 23. He changed his name to Allah Rakha Rahman or A. R. Rahman. He married Saira Banu and has two daughters Khatija and Rahima and one son Ameen. Her elder sister is A. R. Reihana, also a music director. His younger sisters are Fathima and Ishrath and they are also in the music industry.
His debut was in 1992 in the Tamil film Roja which won him Silver Lotus Award for Best Music Director. His Minsaara Kanavu in 1997 and Lagaan in 2002 and Kannathil Muthamittal in 2003 also won him Silver Lotus awards. He worked for some famous films like Bombay, Kadhalan, Thiruda Thiruda, Gentleman, Kizhakku Cheemayile, Karuthamma, Muthu, Mr. Romeo, Love Birds, etc. His Kandukonden Kandukonden and Alaipayuthe are all time hits.
He has worked with most of the Indian poets and lyricists like Vairamuthu, Vaali, Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, etc. He released his album Vande Mataram on India’s 50th Independence anniversary in 1997. He is also involved in various charitable causes. Ella Pugazhum Iraivanukke is his catchphrase.
Published: N/A
Updated: November 07, 2017
