is none other than A.R.Rahman (ஏ.ஆர்.ரகுமான்) or Allah Rakha Rahman was born actually A. S. Dileep Kumar on the 6th of January in the year 1966, in Madras (now Chennai), to a musically affluent Tamil Mudaliar family. The second of four children he had three sisters Kanchana, Bala (now Talat) and Israth, Kanchana being elder and the other two younger. His father R.K. Sekhar was a composer, arranger and conductor in Malayalam movies and had worked under the likes of Salil Chowdhary and Devarajan. His mother was Kasthuri (now Kareema Begum). Dileep’s baptism in music happened early in life. Dileep’s earliest memories of the studio are with his father. On one of those visits, a music director Sudarshanam Master found the four year old playing a tune on the harmonium. He covered the keys with a cloth. It made no difference. Dileep replayed the tune effortlessly. This impressed the music director who suggested that he be trained in music. Dileep started learning the piano at the tender age of four. He recieved his early training in music from Dhanraj Master.
But he wanted to grow up to be an electronics or computer engineer. He says today, in reminiscence “I was not crazy after music. I was more interested in technology”. He was first drawn to music strongly when his father bought a synthesiser, one of the very first in film circles then, from Singapore. Till then he now says, “As a child, music seemed to be a means of earning bread and butter. I had no special fascination for it… it was associated purely with work. Yet I couldn’t take my eyes away from the synthesiser, it was like a forbidden toy.” This instrument was an object of much curiosity to the young Dileep and caught his fancy. Dileep used to spend hours experimenting with the novel instrument. This instrument was to shape the future of this child. It was perhaps divinely ordained that the synthesiser would become Dileep’s favourite instrument since it was the ideal combination of music and technology.
Rahman’s early years were one of struggle and hardships. At the age of 11, his father passed away following a mysterious illness with rumours abounding that he was the victim of black magic practised by his rivals. Unfortunately R. K. Shekhar passed away the very same day his first film as composer was released. It was at this time that Rahman’s belief in God first took a beating. Much of his time was filled with hospital visits, pain and anxieties. It is an issue that Rahman outrightly refuses to discuss even today. After his father’s death the pressure of supporting his family fell on the young Dileep. At first the family subsisted by lending out his father’s musical instruments.
It was his mother Kareema Begum who encouraged him to follow in his father’s footsteps and fully supported him in his vocation. But all this had an adverse effect on his formal education. Infrequent attendance and an unaccommodative management forced him to shift schools from the prestigious Padma Seshadri Bal Bhavan to the Madras Christian College and finally he dropped out of school altogether when he was doing his 11th grade.
Working as Keyboard Player:
He joined Illaiyaraja’s troupe as a keyboard player in order to earn for his family’s upkeep. He also learnt to play the guitar. Thus Rahman formally entered the world of music. He also began to play the keyboard for programmes on television.He also played on the orchestra of M.S.Vishwanathan, Raj-Koti and Ramesh Naidu and accompanied Zakir Hussain and Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan on world tours. He also appeared playing the keyboard on a few popular music shows on televison like ‘Wonder Balloon’ (KaNmaNi PoongA/Wonder Balloon -Madras DD produced Thamizh/English serial for kids) on the Madras Doordarshan channel. He also supposedly composed a few short pieces of music in Ilaiyaraja’s films, a notable one being the theme music in K.Balachander’s ‘Punnagai Mannan(1986)’ Starring Kamal Hassan,Rekha,Revathi and Srvidya
Dileep thus firmly established himself this way and worked for nearly 8 to 9 years with various music directors. He also worked as an arranger for Illaiyaraja, M.S.Vishwanathan, Ouseappachan and Raj-Koti. He has this to say of his stint with Illaiyaraja “Until then I thought you had to drink or take dope to be a good artist. But Ilayaraja was making such beautiful music and leading a pure life!” ” I was under the impression that if its music, whoever it is, they must have some bad habit. When I saw them with drinks and drugs I thought ‘Oh! they are music people. They have to take drinks, smoke and cocaine to get their inspiration’. The man who changed these impressions altogether was only Ilayaraja. He proved that he can make good music without any bad habits! Even now he is an inspiration for me being so religious today.”
Trinity College of Music at Oxford University:
All this experience enabled him to earn a scholarship to the famed Trinity College of Music at Oxford University from where he obtained a degree in Western Classical Music. He came back with a dream to bring an international and contemporary world perspective to Indian music. After he returned, he continued to be a part of various local music troupes. He was also a part of local rock bands like Roots, Magic and Nemesis Avenue and Roxygen where he performed with his future colleagues like Suresh Peters, Ranjit Barot and Sivamani Anandan. This, he says, was a very valuable learning experience. Thus Dileep came to be totally immersed in music. The only source of joy to him was music, so much so, that friends like guitarist John Anthony would say, “Who is the Prime Minister of India, do you know? Get out and see beyond your nose in Kodambakkam”. But he was not at all sure he wanted to turn professional.
But the young and enthusiastic Dileep felt shackled by just plain arranging and could barely withstand the monotony of playing in an orchestra all the time with all his creative urges being suppressed. The kind of sound he liked was already there in fusion – in L. Shankar and L. Subramaniam whom he worked with, and in the then popular ‘Shakti’ group. He played on the keyboard for T. V. Gopalakrishnan and Kadri Gopalnath, with Sivamani on the drums. He says, “It gave us some kicks.”
Entering into world of Jingles:
At this time, Vizi Manuel, the lead keyboard player in Illaiyaraja’s troupe advised him to try other alternatives for pursuing a musical career, like advertising. This was a suggestion that appealed to him and he explored some avenues seriously. The complexes increased. “I thought, what if the film world ends? I learnt driving, so that I could survive as a driver.” The restlessness pushed him into making jingles for ads.
First break:
Fortunately for Dileep he soon got his first break in advertising when he was asked to compose the jingle to promote Allwyn’s new Trendy range of watches, in 1987. The ads were a success and Dileep’s work in them was appreciated. Dileep quit playing in orchestras and moved full time into advertising as a few more offers came his way. Thus began Dileep’s 5-year successful saga in advertising where he went on to not only compose more than 300 jingles, but would also be the stepping stone to his entry into films.
TV Commercials:
Continuing with his stint in the advertising world Rahman did a lot of popular ads here are the List .He had composed over 300 ad films
1. Asian Paints directed by rajeev menon
2. Cinthol featuring Arvind Swami dircted by rajeev menon
3. Leo Coffee featuring Arvind swami
4. Leo Springz Mineral Water
5. Titan watch directed by Rajive Menon
6. Remanika Sarees -thrissur,kerala
7. Premier Pressure Cooker sung by sujata
8. MRF Tyres Directed by Bharatbala
9. Garden sarees
10. Boost featuring Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev
11. Parry’s Kasthuri Tea
12. Tilda Basmati
13. Jeenic Choclates
14. Murugan textiles
15. Hero Puch
16. The Hindu Young World
17. Allwyn’s Trendy watches
18. Nestle Sunrise Cofee directed byRajeev Menon
19. butterfly home appliances
20. Bru cofee
21. Shriram chit funds
22. Tata chola tea directed by Bharatbala
23. MGM Dizee world
24. John’s umbrellas
25. BSA Cycles
26. Bavens Studio in Kerala
He also scored the title music for television channels like JJTV, Sun TV pongal, and Asianet and later NDTV. He also scored the music for numerous television and radio commercials, scores for corporate films and documentaries, multi-media audio-visual scores national integration programmes, social awareness and public campaign programmes and international documentaries in many languages. These scores range from 10 seconds to a complete hour.
The jingles that he composed for the Leo Coffee ad starring Aravind Swamy and the Asian Paints ad directed by Rajeev Menon also won him awards and recognition. He also won an award for composing the theme music of the Madras Telugu Academy’s Spirit of Unity Concerts
Later he would say about his stint in advertising “Working in ads contributed to the precision in my music. In jingles, you only have a few seconds to create a mood, or convey a message or emotion. Jingles taught me discipline.
Working as a jingle composer not only gave him an outlet to his creative urges but also gave him the much needed exposure to the music industry. The people he came in contact with during his work in advertising gave him a pathway to the film world.
Two Albums:
During his stint in advertising, he released his first ever complete music album, of Islamic devotional songs, titled ‘Deen Isai Malai’, in Tamil. This was later followed by ‘Set Me Free’, an album of English songs which was the launch album of singer Malgudi Subha, by Magnasound, where Dileep set the songs to tune. Subha had earlier sung for Dileep in many jingles. Both the albums went somewhat unnoticed in the market. He also set to tune the poems of poet-author Randhir Khare for Asianet(Read news in Indiatoday ,Randhir site )
Converting to Islam:
Around this time, in 1988, one of his sister fell seriously ill and numerous attempts to cure her failed. Her condition progressively worsened. The family tried everything from medicine to religious methods like havans and prayers in the church. The family had given up all hope when they came in close contact with a Muslim Pir – Sheik Abdul Qadir Jeelani or Pir Qadri as he was popularly known. The family had earlier gone to the Pir when his father had similar troubles, but were too late to save him. With his prayers and blessings, Dileep’s sister made a miraculous recovery. Rattled by the bad experiences earlier in the case of his father and now his sister and influenced by the teachings of the Pir and the succour that they found in him the entire family converted to Islam. Thus A. S. Dileep Kumar became Allah Rakha Rahman. Today, Rahman says ‘Islam has given me peace. As Dileep I had an inferiority complex. As A. R. Rahman I feel like I have been born again.
Both his father and mother were believers in Astrology. His mother took him along once to a astrologer to get the horoscope of Bala (Talat) done. She asked the astrologer to suggest an Islamic name for Dilip. The astrologer on seeing Dilip immediately told his mother to name him as Abdul Rahman and shorten it to A. R. Rahman. When his mother asked the astrologer why the other initial ‘R’, the astrologer replied “Give him a name with two initials and mark my words, he will grow up to be a great man”. His mother did accordingly. But the A and R would later become Allah Rakha on the suggestion of reknowned composer Naushad Ali.
In an interview, he was to say about his father, “My father passed away when I was 11 years old. My mother used to narrate many tales about my father which used to make me very happy. My father was regarded to be highly knowledgeable in music by many people. I still listen to many of the old songs tuned by him. I think that its his enormous knowledge of music that has come down to me by the grace of God”.
When asked what prompted him to convert to Islam, he says “I remember my father suffering. He was taken to eight to nine hospitals, including the CMC hospital in Vellore and the Vijaya hospital in Madras. I saw him suffering physical pain… I remember the Christian priests who would read from the Bible beside his hospital bed.. I remember the pujas and the yagnas performed by the pundits… by the time, the Muslim pirs came , it was too late. He had already left us. After my father passed away, for some years when I was a teenager I believed there was no God. But there was a feeling of restlessness within me. I realised that there can be no life without a force governing us… without one God. And I found what I was looking for in Islam. I would go with my mother to durgahs. And pirsaab Karim Mullashah Qadri would advise us. When we shifted to this house, we resolved to stick to the faith.”Rahman became a very religious and devout Muslim. After this period his career graph began to take the upward path. More and more advertising offers came his way.
Panchathan Record Inn:
In 1989 Rahman was very intent on having an own studio so that he would have dedicated recording facilities where he could not only equip himself with the latest infrastucture but also experiment with music at his convenience. At this time, the Pir came to his house and blessed him saying that he would attain unparalled success. The very next day the Pir passed away. Thus Rahman decided to establish his studio at the very spot where he had been blessed by the Pir. He called his studio Panchathan Record Inn and it was attached to his house in Kodambakkam. Even today, the first thing that you notice when you enter his studio is a framed photograph of the Pir. The studio abounds with Islamic inscriptions. (This studio would later develop into one of India’s most well equipped and advanced recording studios….Read More) In his established state-of-the-art sound and recording studio he began experimenting in sound engineering, design and production. He also began a collection of sound samples, creating one of the most comprehensive sonic libraries in Asia.
Entering to Film World:
The year was 1991. Ace Tamil movie director Mani Ratnam was on the lookout for a new composer to give music for his films. His long standing fruitful association with the doyen of Tamil film music Illaiyaraja, which had spanned over 10 films and as many years had come to an end when the two had had a fallout after the latter reportedly made some sarcastic comments during the making of Mani Ratnam’s then latest film ‘Dalapati’.
One day, at an awards function for excellence in the field of advertising, Mani Ratnam chanced upon a young man who received the award for the best ad jingle which he had composed for the popular Leo Coffee ad. At the celebrations party that followed the awards presentation ceremony, Mani Ratnam was introduced to the young composer by his cousin Sharada Trilok of Trish Productions for whose company the young man had produced some outstanding work. Sharada had words of high praise for the young composer. Mani was curious and requested him for a sample of his wares. The composer readily complied and invited the director over to his studio.
Mani Ratnam turned up at the studio only after six months, where the 24 year old lad played out a tune that he had been pushed into composing by his school friend G.Bharat alias Bala when they both had been greatly disturbed by the socio-political tensions in South India over the Cauvery river waters issue. Listening to the tune that was played, Mani was hooked instantly. Without a second thought he signed on the composer to score the music for his next film. That film did not work out but Mani signed him on for a new film which was to be produced by the veteran Tamil director K.Balachander for his respected ‘Kavithalayaa’ banner. That film was ‘Roja’. That tune would become the song “Tamizha Tamizha” in ‘Roja’. The music of the film would be a phenomenal success that would revolutionise modern day Indian film music. The name of the 25-year old composer was A. R. Rahman. And the rest, as they say, is history.
During this period, on one of his trips to Bombay he met the veteran Hindi music director Naushad Ali who was very impressed by the young Rahman’s work and asked him to try his hand at composing for films. Rahman was initially a little hesitant about entering films mainly because of the attitude of most movie makers towards music, where songs were used as just fillers and something to give the audience a break during a movie.
But in 1991, he was given an offer that would change his life. At the awards function where he received the award for Best Jingle Composer for the Leo Coffee ad,he was approached by the man known as the Spielberg of India, Mani Ratnam. In the course of his interactions with Mani Ratnam, he was offered the responsibility of composing music for the director’s forthcoming film. Rahman, inspite of his reluctance to seriously take up work in films, accepted the offer since Mani Ratnam had the reputation of a director with a keen taste for good music and he was sure the director would do justice to his compositions on screen.
Rahman would later say, “I wasn’t sure myself why I accepted Roja. I was offered Rs.25,000 for it, a sum that I could make in three days composing ad jingles. I think it was the prospect of working with Mani that enticed me. Mani is no the usual kind of director who uses songs as fillers. He takes great pains over the music of his films. I love his picturisations, he can elevate a routine song by 400 percent; give it a new dimension.” All the same, as a newcomer Rahman was terrified over his film debut. Expectations were high. What a fall if he failed! “Mani praised everything I did. Later I realised it was to keep me going. He discarded whatever bore the influence of others and picked out tunes that had my individual stamp. ”This is you!” he’d say.”
Rahman’s D-Day arrived when ‘Roja’ was released on August 15th, 1992. It was awaited with curiosity since it was Mani Ratnam’s first film without Illaiyaraja. Sceptics doubted the ability of a 25-year old debutant. The entire film world and filmgoers were in for a pleasant surprise. Rahman delivered the goods and how. To call the music a superhit would be an understatement. Rahman became a household name in Tamil Nadu overnight and the score of ‘Roja’ was the first step in his changing the face of Indian film music. ‘Roja’ not only won the heart of millions with its music it also won every conceivable award in music that year. Rahman also got the Rajat Kamal for best music director at the National Film Awards, the first time ever by a debutant. (later Ismail Darbar also won national award for his first film HDDCS)He was flooded with offers to do more films. He gradually cut down on his work in ads and subsequently moved into film music full time. And there was no looking back for A. R. Rahman. With ‘Roja’, A. R. Rahman had finally arrived.
Recalling the massive success of his first film, Rahman says, “I was lucky to set a sound in the first film. And I had the right people like Mani Ratnam guiding me to achieve it also and by the grace of god it set and the people know from the moment the song is heard that this is Rahman’s.”
Mani Ratnam, in response says, “I was not trying to any favours for Rahman. I was trying to do a film, I wanted good music and I was searching for somebody who would and I heard a demonstration tape of his which he had sent across. I thought that in the first note of the piece that he had sent me was really brilliant, really outstanding piece. So I went across to his studio and he played me some more, lots of things which he had done for jingles and a few other musical pieces he has done for somebody else. They were quite amazing and I had no doubts that he would be right for my film. How much he would grow, I was not looking at. I was looking at predominately my film at that point of time. He was ready to break a lot of conventions that were there in terms of music at that point of time, in terms of recording at that point in time. So I was very lucky to find someone who was willing to break away and do something different. To that extent it was absolutely perfect. He is the perfect bridge between today’s technology and Indian music. He has the soul of Indian music inside and there is a lot of engineering and recording talent in him. He is able to blend the two together. He is a very talented person.”
Films Composing:
Producers began to queue up at his doorstep. But even at that young age, Rahman was very mature and sagacious. He did not let success go to his head and was very choosy about what he accepted. He had his priorities set right from the beginning. For a person who had struggled throughout his childhood, he did not let insecurity get the better of him and wisely opted for quality over quantity and refrained from signing films blindly.
“Rather than making money, I believe in making people happy; all other things are secondary. That is why I am not interested in a lot of movies but only in one at a time. I like directors whom I can vibe with. Ten years of experience in this field has made me quite frustrated. I have evolved a technique which requires a lot of time. Other music directors record a song in seven or eight hours. But I am different. We do a basic sitting and we record it. We record the voice and I add instrument by instrument to improve the quality.”
He also began to formally learn Indian classical music, Carnatic from Dakshinamurthy and N. Gopalakrishnan and Hindustani from Krishnan Nair. He took classes in film music from Nithyanandham and Western Classical from Jacob John. He also learnt the qawwalli style from Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan”.
In 1992, Rahman began his own music recording and mixing studio attached to the backyard of his house called the Panchathan Record Inn, which was developed into India’s most advanced recording studio. He initially composed music jingles for advertisements, Indian Television channels and music scores in documentaries, among other projects. In 1992, he was approached by film director Mani Ratnam to compose the score and soundtrack for Ratnam’s Tamil film Roja. The debut led Rahman to receive the Rajat Kamal award for Best Music Director at the National Film Awards, the first time ever by a first-time film composer. Rahman has since then gone on to win the award three more times (for his scores for Minsaara Kanavu (Electric Dreams, Tamil) in 1997, Lagaan (Tax, Hindi) in 2002, Kannathil Muthamittal (A Peck on the Cheek, Tamil) in 2003, the most ever by any composer.
Roja’s score met with high sales and acclaim, in its original and dubbed versions, bringing about a marked change in film music at the time, and Rahman followed this with successful scores for Tamil–language films of the Chennai film industry including Ratnam’s politically charged Bombay, the urbanite Kadhalan, Bharathiraaja’s Karuththamma, the saxophonic Duet, Indira, and the romantic comedies Mr. Romeo and Love Birds, which gained him considerable notice. His fanbase in Japan increased with Muthu ’s success there. His soundtracks gained him recognition in the Tamil Nadu film industry and across the world for his stylistic versatality in his pieces including in Western classical, Carnatic, Tamil traditional/folk, jazz, reggae and rock music. The Bombay Theme—from Ratnam’s Bombay—would later reappear in Deepa Mehta’s Fire and various compilations and media. Rangeela, directed by Ram Gopal Varma, marked Rahman’s debut for Hindi-language films made in the Mumbai film industry. Many successful scores for films including Dil Se and the percussive Taal followed. Sufi mysticism would form the basis of Chaiyya Chaiyya from the former and the composition “Zikr” from his score of the film Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero for which he created large orchestral and choral arrangements. Musical cues in scores for Sangamam and Iruvar employed Carnatic vocals and instruments such as the veena with leads of rock guitar and jazz. In the 2000s Rahman created hit scores for Rajiv Menon’s Kandukondain Kandukondain, Alaipayuthey, Ashutosh Gowariker’s Swades and Rang De Basanti.[ He composed songs with Hindustani motifs for Water (2005).
Rahman has worked with Indian poets and lyricists such as Javed Akhtar, Gulzar, Mehboob, Vairamuthu and Vaali. His collaborations with some film directors have always resulted in successful soundtracks, particularly with the director Mani Ratnam who he has worked with since Roja, all of which have been hits, and the director S. Shankar in the films Gentleman, Kadhalan, Indian, Jeans, Mudhalvan, Nayak, Boys and Sivaji.
Rahman attached and opened a developed extension studio to his Panchathan Record Inn in 2005 called AM Studios in Kodambakkam, Chennai — considered to be the most developed, equipped and high tech studio in Asia. In 2006, Rahman launched his own music label, KM Music. Its first release was his score to the film Sillunu Oru Kaadhal. Rahman scored the Mandarin language picture Warriors of Heaven and Earth in 2003 after researching and utilizing Chinese and Japanese classical music, and co-scored the Shekhar Kapoor helmed Elizabeth: The Golden Age in 2007. His compositions have been reused in scores within India and have made appearances in Inside Man, Lord of War, Divine Intervention and The Accidental Husband. In 2008, he scored the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack, for which he won a Golden Globe and two Academy Awards, becoming the first Indian citizen to do so.
Other works:
Rahman has been involved in several projects aside from film. He made an album Vande Mataram (1997) on India's 50th anniversary of independence to commercial success. He followed it up with an album for the Bharat Bala–directed video Jana Gana Mana, a conglomeration of performances by many leading exponents/artists of Indian classical music. Rahman has written jingles for ads and composed several orchestrations for athletic events, T.V. and internet media publications, documentaries and short films.
In 1999 Rahman, along with choreographers Shobhana and Prabhu Deva Sundaram and a Tamil cinema dancing troupe performed with Michael Jackson in Munich, Germany, for his "Michael Jackson and Friends Concert." In 2002, he composed his maiden stage production Bombay Dreams (2002) following a commission from musical theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, a success in London's West End. With Finnish folk music band Värttinä, he wrote the music for The Lord of the Rings theatre production and in 2004, Rahman composed the piece "Raga's Dance" for Vanessa-Mae's album Choreography.
In the last six years, Rahman has performed three successful world tours of his concerts to audiences in Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Dubai, UK, Canada, the US (Hollywood Bowl and 3d tour) and India. He has been collaborating with Karen David for her upcoming studio album. A two-disc soundtrack, Introducing A. R. Rahman (2006) featuring 25 pieces he composed from his Tamil film scores was released in May 2006. His non-film album, Connections was launched on 12 December, 2008.
Music style and impact:
Skilled in Carnatic music, Western classical, Hindustani music and the Qawwali style of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahman has been noted to write film songs that amalgamate elements of these music systems and other genres, layering instruments from differing music idioms in an improvisatory manner. Symphonic orchestral themes have accompanied his scores, where he has employed leitmotif. In the 1980s, Rahman recorded and played arrangements on mono, synonymous with the era of predecessors such as K. V. Mahadevan and Vishwanathan–Ramamoorthy, but later his methodology changed. Rahman worked and experimented on fusing traditional instruments with new electronic sounds and technology.
His interest and outlook in music stems from his love of experimentation. Rahman's compositions, in the vein of past and contemporary Chennai film composers, bring out auteuristic uses of counterpoint, orchestration and the human voice, evolving Indian pop music with unique timbres, forms and instrumentation. By virtue of these qualities, broad ranging lyrics and his syncretic style, his themes appeal to several sections of Indian society.
His first soundtrack for Roja was listed in TIME's "10 Best Soundtracks" of all time in 2005. Film critic Richard Corliss felt the "astonishing debut work parades Rahman's gift for alchemizing outside influences until they are totally Tamil, totally Rahman." Rahman's initial global reach is attributed to the South Asian diaspora. Described as one of the most innovative composers to ever work in the industry, his unique style and immense success transformed film music in the 1990s prompting several film producers to take film music more seriously. The music producer Ron Fair considers Rahman to be "one of the world's great living composers in any medium".
The director Baz Luhrmann notes:
"I had come to the music of A. R. Rahman through the emotional and haunting score of Bombay and the wit and celebration of Lagaan. But the more of AR's music I encountered the more I was to be amazed at the sheer diversity of styles: from swinging brass bands to triumphant anthems; from joyous pop to West-End musicals. Whatever the style, A. R. Rahman's music always possesses a profound sense of humanity and spirit, qualities that inspire me the most.
Awards:
Honorary
• 1995 - Kalaimamani
o Contributions to music awarded by the Government of Tamil Nadu
• 1995 - Mauritius National Award
o Contributions to music awarded by Mauritius
• 1995 - Malaysian Award
o Contributions to music awarded by Malaysia
• 2000 - Padma Shri
o Fourth highest civilian award awarded by Government of India
• 2004 - National Lata Mangeshkar Award
o Contributions to music awarded by the Government of Madhya Pradesh
• 2005 - Mahavir-Mahatma Award
• 2006 - Swaralaya Yesudas Award
o Award for outstanding performance in the music field
• 2006 - Honorary Award from Stanford University
• 2008 - Rotary Club of Madras
o Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2009 - Honorary Doctorate from Anna University
National
Film awards
• National Film Awards
o 1993 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Roja
o 1997 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Minsaara Kanavu
o 2002 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Lagaan
o 2003 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Kannathil Muthamittal
• Filmfare Awards
o 1995 - Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent
o 1996 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Rangeela
o 1999 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Dil Se
o 2000 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Taal
o 2002 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Lagaan
o 2003 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Saathiya
o 2003 - Filmfare Best Background Score - The Legend of Bhagat Singh
o 2005 - Filmfare Best Background Score - Swades
o 2007 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Rang de Basanti
o 2008 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Guru
o 2008 - Filmfare Best Background Score - Guru
o 2009 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
o 2009 - Filmfare Best Background Score - Jodhaa Akbar
• Filmfare Awards South
o 1992 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Roja
o 1993 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Gentleman
o 1994 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Kadhalan
o 1995 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Bombay
o 1996 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Kadhal Desam
o 1997 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Minsaara Kanavu
o 1998 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Jeans
o 1999 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Mudhalvan
o 2000 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Alaipayuthey
o 2002 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Kannathil Muthamittal
o 2006 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Sillunu Oru Kadhal
o 2007 - Filmfare Best Music Direction - Sivaji: The Boss
• Bollywood Movie Awards
o 2002 - Best Music Direction - Lagaan
o 2003 - Best Music Direction - Saathiya
• Global Indian Film Awards (GIFA)
o 2007 - GIFA Award for Best Music - Rang De Basanti
o 2007 - GIFA Award for Best Background Music - Rang De Basanti
• International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA)
o 2000 - IIFA Best Music Direction - Taal
o 2002 - IIFA Best Music Direction - Lagaan
o 2003 - IIFA Best Music Direction - Saathiya
o 2007 - IIFA Best Music Direction - Rang De Basanti
o 2008 - IIFA Best Music Direction - Guru
o 2008 - IIFA Best Background Music - Guru
o 2008 - Outstanding contribution by an Indian in International Cinema
o 2009 - IIFA Best Music Direction - Jodhaa Akbar
o 2009 - IIFA Best Background Music - Jodhaa Akbar
o 2009 - IIFA Music Director of the Decade
• Sangeet Awards
o 2004 - Best Music Direction (Critics Award) - Yuva
o 2004 - Best Music Arrangement (Critics Award) - Yeh Rishta - Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities
• Screen-Videocon Awards / Star Screen Awards
o 1998 - Best Non-film Album - Vande Mataram (Non-film category)
o 2000 - Best Music Direction - Taal
o 2007 - Best Background Music- Rang De Basanti
o 2008 - Best Music Direction - Guru
o 2008 - Best Background Music - Guru
o 2009 - Best Music Direction - Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na
o 2009 - Best Background Music - Jodhaa Akbar
• Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
o 1992 - Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Direction - Roja
o 1993 - Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Direction - Gentleman
o 1994 - Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Direction - Kadhalan
o 1995 - Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Direction - Bombay
o 1997 - Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Direction - Minsaara Kanavu
o 1999 - Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Direction - Sangamam
• Zee Cine Awards
o 2000 - Zee Cine Award Best Music Director - Taal
o 2002 - Zee Cine Award Best Music Director - Lagaan
o 2003 - Zee Cine Award Best Music Director - Saathiya
o 2007 - Zee Cine Award Best Music Director - Rang De Basanti
o 2008 - Zee Cine Award Best Music Director - Guru
o 2008 - Zee Cine Award Best Background Music - Guru
Other awards:
• Planet-Bollywood People's Choice Awards
o 2006 - People's Choice Best Music Award - Rang De Basanti
o 2006 - People's Choice Best Background Music Award - Rang De Basanti
• Sunfeast Tamil Music Awards
o 2008 - Best Music Composer of the Year - Sivaji: The Boss
• Tata Indicom Mirchi Music Awards
o 2009 - Music Director Of The Year - Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
o 2009 - Technical Award For Film Background Score - Jodhaa Akbar
o 2009 - Album Of The Year - Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
o 2009 - Tata Indicom Mirchi Listeners Choice Song Of The Year - "Kabhi kabhi aditi" (Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na)
o 2009 - Tata Indicom Mirchi Listeners Choice Album Of The Year - Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
• V. Shantaram Award
o 2007 - Best Music - Guru
o 2008 - Best Music - Jodhaa Akbar
International
Film awards
• Academy Awards (Oscars) (United States)
o 2009 - Best Original Music Score - Slumdog Millionaire
o 2009 - Best Original Song - "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire
• Golden Globe Awards (United States)
o 2009 - Best Original Score - Slumdog Millionaire
• British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) (United Kingdom)
o 2009 - Anthony Asquith Award for Best Film Music - Slumdog Millionaire
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards (United States)
o 2008 - Critics' Choice Award for Best Composer - Slumdog Millionaire
• Black Reel Awards
o 2008 - Best Original Soundtrack - Slumdog Millionaire
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (United States)
o 2008 - Best Music Score - Slumdog Millionaire
• New York Film Critics Online Awards (United States)
o 2008 - NYFCO Best Score Award - Slumdog Millionaire
• Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards
o 2008 - Best Original Score - Slumdog Millionaire
• San Diego Film Critics Society Awards (United States)
o 2008 - Best Score - Slumdog Millionaire
• Satellite Awards (United States)
o 2008 - Satellite Award for Best Original Score - Slumdog Millionaire
Other awards
• Just Plain Folks Music Awards
o 2009 - * Just Plain Folks Music Award For Best Music Album - Varalaru
• MTV Awards
o MTV Video Music Awards
1999 - International Viewer's Choice Awards (MTV India) - "Dil Se Re" - Dil Se
o MTV Asia Awards
2003 - MTV Asia Award for Favorite Artist India
o MTV Immies
2003 - Best Music Composer (Film Category) - "Saathiya" - Saathiya
• UK Asian Music Awards (United Kingdom)
o 2009 - Outstanding Achievement by an Asian in music field
Nominations
National
• International Indian Film Academy Awards
o 2001 - Best Music Direction - Fiza
o 2009 - Best Music Direction - Ghajini
• Filmfare Awards
o 2005 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Swades
o 2009 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Ghajini
o 2009 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Jodhaa Akbar
• Filmfare Awards South
o 2009 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) - Sakkarakatti
• Screen Weekly Awards
o 2002 - Best Music Direction - Lagaan
o 2002 - Best Background Score - Lagaan
• Zee Cine Awards
o 2005 - Best Music Direction - Swades
o 2005 - Best Background Score - Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities
International
• Academy Awards (Oscars) (United States)
o 2009 - Best Original Song - "O Saya" - Slumdog Millionaire
• Asian Film Awards (Hong Kong International Film Festival)
o 2009 - Best Composer - Jodhaa Akbar
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards
o 2008 - Critics' Choice Award for Best Song - "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire
• Dora Mavor Moore Awards (Canada)
o 2006 - General Theatre Division - Outstanding Musical Direction - The Lord of the Rings (along with Värttinä)
• Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
o 2008 - CFCA Best Original Score - Slumdog Millionaire
• Houston Film Critics Society Awards
o 2008 - Runner-up: Best Original Score - Slumdog Millionaire
o 2008 - Runner-up: Best Original Song - "Jai Ho" performed by Sukhwinder Singh, written by A. R. Rahman and Gulzar
• Laurence Olivier Awards (United Kingdom)
o 2003 - Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical - Bombay Dreams
• Satellite Awards (United States)
o 2008 - Satellite Award for Best Original Song - "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire
• MTV Awards
o MTV India
2006 - MTV Youth Icon of the Year
o MTV Movie Awards
2009 - Best Song From a Movie - "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire
• World Soundtrack Awards
o 2009 - Best Original Score of the Year - Slumdog Millionaire
o 2009 - Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film - "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire
o 2009 - Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film - "O Saya" - Slumdog Millionaire
Longlisted
This section refers to awards where Rahman was being considered for a nomination but was not nominated.
• Academy Awards
o 2007 - Best Original Song - "Lukka Chuppi" - Rang De Basanti
o 2007 - Best Original Song - "Khalbali" - Rang De Basanti
o 2007 - Best Original Song - "Chan Chan" - Water
Top Ten Lists:
Rahman's songs and soundtracks have been included in the following top ten lists:
• 2003 - In a BBC World Service poll across 155 countries, Rahman's "Chaiyya Chaiyya" from Dil Se was voted 9th in the top ten songs of all time.
• 2005 - Rahman's debut soundtrack for Roja was listed in TIME's "10 Best Soundtracks" of all time by film critic Richard Corliss.
Personal life:
• He is married to Saira Banu and has three children, Khadijah, Rahima, and Aameen. Rahman is the uncle of composer G. V. Prakash Kumar, who is the son of Rahman's elder sister, A. R. Reihana. He is related to South Indian actor Rahman. Rahman is a practising Sufi Muslim. He had become an atheist as a result of childhood struggles, he eventually converted in to Islam in 1989, the religion of his mother's family.
• He is very devoted to his mother. During the Oscar Award, he paid her a tribute saying: "There is a Hindi dialogue 'mere pass ma hai' which means even if I have got nothing I have my mother here."
Social service:
• Rahman is involved in various charitable causes. In 2004, he was appointed as the Global Ambassador of the Stop TB Partnership, a project by WHO. He has shown support to charities including Save the Children, India, and worked with Cat Stevens / Yusuf Islam for his song "Indian Ocean". The song featured a-ha keyboard player Magne Furuholmen and Travis drummer, Neil Primrose. The proceeds of the song went towards helping orphans in Banda Aceh, one of the areas worst affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. He produced the single "We Can Make It Better" by Don Asian alongside Mukhtar Sahota. In 2008, Rahman opened his KM Music Conservatory partnered with Audio Media Education facility to tutor and train aspiring musicians in vocals, instruments, music technology and sound design. The conservatory – with preeminent musicians on its panel and a newly founded symphony orchestra – is located near his studio in Kodambakkam, Chennai, offering courses at Beginners, Foundation and Diploma level.[44] Rahman composed the theme music for a short film for The Banyan in 2006, in aid of destitute women in Chennai. In 2008, Rahman, along with percussionist Sivamani created a song titled “Jiya Se Jiya”, inspired by the Free Hugs Campaign and promoted it through a video shot in various cities in India.
Filmography:
| Year | Film | Language | Notes |
| 1992 | Roja | Tamil | Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music DirectorWinner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil)
Listed in TIME’s “10 Best Soundtracks” of all time in 2005 |
| 1992 | Yodha | Malayalam | |
| 1993 | Pudhiya Mugam | Tamil | Some/all songs were remade in the Hindi film, Vishwa Vidhata |
| 1993 | Gentleman | Tamil | Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music DirectorWinner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 1993 | Kizhakku Cheemayile | Tamil | |
| 1993 | Uzhavan | Tamil | |
| 1993 | Thiruda Thiruda | Tamil | |
| 1994 | Vandicholai Chinraasu | Tamil | |
| 1994 | Super Police | Telugu | |
| 1994 | Duet | Tamil | |
| 1994 | May Madham | Tamil | |
| 1994 | Kadhalan | Tamil | Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music DirectorWinner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 1994 | Pavithra | Tamil | |
| 1994 | Karuththamma | Tamil | |
| 1994 | Pudhiya Mannargal | Tamil | |
| 1994 | Manitha Manitha | Tamil | |
| 1994 | Gangmaster | Telugu | |
| 1995 | Bombay | Tamil | Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music DirectorWinner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 1995 | Indira | Tamil | |
| 1995 | Rangeela | Hindi | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director AwardWinner, Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent |
| 1995 | Muthu | Tamil | Most successful Indian soundtrack in Japan |
| 1996 | Love Birds | Tamil | |
| 1996 | Indian | Tamil | |
| 1996 | Kadhal Desam | Tamil | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 1996 | Fire | Hindi | |
| 1996 | Mr. Romeo | Tamil | |
| 1997 | Anthimanthaarai | Tamil | |
| 1997 | Minsara Kanavu (Sapnay) | Tamil | Winner, National Film Award for Best Music DirectionWinner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director
Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 1997 | Iruvar | Tamil | |
| 1997 | Daud: Fun On The Run | Hindi | |
| 1997 | Ratchagan | Tamil | |
| 1997 | Mona Lisa | Tamil | |
| 1997 | Vishwavidhaata | Hindi | |
| 1997 | Kabhi Na Kabhi | Hindi | |
| 1998 | Jeans | Tamil | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 1998 | Dil Se | Hindi | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award”Chaiyya Chaiyya” was 9th in BBC World Service top 10 songs of all time |
| 1998 | Earth | Hindi | |
| 1998 | Doli Saja Ke Rakhna | Hindi | |
| 1999 | En Swasa Kaatre | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Padayappa | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Kadhalar Dhinam | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Taal | Hindi | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award |
| 1999 | Sangamam | Tamil | Winner, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director |
| 1999 | Jodi | Tamil | |
| 1999 | Thakshak | Hindi | |
| 1999 | Mudhalvan | Tamil | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 1999 | Taj Mahal | Tamil | |
| 2000 | Pukar | Hindi | |
| 2000 | Alaipayuthey | Tamil | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 2000 | Kandukondain Kandukondain | Tamil | |
| 2000 | Fiza | Hindi | 1 song (Piya Haji Ali) |
| 2000 | Rhythm | Tamil | |
| 2000 | Thenali | Tamil | |
| 2000 | Zubeidaa | Hindi | |
| 2001 | One 2 Ka 4 | Hindi | |
| 2001 | Nayak: The Real Hero | Hindi | |
| 2001 | Love You Hamesha | Hindi | |
| 2001 | Lagaan | Hindi | Winner, National Film Award for Best Music DirectionWinner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award |
| 2001 | Star | Tamil | |
| 2001 | Parthale Paravasam | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Alli Arjuna | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Kannathil Muthamittal | Tamil | Winner, National Film Award for Best Music DirectionWinner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 2002 | The Legend of Bhagat Singh | Hindi | Winner, Filmfare Best Background Score Award |
| 2002 | Baba | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Kadhal Virus | Tamil | |
| 2002 | Saathiya | Hindi | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award |
| 2003 | Parasuram | Tamil | |
| 2003 | Boys | Tamil | |
| 2003 | Warriors of Heaven and Earth Mandarin | Hindi, English | |
| 2003 | Enakku 20 Unakku 18 | Tamil | |
| 2003 | Kangalal Kaithu Sei | Tamil | |
| 2003 | Tehzeeb | Hindi | |
| 2004 | Udhaya | Tamil | |
| 2004 | Lakeer – Forbidden Lines | Hindi | |
| 2004 | Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities | Hindi | |
| 2004 | Aayutha Ezhuthu | Tamil | |
| 2004 | Yuva | Hindi | |
| 2004 | New | Tamil | |
| 2004 | Naani | Telugu | |
| 2004 | Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa | Hindi | 3 songs |
| 2004 | Swades | Hindi | Winner, Filmfare Best Background Score AwardNominated, Filmfare Best Music Director Award |
| 2004 | Kisna – The Warrior Poet | Hindi | 2 song |
| 2005 | Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero | Hindi | |
| 2005 | Mangal Pandey – The Rising | Hindi | |
| 2005 | Anbe Aaruyire | Tamil | |
| 2005 | Water | Hindi | 5 songs1 song longlisted for 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song nomination |
| 2006 | Rang De Basanti | Hindi | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award2 songs longlisted for 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song nomination |
| 2006 | Sillunu Oru Kaadhal | Tamil | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 2006 | Varalaru | Tamil | |
| 2007 | Guru | Hindi | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director AwardWinner, Filmfare Best Background Score Award |
| 2007 | Sajni | Kannada | |
| 2007 | Provoked | Hindi | |
| 2007 | Sivaji: The Boss | Tamil | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 2007 | Azhagiya Thamizh Magan | Tamil | |
| 2007 | Elizabeth: The Golden Age | English | With Craig Armstrong |
| 2008 | Jodhaa Akbar | Hindi | Winner, Filmfare Best Background ScoreNominated, Filmfare Best Music Director Award
Nominated, Asian Film Award for Best Composer |
| 2008 | Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na | Hindi | Winner, Filmfare Best Music Director Award |
| 2008 | ADA: A Way of Life | Hindi | |
| 2008 | Sakkarakatti | Tamil | Nominated, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) |
| 2008 | Yuvvraaj | Hindi | |
| 2008 | Ghajini | Hindi | Nominated, Filmfare Best Music Director Award |
| 2008 | Slumdog Millionaire | English, Hindi | Winner, Academy Award for Best Original Music ScoreWinner, Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Jai Ho”
Winner, BAFTA Award for Best Film Music Winner, Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score |
| 2009 | Delhi 6 | Hindi | |
| 2009 | Blue | Hindi | |
| 2009 | Passage | English | Short Film |
| 2009 | Couples Retreat | English | Filming, Hollywood Debut, Music released |
| 2009 | Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya | Tamil | Filming |
| 2009 | Puli | Telugu | Filming |
| 2009 | Ashokavanam | Tamil | Filming |
| 2009 | Raavan | Hindi | Filming |
| 2009 | Chennaiyil Oru Mazhaikalam | Tamil | Filming |
| 2009 | Sultan The Warrior | Tamil | Filming |
| 2009 | Nair San | Japanese, Malayalam, Mandarin, Mongolian | Filming |
| 2009 | Manavar Dhinam | Tamil | Filming |
| 2009 | The Desire | English, Chinese | Filming, Only Background Score |
| 2010 | Endhiran | Tamil | Filming |
| 2010 | The 19th Step | English, Tamil, Japanese | Filming |
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