A. R. Rahman | |
|---|---|
.jpg) A. R. Rahman in 2019 | |
| Born | A. S. Dileep Kumar (1967-01-06)6 January 1967 (age 58) Madras,Madras State, India |
| Other names |
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| Alma mater | Trinity College of Music |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Organization(s) | AR Rahman Foundation KM Music Conservatory |
| Works | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3, includingKhatija andAmeen |
| Parent | R. K. Shekhar |
| Awards | Full list |
| Honours | Padma Bhushan (2010) Padma Shri (2000) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | |
| Labels | |
Musical artist | |
| Website | arrahman |
| Signature | |
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Allah Rakha Rahman (pronunciationⓘ; bornA. S. Dileep Kumar; 6 January 1967) also known by the initialismARR is an Indianmusic composer, record producer, singer, songwriter, musician,multi-instrumentalist, andphilanthropist[1] known for his works inIndian cinema; predominantly inTamil andHindi films, with occasional forays in international cinema. He is a recipient of sixNational Film Awards, twoAcademy Awards, twoGrammy Awards, aBAFTA Award, aGolden Globe Award, sixTamil Nadu State Film Awards, fifteenFilmfare Awards, and eighteenFilmfare Awards South.[2] In 2010, theGovernment of India conferred him with thePadma Bhushan, the nation's third-highest civilian award.[3]
With his in-house studioPanchathan Record Inn, Rahman's film-scoring career began during the early 1990s with the Tamil filmRoja.[4] Following that, he went on to score several songs forTamil language films, includingMani Ratnam's politically chargedBombay, the urbanKadhalan,Thiruda Thiruda, andS. Shankar's debut filmGentleman. Rahman's score for his firstHollywood film, the comedyCouples Retreat (2009), won theBMI Award for Best Score. His music forSlumdog Millionaire (2008) earned himBest Original Score andBest Original Song (forJai Ho) at the81st Academy Awards. He was also awardedBest Compilation Soundtrack Album andBest Song Written for Visual Media at the2010 Grammy Awards. He is nicknamed "Isai Puyal" (musical storm) and "Mozart of Madras".[5]
Rahman has also become a humanitarian and philanthropist, donating and raising money for a number of causes and charities. In 2006, he was honoured byStanford University for his contributions to global music.[6] In 2008, he received Lifetime Achievement Award from theRotary Club of Madras.[7] In 2009, he was included on theTime list of theworld's 100 most influential people.[8] In 2014, he was awarded an honorary doctorate fromBerklee College of Music. He has also received honorary doctorate fromAligarh Muslim University.[9] In 2017, he made his debut as a director and writer for the filmLe Musk.[10] In 2024, Rahman was named Honorary President ofTrinity Laban.[11]
Allah Rakha Rahman[12] was born as Dileep Kumar Rajagopala inMadras,Tamil Nadu, on 6 January 1967.[13] His father,R. K. Shekhar from aVellalar[14][15] family, was a film score composer and conductor forTamil andMalayalam films. Rahman began studying piano at age four.[13] He assisted his father in the studio, playing the keyboard.
After his father's death when Rahman was nine years old, the rental of his father's musical equipment provided his family's income.[16] Raised by his mother, Kareema (born Kashturi),[17] Rahman, who was studying inPadma Seshadri Bala Bhavan had to work to support his family, which led to him to routinely miss classes and fail exams. In an interview in 2012, Rahman said that his mother was summoned and was told to take him to the streets ofKodambakkam to beg and not to send him to the school any more.[18][19]
Rahman attended another school called MCN for a year,[20] and later joined theMadras Christian College Higher Secondary School, where he was admitted for his musical talent and formed a band with his high school classmates.[21][22] However, after discussing it with his mother, he later dropped out of school to pursue a career as a full-time musician.[23][24] Rahman was a keyboard player and arranger for bands such as Roots (with childhood friend and percussionistSivamani,John Anthony,Suresh Peters, JoJo and Raja)[25] and founded the Chennai-based rock group Nemesis Avenue.[26] He mastered the keyboard, piano, synthesizer,harmonium and guitar, and was particularly interested in the synthesizer because it was the "ideal combination of music and technology".[27]
Rahman began his early musical training underMaster Dhanraj,[28][29] and at age 11 began playing in the orchestra of a Malayalam composer (and close friend of his father)M. K. Arjunan.[30] He soon began working with other composers, such asM. S. Viswanathan,Vijaya Bhaskar,[2]Ilaiyaraaja,Ramesh Naidu,Vijay Anand,Hamsalekha andRaj–Koti,[29] accompaniedZakir Hussain,Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan andL. Shankar on world tours and obtained a scholarship fromTrinity College London to theTrinity College of Music.[17] During his early career, Rahman had assisted many music directors to play keyboard and synthesizer. One of the notable works includes a Malayalam film,Ramji Rao Speaking released in 1989 where Rahman and Sivamani programmed a song called "Kalikalam" for the music director S. Balakrishnan.
Studying in Madras, Rahman graduated with a diploma in Western classical music from the school.[31] Rahman was introduced toQadiritariqa when his younger sister was seriously ill in 1984. His mother was a practising Hindu.[32][33][34] At the age of 23, he converted toIslam with other members of his family in 1989, changing his name to Allah Rakha Rahman (A. R. Rahman).[17][35][36][37][38]
Rahman initially composed scores for different documentaries and jingles for advertisements andIndian television channels. In 1987 Rahman, then still known as Dileep, composed jingles for a line of watches introduced byAllwyn.[39] He also arranged the jingles for some advertisements that went on to become very popular, including the popular jingle forTitan Watches, in which he used the theme fromMozart's Symphony no.25.[40][41][42]
In 1992, he was approached by directorMani Ratnam to compose the score and soundtrack for his Tamil film,Roja.[43][44]
Rahman's film career began in 1992 when he startedPanchathan Record Inn, a recording and mixing studio in his backyard. It would become the most-advanced recording studio in India,[43] and arguably one of Asia's most sophisticated and high-tech studios.[45] CinematographerSantosh Sivan signed Rahman for his second filmYoddha, aMalayalam film starringMohanlal and directed by Sivan's brotherSangeeth Sivan that released in September 1992.
The following year, Rahman received theNational Film Awards (Silver Lotus) award forBest Music Director at the40th National Film Awards forRoja. The films' score was critically and commercially successful in its original and dubbed versions, led by the innovative theme "Chinna Chinna Aasai". Rahman followed this with successful scores and songs forTamil–language films for the Chennai film industry, including Ratnam's politically chargedBombay,Thiruda Thiruda andS. Shankar's debut filmGentleman (with its popular dance song, "Chikku Bukku Rayile"), the urbanKadhalan.[46][47][48][49] Rahman collaborated with directorBharathiraaja onKizhakku Cheemayile andKaruththamma, producing successful Tamil rural folk-inspired film songs; he also composed forK. Balachander'sDuet, which had some memorable Saxophone themes.[50][51] The 1995 filmIndira and romantic comediesMr. Romeo andLove Birds also drew attention.[52][53][54]
Rahman attracted a Japanese audience withMuthu's success there.[55] His soundtracks are known in the Tamil Nadu film industry and abroad for his versatility in combining Western classical music, Carnatic and Tamil traditional and folk-music traditions,jazz,reggae and rock music.[56][57][58][59] Thesoundtrack forBombay sold 15 million copies worldwide,[60][61] and "Bombay Theme" would later reappear in his soundtrack forDeepa Mehta'sFire and a number of compilations and other media. It was featured in the 2002 Palestinian filmDivine Intervention and the 2005Nicolas Cage film,Lord of War.Rangeela, directed byRam Gopal Varma, was Rahman'sBollywood debut.[62] Successful scores and songs forDil Se.. and the percussiveTaal followed.[63][64]Sufi mysticism inspired "Chaiyya Chaiyya" from the former film and "Zikr" from his soundtrack album forNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (which featured elaborate orchestral and choral arrangements).[38]
Rahman's soundtrack album for the Chennai productionMinsara Kanavu won him his second National Film Award for Best Music Direction and aSouth FilmFare Award for Best Music Direction in a Tamil film in 1997, the latter setting a record of six consecutive wins; he later went on to win the award three consecutive additional times. The musical cues in the soundtrack albums forSangamam andIruvar used Carnatic vocals, theveena, rock guitar and jazz.[65] During the 2000s, Rahman composed scores and popular songs forRajiv Menon'sKandukondain Kandukondain,Alaipayuthey,Ashutosh Gowariker'sSwades,Rang De Basanti[66] and songs with Hindustani motifs for 2005'sWater. Rahman has worked with Indian poets and lyricists such asJaved Akhtar,Gulzar,Vairamuthu andVaali, and has produced commercially successful soundtracks with directorsMani Ratnam andS. Shankar (Gentleman,Kadhalan,Indian,Jeans,Mudhalvan,Nayak,Boys,Sivaji,Enthiran,I and2.0).[67]
In 2005 Rahman expanded his Panchathan Record Inn studio by establishingAM Studios in Kodambakkam, Chennai, creating the most cutting-edge studio in Asia.[68][69] The following year he launched his own music label, KM Music,[70] with his score forSillunu Oru Kaadhal.[71] Rahman scored theMandarin-language filmWarriors of Heaven and Earth in 2003 after researching and usingChinese andJapanese classical music,[72] and won the Just Plain Folks Music Organization|Just Plain Folks Music Award For Best Music Album for his score for 2006'sVaralaru (God Father).[73] He co-scoredShekhar Kapur's second British film,Elizabeth: The Golden Age, in 2007[74] and received a Best ComposerAsian Film Award nomination at theHong Kong International Film Festival for hisJodhaa Akbar score.[75] Rahman's music has been sampled for other scores in India,[76] appearing inInside Man,Lord of War,Divine Intervention andThe Accidental Husband.
His score for his first Hollywood film, the 2009 comedyCouples Retreat, won theBMI London Award for Best Score.[77] Rahman's music for 2008'sSlumdog Millionaire won a Golden Globe and two Academy Awards (a first for an Asian), and the songs "Jai Ho" and "O... Saya" from its soundtrack were internationally successful. His music on 2008's BollywoodJaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na was popular with Indian youth; that year, his score and songs forJodhaa Akbar won critical acclaim, a Best Composer Asian Film Award nomination andIIFA awards for best music direction and score.
In 2010, Rahman composed the original score and songs for the romanticVinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, the sci-fi romanceEnthiran andDanny Boyle's127 Hours, composing for theImtiaz Ali musicalRockstar; the latter's soundtrack was a critical and commercial success.[78] In 2012 Rahman composed forEkk Deewana Tha and the American dramaPeople Like Us,[79] and collaborated with directorYash Chopra onJab Tak Hai Jaan.[80] all were positively received.[81] By the end of the year his music for Mani Ratnam'sKadal topped theiTunes India chart for December.[citation needed] In 2013, Rahman had two releases:Raanjhanaa andMaryan. Both were successful, with the former nominated for a number of awards[82][83][84] and the latter theiTunes India Tamil Album of 2013.[85]
The year 2014 was one of the busiest years for Rahman, with him claiming to have worked in 12 films in various languages.[86] While his first release for the year was theImtiaz Ali's road movieHighway which garnered positive reviews, his very next release was the performance captured animation filmKochadaiiyaan, aRajinikanth starrer directed bySoundarya Rajinikanth. The film's soundtrack waslong-listed at the forthcomingAcademy Awards.[87] His next were the scores for the two back to back Hollywood films,Million Dollar Arm andThe Hundred Foot Journey, both of which got into the contended list for the original score category nomination at the Oscars.[88]
Then he composed for the period dramaKaaviya Thalaivan teaming up with directorVasanthabalan for the first time. His next release wasShankar's thrillerI andK. S. Ravikumar's period action filmLingaa.
His background scores are often characterised by the usage of subtle orchestration and ambient sounds.[89] He often employs contemporary instruments such as Guitars, Cello, Flute, Strings, Keyboard, Finger board, Harpejji, Santoor and traditional Indian instruments such as Shehnai, Sitar, Mrudangam, Veena & Tabla to create scores.
Some of the films which fetched him appreciations for background scores includeRoja,Bombay,Iruvar,Minsara Kanavu,Dil Se..,Taal,Lagaan,The Legend of Bhagat Singh,Swades,Rang De Basanti,Bose: The Forgotten Hero,Guru,Jodhaa Akbar,Raavanan,Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa,Rockstar,Enthiran,Kadal,Kochadaiiyaan andI. A. R. Rahman received two Academy Awards forSlumdog Millionaire and two Academy Award nominations for127 Hours. Recently, his scores forKochadaiiyaan,Million Dollar Arm andThe Hundred-Foot Journey have been nominated in the long list released by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[90][91] In 2017 hisMersal music's background score has impressed one and all.[92] In 2018, Rahman got national award for the background score ofMom.
Qutub-E-Kripa an ensemble of young musicians ofKM Music Conservatory, have been co-credited alongside A. R. Rahman for thebackground scores of films such as24,O Kadhal Kanmani,Tamasha,OK Jaanu,Kaatru Veliyidai,Mom,[93]Chekka Chivantha Vaanam,Sarkar and2.0. They have also scored for theNetflix Show,Daughters of Destiny.
Rahman has also been involved innon-film projects.Vande Mataram, an album of original compositions released for India's 50th anniversary of its independence in 1997,[94][95][96] is one of India's best-selling non-film albums.[97] He followed it with an album for theBharat Bala–directed videoJana Gana Mana, a collection of performances by leading exponents and artists ofIndian classical music.[98] Rahman has written advertising jingles and orchestrations for athletic events, television and Internet media, documentaries and short films,[99] frequently using the Czech Film Orchestra and the Chennai Strings Orchestra.
In 1999, Rahman partnered with choreographersShobana andPrabhu Deva and a Tamil film-dancing troupe to perform withMichael Jackson in Munich, Germany at his Michael Jackson and Friends concert.[100] In 2002 he composed the music for his first stage production,Bombay Dreams, which was commissioned byAndrew Lloyd Webber.[101] The Finnish folk-music bandVärttinä collaborated with Rahman on the Toronto production ofThe Lord of the Rings, and in 2004[102] he composed "Raga's Dance" forVanessa-Mae's albumChoreography (performed by Mae and theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra).[103]
Since 2004 Rahman has performed three successful worldtours before audiences in Singapore, Australia, Malaysia,Dubai, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and India,[102][104] and has been collaborating withKaren David on her upcoming studio album. A two-disc CD,Introducing A. R. Rahman (featuring 25 of his Tamil film-score pieces), was released in May 2006[105] and his non-film albumConnections was released on 12 December 2008.[106] In August 2009 Rahman performed at the Srifort Auditorium in New Delhi in a concert titledA R Rahman Unplugged which kickstarted the golden jubilee celebrations of the National broadcasterDoordarshan. The Minister of Information and Broadcasting of India, MrsAmbika Soni was the chief guest.[107] Rahman performed at a White Housestate dinner arranged by US PresidentBarack Obama during an official visit by Indian Prime MinisterManmohan Singh on 24 November 2009.[108]
He is one of over 70 artists on "We Are the World 25 for Haiti", acharity single to raise relief funds in the wake of the2010 Haiti earthquake.[109] In 2010, Rahman composed "Jai Jai Garavi Gujarat" in honour of the 50th anniversary of the formation of Gujarat State,[110] "Semmozhiyaana Thamizh Mozhiyaam" as part of theWorld Classical Tamil Conference 2010,[111] and the theme song for the2010 Commonwealth Games, "Jiyo Utho Bado Jeeto".[112] Rahman began his first world tour, (A. R. Rahman Jai Ho Concert: The Journey Home World Tour) on 11 June 2010 atNassau Coliseum in New York; 16 cities worldwide were scheduled.[113]
Some of Rahman's notable compositions were performed by theLondon Philharmonic Orchestra in April 2010.[114] In February 2011 Rahman collaborated withMichael Bolton on Bolton's album,Gems – The Duets Collection,[115] reworking his "Sajna" fromCouples Retreat.[116]
On 20 May 2011Mick Jagger announced the formation of asupergroup,SuperHeavy, withDave Stewart,Joss Stone,Damian Marley and Rahman;[117] itsself-titled album was scheduled for release in September 2011.[118] The album would have Jagger singing on Rahman's composition, "Satyameva Jayate" ("The Truth Alone Triumphs").[119]
In January 2012 theDeutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg announced that it would joinKM Music Conservatory musicians for a 100-member concert tour of five Indian cities (Germany and India 2011–2012: Infinite Opportunities), performing Rahman's songs. The marked the centennial of Indian cinema and Babelsberg Studio, the world's oldest film studio.[89]
In Summer 2012 Rahman composed aPunjabi song for theLondon Olympicsopening ceremony, directed byDanny Boyle, part of a medley showcasingIndian influence in the UK. Indian musicianIlaiyaraja's song from the 1981Tamil-language filmRam Lakshman was also chosen for the medley.[120]
In December 2012 Rahman andShekhar Kapoor launched Qyuki, a networking site which is a platform for story writers to exchange their thoughts. Cisco invested ₹270 million in the startup, giving it a 17-percent share. Qyuki uses Cisco's cloud infrastructure for the site.[121][122] On 20 December he released the single "Infinite Love" in English and Hindi, commemorating the last day of the Mayan calendar to spread hope, peace and love. Rahman's 2013 tour, Rahmanishq, was announced on 29 July 2013 inMumbai. Beginning in Sydney on 24 August, the tour moved to a number of cities in India.[123]
In January 2016, after a long break Rahman performed live inChennai and for the first time inCoimbatore &Madurai, with a complete Tamil playlist. As the name suggests,Nenje Yezhu (which means rise up) began 2016 with a positive note and with music from the heart. The proceeds of this concert will be used for flood relief in Tamil Nadu and also for creating awareness against cancer, supporting VS Medical Trust outside Chennai.[124][125][126]
Rahman released a 19-minute orchestral compositionThe Flying Lotus in 2017 featuring the demonetisation. This musical piece is an open interpretation of this major stance against black money which also includesNarendra Modi's speech.
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On 15 August 2018, Rahman appeared as the host in the 5-episode series ofAmazon Prime Video titled "Harmony".[127][128]
Rahman launched India's first YouTube Original,ARRived, which aims to find the best singing talent from across country. The series has 13 episodes and the first episode was uploaded on 7 November 2018. Rahman is the main judge and he is accompanied byShaan,Vidya Vox andClinton Cerejo.[129]
On 16 January 2019, Maruti Suzuki India Limited launched NEXA Music, a platform where 24 artists will be picked and mentored by Rahman and Clinton Cerejo to create international music in India.[130][131]
Rahman also appeared as a judge onThe Voice. The show began airing on 3 February 2019 onStarPlus.[132] Rahman partnered with Marvel to compose a promotional track titled "Marvel Anthem" in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu forAvengers: Endgame (2019).[133] Rahman has sung and composed the track spiced up with rap and heavy percussion. The lyrics are by Nirmika Singh, and MC Heam (rap).[133] The film's team also walked the red carpet and also took a selfie with over 3,500 audience members.[134]
The Irish rock bandU2 collaborated with Rahman to release a single, "Ahimsa", in December 2019. The song was named for theSanskrit word fornon-violence, and lyrically was intended to celebrate the ethnical and spiritual diversity in India. Rahman stated that ahimsa requires courage and strength, and that the song is a celebration of non-violence and peace.[135]
Skilled inCarnatic music,Western andHindustani classical music and theQawwali style ofNusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahman is noted for film songs amalgamating elements of these and other genres, layering instruments from different musical idioms in an improvisational style.[38][136] During the 1980s Rahman recorded monaural arrangements in common with his musical predecessors,K. V. Mahadevan andVishwanathan–Ramamoorthy. He has also worked as a pianist inIlaiyaraaja's troupe for hundreds of movies.[137] In later years his methodology changed, as he experimented with the fusion of traditional instruments with new electronic sounds and technology.[38][138]
Rahman's musical interests and outlook originate in his love of experimentation. His compositions have anauteuristic use ofcounterpoint, orchestration and thehuman voice, melding Indian pop music with a uniquetimbre, form and instrumentation. With this syncretic style and wide-ranging lyrics, the appeal of Rahman's music crosses classes and cultures in Indian society.[139]
His first soundtrack, forRoja, was listed onTime's all-time "10 Best Soundtracks" in 2005. Film criticRichard Corliss said that the composer's "astonishing debut work parades Rahman's gift for alchemizing outside influences until they are totally Tamil, totally Rahman",[140] and his initial global success is attributed to the South Asian diaspora. Music producerRon Fair considers Rahman "one of the world's great living composers in any medium".[141]
DirectorBaz Luhrmann said:
I had come to the music of A. R. Rahman through the emotional and haunting score ofBombay and the wit and celebration ofLagaan. 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.[142]
Rahman introduced7.1 surround sound technology to South Indian films.[143] Rahman is one of the best-selling music artists in India,[144][145][146] with an estimated 150 million records sold worldwide.[147][148][149] On 21 May 2014 Rahman announced that he has partnered with former Black Eyed Peas'Will.i.am to recreate an early popular track 'Urvashi Urvashi'. Track is 'Birthday'.[150]
Rahman was married to Saira Banu (not to be confused with Indian actressSaira Banu); they have three children:Khatija, Raheema andAmeen.[151] Ameen has sung "NaNa" fromCouples Retreat, and Khatija has sung "Pudhiya Manidha" fromEnthiran.[152][153] ComposerG. V. Prakash Kumar is the son of Rahman's elder sister,A. R. Reihana.[154] Rahman's younger sister, Fathima, heads his music conservatory in Chennai.[155][156] The youngest, Ishrath, has a music studio. A.R. Rahman isco-brother[157] to actorRahman.[158]
Born into a Hindu family, Rahman converted to Islam when he was in his 20s. After the early death of his father, his family experienced difficult times;Sufism influenced his mother, who was a practising Hindu[32] and, eventually, his family.[36][159] During the81st Academy Awards ceremony Rahman paid tribute to his mother: "There is a Hindi dialogue,mere pass ma hai, which means 'even if I have got nothing I have my mother here'."[160] He said, "Ellā pugaḻum iṟaivaṉukkē" ("All praise to God" inTamil, a translation from theQuran) before his speech.[161] In February 2020, Rahman was critiqued for his liberal image after Bangladeshi authorTaslima Nasreen raised a question about his daughter wearing a burka.[162]
In November 2024, A.R. Rahman and Saira Banu announced their separation.[163][164]
Rahman is involved with a number of charitable causes. In 2004 he was appointed as the global ambassador of theStop TB Partnership, aWHO project.[102] Rahman has supportedSave the Children India and worked withYusuf Islam on "Indian Ocean", a song featuringa-ha keyboard playerMagne Furuholmen andTravis drummerNeil Primrose. Proceeds from the song went to help orphans inBanda Aceh who were affected by the2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.[165] He produced the single "We Can Make It Better" by Don Asian withMukhtar Sahota.[166][failed verification] In 2008 Rahman opened theKM Music Conservatory with an audio-media education facility to train aspiring musicians in vocals, instruments, music technology and sound design. The conservatory (with prominent musicians on staff and a symphony orchestra) is located near his studio inKodambakkam, Chennai and offers courses at several levels. ViolinistL. Subramaniam is on its advisory board.[167] Several of Rahman's proteges from the studio have scored feature films.[168] In 2009, he foundedSunshine Orchestra with a vision to introduce India's first symphony orchestra where economically and socially deprived children get free music education by theKM Music Conservatory. He composed the theme music for a 2006 short film forThe Banyan to aid poor women in Chennai.[169]
In 2008 Rahman and noted percussionistSivamani created a song, "Jiya Se Jiya", inspired by theFree Hugs Campaign and promoted it with a video filmed in a number of Indian cities for a cause.[170] In 2017, he announced one heart foundation which would support people from music industry. Rahman announcedTa Futures, a collaborative culture project that would curate and celebrate the sounds ofTamil Nadu.[171]
While this idea initially started off like a city symphony project where we were looking at capturing the sounds of the city, I wanted to make it more participatory. In children, particularly, I want it to trigger a whole different thought process as this is not about film music or film stars and I want them to create and compose their future[172]
- Rahman on announcingTa Futures project onChennai
In 2019, Rahman performed a Sufi Benefit Concert at the annual New York gala ofPratham, one of the largest non-governmental organisations in India, which focuses on the provision of quality education to India's underprivileged children. Rahman and his ensemble performed the full dinner concert on a pro-bono basis.[173] Afterward, he wrote on Twitter that his "long time dream of performing #Sufimusic for human causes came true" and thanked attendees for their respect and generosity.[174]
| Year | Title | Role | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Kadhal Virus | Himself | Tamil | Cameo |
| 2019 | Bigil | Cameo in "Singappenney" song[175][176] | ||
| 2022 | Aaraattu | Malayalam | Cameo in "Mukkala Muqabla" recreated song[177][178] | |
| 2023 | Maamannan | Tamil | Cameo in "Jigu Jigu Rail" Song | |
| 2024 | Ayalaan | Cameo in "Maanja Nee" Promo Song |
| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Producer | Writer | Director | |||
| 2020 | Atkan Chatkan | Yes | No | No | [179] |
| 2021 | 99 Songs | Yes | Yes | No | [180][181] |
| 2022 | Le Musk | Yes | Yes | Yes | [182][183] |
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "Maa Tujhe Salaam" | Bharatbala[186] |
| 2007 | "Pray for Me Brother" | Bharatbala[187] |
| "One Love" | Owais Husain | |
| 2008 | "Jiya Se Jiya" | Kanika Myer[188] |
| 2009 | "Vellai Pookkal" | Mani Ratnam |
| 2009 | "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" | Thomas Kloss[189] |
| 2009 | "Beautiful" | [190] |
| 2010 | "Semmozhiyaana Tamizh Mozhiyaam" | Gautham Vasudev Menon[191] |
| "Jiyo Utho Bado Jeeto" | Bharatbala[192] | |
| 2011 | "Changing Seasons" | Mani Ratnam, John Warner[193] |
| "If I Rise" | [194] | |
| "Miracle Worker" | Paul Boyd | |
| "Satyameva Jayathe" | Paul Boyd | |
| 2012 | "Infinite Love" | Paul Boyd |
| 2014 | "Kismat Se" | |
| 2018 | "Jai Hind India" | |
| 2019 | "Sago" | Amith Krishnan[1] |
| "Marvel Anthem" | Punit Malhotra | |
| "Singappenney" | Atlee | |
| "For You My Love" | Blinded by the Light (2019 film) | |
| 2020 | "You Got Me" | Uma-Gaiti AR Rahman ft Nexa Music Lab Winners- Nisa, Heat Sink, Jonathan, Pelenuo & Simetri |
| 2021 | "Rihaayi De" Promotional Music Video - Mimi | Rajesh Bhatia |
| 2022 | Firdaus Sessions by A.R. Rahman featuring Dana Dajani - Spring | Rajesh Bhatia |
| 2022 | Untold Stories Firdaus Sessions A. R. Rahman featuring Seeta Qasemi | Rajesh Bhatia |
| 2022 | Firdaus Sessions by A.R. Rahman featuring Nirmika | Rajesh Bhatia |
| 2022 | Firdaus Studio Sessions by A. R. Rahman - Pain featuring Dana Dajani & Gouri Viravalli | Rajesh Bhatia |
| 2022 | Moopilla Thamizhe Thaaye (Tamil Anthem) | Amith Krishnan |
[5 Episodes series atAmazon Prime Video]
A seven-time National Film Award winner and recipient of sixTamil Nadu State Film Awards, he has fifteenFilmfare Awards and sixteenFilmfare Awards South for his music.[195] Rahman has received aKalaimamani from theGovernment of Tamil Nadu for excellence in the field of music, musical-achievement awards from thegovernments of Uttar Pradesh andMadhya Pradesh and aPadma Shri from theGovernment of India.[196]
In 2006, he received an award fromStanford University for his contributions to global music.[6] The following year, Rahman entered theLimca Book of Records as "Indian of the Year for Contribution to Popular Music".[197] He received the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award from theRotary Club of Madras.[7] In 2009, for hisSlumdog Millionaire score, Rahman won theBroadcast Film Critics Association Award, theGolden Globe Award for Best Original Score,[198] theBAFTA Award for Best Film Music and twoAcademy Awards (Best Original Score andBest Original Song, the latter shared withGulzar) at the81st Academy Awards.
He has received honorary doctorates fromMiddlesex University,Aligarh Muslim University,[199][9]Anna University in Chennai and Miami University in Ohio.[200] The composer has won twoGrammy Awards:Best Compilation Soundtrack Album andBest Song Written for Visual Media.[201] Rahman received thePadma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honour, in 2010.[202]
His work in127 Hours won him Golden Globe, BAFTA, and two Academy Award nominations (Best Original Music Score and Best Original Song) in 2011.[203][204][205] Rahman is an Honorary Fellow of theTrinity College of Music.[206]
On 24 October 2014 Rahman was awarded an honorary doctorate fromBerklee College of Music during a concert paying tribute to his music featuring an international cast of students. Upon receiving his award he commented that being honoured by Berklee illustrates how his life has come full circle, as at the start of his career, he had planned to study at Berklee before being offered the opportunity to scoreRoja.[207] During his 7 May 2012 acceptance speech of his honorary doctorate fromMiami University inOhio, Rahman mentioned that he received a Christmas card from the family of the President of the United States and an invitation to dinner at theWhite House.[208] A street was named in his honour in Markham, Ontario, Canada in November 2013.[209]
On 4 October 2015, the government of Seychelles named A. R. RahmanCultural Ambassador for Seychelles in appreciation of the "invaluable services contributed to enhance Seychelles' Arts and Culture development."[210]
In January 2018, He has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador of theSikkim government.A.R. Rahman will promote and project the state's achievements nationally and globally.[211] Rahman was honoured with the Pride of Indian Music award at the first Zee Cine Awards Tamil, held on 4 January 2020 inChennai.[212]
The UK-based world-music magazineSonglines named him one of "Tomorrow's World Music Icons" in August 2011.[213] For years, he has been regularly listed one amongThe 500 Most Influential Muslims in the world.[214][215]
On 17 November 2024, Rahman received the XTIC Award for Innovation in recognition of his VR filmLe Musk.[216] The award was presented atIIT-Madras.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)His first assignment was to write the music for Ratnam's film, Roja. Subsequent films that established AR Rahman as the genius of Tamil film music included Pudhiya Mugam with director Suresh Menon and Gentleman with Shankar
Music directors such as AR Rahman andKarthik Raja produce film scores that are more eclectic, incorporating rap, jazz, reggae, hard rock and fast dance beats ( as, for example, for Duet [1994], Kadhalan [1994] and Bombay [1995]).
The famous South Indian film music director AR Rahman invited [Kadri Gopalnath ] to work on the music for a major South Indian film. Rahman, a new music director, writes music that brings a more cosmopolitan feel to Indian cinema, and he was open to ...
AR Rahman's latest offering is a heavy dose of synthesiser and percussion sprinkled with rap. "No Problem" byApache Indian is the selling point.
Songs play as important a part in South Indian films and some South Indian music directors such as A. R. Rehman and Ilyaraja have an enthusiastic national and even international following
Now the South is believed to excel the North in many respects, including its colour labs, state of the art digital technology and sound processing facilities (which have improved the dubbing of Tamil and other South Indian languages into Hindi since the 1970s).
Now, two years later, AR Rahman looks like he is here to stay, with his digitalised sound based on pop-rock and reggae and fused with traditional Indian – mainly Carnatic – folk idioms. The supreme irony: he used to play keyboards in ...
Southern filmmakers likeMani Ratnam,Ram Gopal Varma andPriyadarshan have altered the profile of Indian 'national' cinema. So too have southern specialists ... cinematographersSantosh Sivan,P. C. Sreeram and music composer A. R. Rahman who formed a highly successful team with Ratnam and have all attained star status in their own right
AR Rahman (Roja, Bombay), entre autres, exigent aujourd'hui les cachets les plus gros jamais payés à un directeur musical
The recent success of the Tamil film music director A. R. Rehman in achieving widespread popularity in the world of Hindi film music is now possibly opening doors to new South-North relationships and collaborations
Rehman became a major star with his hit music in Roja followed by hit scores for Mani Ratnam's and Shankar's films in Tamil.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)However, the song was lifted by a whole range of well-known music directors from Bombay so much so that the original composition in Tamil by AR Rahman ...
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)Particularly impressed with Vande Mataram,Jeremy Spencer, formerly ofFleetwood Mac stated that Rahman was the only Indian composer he knew about and liked.
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