Salute to the Musical Prodigy!

I get into this nostalgic feeling when I listen to “china china asai”, from the movie “roja”which was rahman’s debut movie with the legend director Maniratnam. I should thank maniratnam sir for bringing in the great legend into this movie industry which helped him to serve so many smash hits to eager fans like me. Being a die hard fan of rahman,I still remember, recording even his BGM from the movie “thiruda thiruda” and “Pudhiya mugam” in a cassette and use to listen to it in my walkman all day long. That was back in my school days, use to be very crazy about his music, I end up noting down all his upcoming movies in my diary and make sure I buy the music on the first day of release itself. Very interesting part of me being his fan is, myself and my father use to have an argument with ilayaraja vs a.r.rahman,I know the hidden agenda of my father was he simply enjoy’s that kutti fight,but I use to be in high temper whenever he tries to put a.r.rahman’s music down. So like a true devotee, will keep on fighting for a.r.rahman’s music, as I never have let him down for his great music.

A.R.R started his journey with “roja” and still leading with his best of his composition. To top it all he has now got the “Golden Globe award” in 2009 for his original score in the movie “slum dog millionaire” which made each and every Indian to be proud of him and his music, and that’s because he is the first Indian to achieve this most prestigious award. And who knows he will be the first Indian to get an Oscar too!


Allah Rakha Rahman was born as Dileep Kumar on January 6, 1966, in Chennai, India, to a musically affluent family. Dileep started learning the piano at the age of 4, and at the age of 9, his father passed away. Since the pressure of supporting his family fell on him, he joined Ilayaraja's troupe as a keyboard player at the age of 11. He dropped out of school as a result of this and traveled all around the world with various orchestras.

He accompanied the great tabla maestro Zakir Hussain on a few world tours and also won a scholarship at the Trinity College of Music at Oxford University, where he studied Western classical music and obtained a degree in music. Due to some personal crisis, Dileep Kumar embraced Islam and came to be known as A.R. Rahman. In 1987, he moved to advertising, where he composed more than 300 jingles over 5 years. In 1989, he started a small studio called Panchathan Record Inn, which later developed into one of the most well-equipped and advanced sound recording studios in India.

At an advertising awards function, Rahman met one of India's most famous directors, Mani Ratnam. Rahman played him a few of his music samples. Mani loved them so much that he asked Rahman to compose the music for his next film, Roja (1992). The rest, as they say, is history. He went on to compose several great hits for Tamil-language films before composing the score and songs for his first Hindi-language film, Rangeela (1995). The enormous success of his first Hindi venture was followed by the chart-topping soundtrack albums of films such as Bombay (1995) , Dil Se.. (1998), Taal (1999), Zubeidaa (2001), and Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001), which was nominated for best foreign-language film at the 2002 Academy Awards.(Source:IMDB)



He worked with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Shekhar Kapur (director of Elizabeth (1998)) on a musical called "Bombay Dreams." At 36 years old, A.R. Rahman has revolutionized Indian film music and one can only expect this musical genius to reach greater heights.



I would like to mention few of his awards he has achieved so far for his musical career:

National Film Awards (India)
1993 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Roja
1997 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Minsaara Kanavu
2002 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Lagaan
2003 - National Film Award for Best Music Direction - Kannathil Muthamittal



Filmfare Awards (India)
1995 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Rangeela
1998 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Dil Se
1999 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Taal
2001 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Lagaan
2002 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Saathiya
2002 - Filmfare Best Background Score - The Legend of Bhagat Singh
2004 - Filmfare Best Background Score - Swades
2007 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Rang de Basanti
2008 – Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Guru

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
1993 - Best Music - Roja
1994 - Best Music - Gentleman
1995 - Best Music - Kadhalan
1996 - Best Music - Bombay
1997 - Best Music - Minsaara Kanavu
2000 - Best Music – Sangamam

IIFA Awards (India)
2007 - IIFA Best Music Direction - Rang De Basanti
2002 - IIFA Best Music Direction - Lagaan
2003 - IIFA Best Music Direction - Saathiya
2000 - IIFA Best Music Direction – Taal

MTV Awards MTV-VMA Award for Dil Se Re song from Dil Se.. 1999 MTV Asia Awards 2003 for Favourite Artist India MTV IMMIES 2003 - Best Music Composer - 'Saathiya' - Saathiya ( Hindi )

A. R. Rahman has been nominated for the following awards:
Laurence Olivier Awards (UK)
2003 - Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best New Musical - Bombay Dreams
Dora Mavor Moore Awards (Canada)
2006 - General Theatre Division - Outstanding Musical Direction - The Lord of the Rings musical.

Some of his movies in production are:
1.Delhi 6
2.Raavana
3.London dreams
4.Endhiran
5.Rockstar
6.Satyagrahi


My All time Favourite pick:
1.Munbe va(jillini oru kaadhal)
2.Netru ilatha maatram(pudhiya mugam)
3.Kadhal rojave(roja)
4.Anjali(duet)
5.kanava(rakshagan)
6.vennilave(minasara kanavu)
7.vellai pookal(kannathila muthamital)
8.Newyork(jillunu oru kadhal)
9.Uyire(Bombay)
10.En swasa katre(en swasa katre)



I Personally salute A.R.Rahman for he has achieved the first “Golden Globe award” for India. Wishing him all the best for his Oscar's too.