A. R. Rahman

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Allah Rakha Rahman (Tamil: ஏ.ஆர்.ரஹ்மான்; born on January 6, 1967 as A.S. Dileep Kumar in Chennai, India) is a popular Indian film music composer. He is a native Tamilian. He made his debut in 1992 with Mani Ratnam's Tamil movie, Roja (Rose), which was subsequently dubbed into many languages. Ram Gopal Verma's Rangeela (Colorful) (1995) was the first Hindi movie to have Rahman as the music director. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri.

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Early years

Rahman is the only son of R. K. Sekhar, who was an arranger and conductor for Malayalam films. His father died when Rahman was nine years old, and his family used to rent out musical equipment to make ends meet, something they found very difficult. During those hard times, a Sufi (Muslim) saint helped them spiritually. This led Dileep to convert to Islam, changing his name to Allah Rakha Rahman.

At the age of 11, Rahman joined the troupe of Indian composer Ilayaraja as a keyboardist. He later played on the orchestra of M.S. Vishwanathan and Ramesh Naidu, and accompanied Zakir Hussain and Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan on world tours. The experience allowed him to obtain a scholarship to the Trinity College at Oxford University, where he received a degree in Western classical music.

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Music career

In 1991, Rahman began his own studio (attached to his house), called the Panchathan Record Inn. He initially composed music for use in advertisements, the title music on popular Indian Television channels and music in documentaries, among other projects. Rahman was, at first, hesitant about composing music for the Indian film industry primarily because most film makers at the time used songs as "fillers" - a means by which the audience was given a break from the movie's plot. In 1991 he was approached by film director Mani Ratnam, who offered Rahman the job as composer of music for his upcoming film Roja, at a price of Rs. 25,000. Rahman accepted, and the movie's superhit debut made him a household name in Tamil Nadu virtually overnight and led Rahman to receive the Rajat Kamal award for best music director at the Indian National Film Awards, the first time ever by a debutant. Rahman has since then gone on to win the award 3 more times (for Minsaara Kanavu (Electric Dreams, Tamil) in 1997, Lagaan (Tax, Hindi) in 2002 and Kannathil Muthamittal (A Peck on the Cheek, Tamil) in 2003), the most ever by any composer.

A.R. Rahman combined the usage of technology and music. He has been successful in creating his own style of composition by a symbiosis of the best elements of technology and Indian classical instruments. However some critics allege that he makes excessive usage of technology in his music.

When Rahman arrived onto the Indian music scene with his first film Roja, the music industry in India was going through a crisis with the retirement of older music composers and the lack of innovation in Indian film music. Roja was a massive hit, and Rahman followed it up with a number of other extremely popular films, including Bombay, Rangeela, Dil Se and Taal . The huge sales of these albums prompted movie producers to take film music more seriously.

Another point worth noting is that while Ilayaraaja brought western music in Indian Instruments, A.R.Rahman pioneered the art of composing Indian classical Carnatic and Hindustani music and using western Instruments to play those tunes.

Rahman's work is also unique in the fact that his collaborations with a few movie directors have always resulted in hugely successful albums. In particular, he has worked with Mani Ratnam on eight movies (until 2004) (see list of movies by Mani Ratnam featuring A R Rahman), all of which have been musical superhits. Also notable is his collaboration with the director S. Shankar (Gentleman, Kadhalan, Indian, Jeans, Mudhalvan, Nayak and Boys). Image:Arr-weber.jpg

He made an album Vande Mataram (1996) on India's national song. Recently, he also came up with an album called Jana gana mana, a huge conglomeration of performances by all the leading exponents/artists of Indian classical music.

His latest work includes Mani Ratnams's Yuva, Meenaxi: Tale of 3 Cities, Bose - The Forgotten Hero, Swades, Mangal Pandey - The Rising and Rang De Basanti. He is currently working on Mani Ratnam's next venture Guru, and on one of Shyam Benegal's most expensive ventures, undisclosed so far, which is set for release in the spring of 2006.

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International accolades

Andrew Lloyd Webber, a well known composer of musicals, was impressed with Rahman's unique style and therefore hired him to compose his maiden stage production Bombay Dreams (2002). This play was well received in England and opened him up to new vistas in Hollywood. Furthermore, Rahman, along with the Finnish folk music band Värttinä, composed the music for The Lord of the Rings musical, which opened in Toronto on March 23 2006.

Rahman received more international attention with this article in the TIME magazine. Rahman's first movie album "Roja" was listed in TIME magazine's TOP 10 Movie Soundtracks of all time; source. According to BBC Rahman is reported to have sold 100 million records world-wide.

In 2000, Rahman's annual income was estimated to be around $4 million from worldwide endorsements and royalties dating back to Roja (1992). According to Rediff.com, rights for his Tamil album Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000) were sold for an astonishing record sum of Rs. 22 million! This record still remains unbeaten six years hence.

In addition to influencing western audiences, Rahman also impressed eastern audiences with his music so much that he was tapped by Chinese director He Ping to provide music for the Chinese film Warriors of Heaven and Earth in 2003 IMDB. The music of this film was very much appreciated in Asia and in India.

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Awards and nominations

A.R. Rahman has won the following awards:

  • 9 South Indian Filmfare Awards
  • 6 Times Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

A.R. Rahman has been nominated for the following awards:

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Partial discography

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Films

YEAR Tamil Telugu Hindi Malayalam Marathi English Mandarin
1992 Roja Roja Roja (1994) Roja Roja
1992 Ashokan (1993) Yoddha (1995) Dharam Yodha (1993) Yodha
1993 Uzhavan
1993 Thiruda Thiruda Donga Donga Chor Chor (1996)
1993 Pudhiya Mugam Padmavyuham Vishwa Vidhatha (1997)
1993 Gentleman Gentleman
1994 Vandicholai Chinnaraasu Bobili Paparayudu
1994 Super Police Super Police Khel Khiladi Ka (1996)
1994 Pudhiya Mannargal
1994 Pavithra
1994 May Madham Hridayaanjali (1999)
1994 Kizhakku Cheemayile Palnati Pourusham
1994 Karuththamma Vanitha/Osey Krishnamma
1994 Kadhalan Premikudu (1995) Humse Hai Muqabla
1994 Duet Duet Tu Hi Mera Dil
1995 Indira Indira Priyanka
1995 Bombay Bombay Bombay
1994 Manitha Manitha Gang Master
1995 Rangeela Rangeli Rangeela
1995 Muthu Muthu (1995) Muthu Maharaja (2001)
1996 Love Birds Love Birds Love Birds
1996 Indian Bharateeyudu Hindustani
1996 Kadhal Desam Prema Desam Duniya Dilwalon Ki
1996 Fire Fire
1996 Mr Romeo Mr Romeo Mr Romeo (1997)
1996 Anthimantharai
1997 Minsara Kanavu Merupu Kalalu Sapnay
1997 Iruvar Iddaru
1997 Ottam (non-film) 50-50 Daud: Fun On The Run
1997 Ratchagan Rakshakudu
1997 Mona Lisa Kabhi Na Kabhi
1997 Vishwa Vidhaata
1998 Jeans Jeans Jeans
1998 Uyire Prematho.. Dil Se..
1998 1947/Earth
1998 Doli Saja Ke Rakhna
1999 En Swasa Kaatre Premante Pranamistha
1999 Jodi Jodi
1999 Padaiyappa Narasimha
1999 Taalam Taal
1999 Thakshak
1999 Kadhalar Dhinam Premikula Roju Dil Hi Dil Mein
1999 Pukar
1999 Sangamam
1999 Taj Mahal
1999 Mudhalvan Oke Okkadu Nayak
2000 Alai Payuthey Sakhi Sathiya 2002
2000 Kandukondain Kandukondain Priyuralu Pilichindi
2000 Rhythm Rhythm/Jeevithamma Chirunavva
2000 Thenali Tenali
2000 Zubeidaa
2001 One 2 Ka 4
2001 Love You Hamesha
2001 Star
2001 Lagaan
2001 Paarthale Paravasam Paravasam
2001 Nayak
2001 Alli Arjuna
2002 Kannathil Muthamittal Amrutha
2002 The Legend of Bhagat Singh
2002 Baba Baba
2002 Kadhal Virus
2002 Saathiya
2003 Udhaya
2003 Parasuram Police Kartavyam
2003 Boys Boys
2003 Warriors of Heaven and Earth
2003 Enakku 20 Unakku 18 Nee Manasu Naaku Telusu
2003 Kangalal Kaidhu Sei
2003 Tehzeeb
2004 Lakeer
2004 Meenaxi - A Tale of 3 Cities
2004 Aayitha Ezhuthu Yuva Yuva
2004 New Naani
2004 Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa (3 out of 8 songs)
2004 Desam Swades
2004 Kisna - The Warrior Poet (6 out of 16 tracks)
2005 Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero
2005 The Rising - Ballad of Mangal Pandey
2005 Ah Aah (Anbe Aaruyire/Best Friend)
2005 Water
2006 Rang De Basanti
2006 God Father
2006 Provoked
2006 Sivaji: The Boss Sivaji: The Boss (2006)
2006 Jillunu Oru Kaadhal Nuvvu Nennu Prema (2006)
2006 Dasavatharam
2006 Akbar-Jodha
2006 London Dreams
2006 Guru (2006) Guru (2006) Guru
2006 Satyagrahi

Note: "Year" indicates the year the earliest version of any multi-language movie was released. Movies with the year next to the title dictates that the film was either dubbed or released later than the original version of the movie.

  • He has contributed one song to Fiza (1999, Hindi).
  • The soundtracks of the films Roja (1992) and Gentleman (1993), were also released as instrumental versions.

The following films had soundtracks reused from previous albums:

  • Vishwa Vidhaata (1997, Hindi) from Pudhiya Mugam (1993, Tamil)
  • Jodi (1999, Tamil) from Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1999, Hindi), with 3 new songs added
  • Love You Hamesha (2001, Hindi) from May Madham (1994, Tamil)
  • Star (2001, Tamil) from Thakshak (1999, Hindi - 3 songs) and 1947/Earth (1998, Hindi - 1 song), with 1 new song added
  • Thakshak (1999, Hindi) from En Swaasa Kaatre (1999, Tamil) 1 song (Jumbalaka), with changes in vocals and instrumentation
  • Pukar (1999, Hindi) from En Swaasa Kaatre (1999, Tamil) 1 song ('Kay Sera Sera' from 'Nayagara'), with changes in vocals and instrumentation
  • Song "Dekho Na" from movie Swades (2004, Hindi) reused from the song "Baba Kichchu Tha" from movie Baba (2002, Tamil) with different vocals and instrumentation

The soundtrack of Nicolas Cage's Lord Of War (2005), features the instrumental piece "Bombay Theme" from the Tamil film Bombay, directed by Mani Ratnam.

The soundtrack of Spike Lee's Inside Man (2006), features the song "Chaiyya Chaiyya" from the Hindi film Dil Se, directed by Mani Ratnam.

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Non-film

  • Return of the Thief of Baghdad (Yet to be released) (2003)
  • Deen Isai Maalai (1989) as AS Dilip Kumar
  • Set Me Free (1991)
  • Vande Mataram (1997)
  • Jana Gana Mana (2000)
  • Bombay Dreams (2002) (Musical)
  • Ignited Minds (2003) (Unreleased but performed in live concert)
  • Raga's Dance (2004) (for Vanessa Mae's album called Choreography)
  • Pray for me, Brother (2005) (UN Theme song for poverty alleviation mission) (Unreleased but performed in live concerts)
  • Banyan Theme (2006) (Theme song for stage musical Netru, Indru, Naalai in aid of The Banyan, unreleased)
  • The Lord of the Rings musical (2006) (Stage Production/Musical)
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See also

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External links

fr:Allah Rakha Rahman ta:ஏ.ஆர்.ரஹ்மான்

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