Allah-Rakha Rahman is an Indian music maker. He makes songs, sings, and writes music. Rahman mixes Indian classical tunes with electronic sounds and other kinds of music. He’s also known for his charity work. Today, he’s 55 years old, so let’s learn about his life.
Wiki
| Full Name | Allah Rakha Rahman |
|---|---|
| Real Name | A. S. Dileep Kumar |
| Profession | Music Director, Singer |
| Famous As | Singer |
| Nick Name | Isai Puyal, The Mozart of Madras |
| Date of Birth | 6 January 1967 |
| Age | 57 Years Old |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Birthplace | Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Hometown | Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Country | India |
| Zodiac Sign | Capricorn |
| Religion | Islam (converted from Hinduism) |
| Hobbies | Playing the Keyboard |
| Food Habits | Vegan |
| Educational Qualification | Degree in Western Classical Music |
| School Name | Padma Seshadri Bal Bhavan, Chennai |
| College/University | Madras Christian College, Chennai Trinity College of Music, Oxford University, United Kingdom |
| Debut | Music Director: Roja (1992, Tamil & Hindi) Album: Vande Mataram (1997) |
Early Life
Allah Rakha Rahman was born in Madras, Tamil Nadu, on 6 January 1967. His father, R. K. Shekhar, made music for Tamil and Malayalam movies. Tamil songs like; “Ponge Nadhi”, “Nee Singam Dhan”, and “Mallipoo”. Rahman started learning piano when he was four years old. He helped his family with money after his father passed away when he was nine. Rahman left school to focus on music full-time.
He played different instruments and worked with many musicians. Rahman got a scholarship for music studies. He also helped different music directors and worked on famous songs like “Kalikalam” for the film “Ramji Rao Speaking” in 1989.
Rahman went to school in Madras, where he got a diploma in Western classical music. He learned about Qadiri Tariqa when his younger sister got very sick in 1984. His mother was Hindu. When he was 23, he and his family became Muslims in 1989. He changed his name to Allah Rakha Rahman (A. R. Rahman).
Career
Rahman started his music career by making catchy tunes for Allwyn and Titan watches. His big break came when he composed music for the movie Roja in 1992, directed by Mani Ratnam. The songs became popular. It was a big deal because he was a newcomer, and it was the first time someone new got this award in the Indian film industry. Time magazine even named Rahman’s Roja soundtrack one of the “10 Best Soundtracks” in 2005.
After Roja, Rahman continued to make great music for films like Bombay in 1994, which sold 12 million copies worldwide. Rahman then entered Bollywood with the film Rangeela in 1995.
He kept working with Mani Ratnam on the Bollywood film Dil Se, and the song “Chaiyya Chaiyya” became a global hit. Rahman’s music in films like Taal, Saathiya, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, Yuva, and Guru received a lot of praise.
In 2008, Rahman became internationally famous for his music in the Hollywood film Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman continued his Hollywood journey with films like Couples Retreat.
Over the years, Rahman made music for many successful films, including Enthiran, 127 Hours, Rockstar, Raanjhanaa, Highway, Million Dollar Arm, and more.
In 2021, he worked on the musical-romantic movie 99 Songs, where he acted as a producer, writer, and musician.
Popular Soundtrack by A.R. Rahman
| Years | Soundtrack for movie |
| 1992 | Roja |
| 1995 | Bombay, Rangeela |
| 1998 | Dil Se |
| 1999 | Taal |
| 2001 | Lagaan |
| 2002 | Saathiya |
| 2005 | Rang De Basanti |
| 2008 | Jodha Akbar |
Musical Style and Influence
Allah Rakha Rahman is skilled in different types of Indian music like Carnatic, Western classical, and Hindustani classical, as well as the Qawwali style of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahman is known for mixing these styles in his film songs. He combines instruments from various musical backgrounds spontaneously.
In the 1980s, Rahman made recordings similar to earlier musicians like K. V. Mahadevan and Vishwanathan–Ramamoorthy. Allah Rakha Rahman also played piano in Ilaiyaraaja’s group for many movies. As time went on, Rahman changed his approach, blending traditional instruments with new electronic sounds and technology.
Rahman’s love for trying new things influences his music. His songs use a mix of different musical elements, including counterpoint (where different melodies play together), orchestration (how instruments are arranged), and vocals. Allah Rakha Rahman combines Indian pop music with unique sounds and instruments. Rahman’s music is liked by people from different backgrounds in Indian society because of its mix of styles and meaningful lyrics.
AI-Generated Voice in Indian Cinema
In Indian movies, Rahman did something new. He used artificial intelligence for the first time to bring back the voices of singers who passed away, Shahul Hameed and Bamba Bakya. He used their voices in the song “Thimiri Yezhuda“ for the film Lal Salaam, written by Snehan.
Concerts and Tours
| Date | City | Venue |
| 1 September 2018 | FAIRFAX, Virginia | No |
| 27 March 2019 | Doha | Khalifa International Stadium |
| 11 August 2019 | Chennai | Chennai |
| 14 September 2019 | New York City | Benefit Concert Gala |
| 15 November 2019 | Dubai | Coca Cola Arena |
| 29 September 2023 | Dortmund | Westfalenhallen |
| 30 September 2023 | London | The O2 Arena |
| 7 October 2023 | Zürich | Hallenstadion |
| 13 October 2023 | Paris | Accor Arena |
Filmography
Actor
| Year | Title | Role | Language | Notes |
| 2002 | Kadhal Virus | Himself | Tamil | Cameo |
| 2019 | Bigil | Himself | Tamil | Cameo in Singappenney song |
| 2022 | Aaraattu | Himself | Malayalam | Cameo in Mukkala Muqabla recreated the song |
| 2023 | Maamannan | Himself | Tamil | Cameo in Jigu Jigu Rail Song |
| 2024 | Ayalaan | Himself | Tamil | Cameo in Maanja Nee Promo Song |
Producer, Writer, and Director
| Year | Title | Producer | Writer | Director |
| 2020 | Atkan Chatkan | Yes | No | No |
| 2021 | 99 Songs | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2022 | Le Musk | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Performer
One Heart (2017) is India’s first concert film.
Family
| Father Name | R. K. Shekhar (Music Composer) |
|---|---|
| Mother Name | Kareema Beegum |
| Brother Name | None |
| Sister Name | A. R. Reihana, Fathima Rafiq and Ishrath Qadri |
Physical Appearance
Rahman is about 165 centimeters tall, which is like 1.65 meters or 5 feet 5 inches. He weighs around 70 kilograms, which is 154 lbs. His eyes are brown, like his hair.
| Height (Approx.) | in centimeters – 165 cm in meters – 1.65 m in feet inches – 5’ 5” |
|---|---|
| Weight (Approx.) | in kilograms – 70 kg in pounds – 154 lbs |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Brown |
Relationship Status
| Marital Status | Married |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Saira Banu |
| Children | Daughter– Khatija, Rahima Son– Ameen |
Net Worth & Salary
Rahman has roughly 2100 crores in Indian Rupees, which is about 280 crores in total. He earns about 4 crores as his salary. He owns fancy cars like Rolls Royce Ghost, BMW 7 Series, Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz S Class, and Range Rover. He makes money by singing, creating music, and endorsing brands. Vogue magazine has praised his work in entertainment.
| Net Worth in USD (Approx.) | $280 million |
|---|---|
| Net Worth in Indian Rupees (Approx.) | ₹2100 Crores |
| Salary (Approx.) | Rolls Royce Ghost, BMW 7 Series, Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz S Class, Range Rover Vogue |
| Car & Bike Collection | Rollys Royce Ghost, BMW 7 Series, Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz S Class, Range Rover Vogue |
| Income Source | Singing, Making Music, Brand Endorsements |
Social Media Handles
Favorite Things
| Musicians | Ilayaraja, Mohammad Rafi, Michael Jackson |
|---|---|
| Foods | Palak Paneer, Rasam-Rice |
| Destination | Chennai, Mumbai, London |
A R Rahman 3 Songs Lyrics
- Namma Satham
- Mayya Mayya
- Nanare
- PS Anthem
- Shivoham
- Marudhani Marudhani
- Aaruyire
- Mental Manadhil
- Mustafa Mustafa
- Marudhani Marudhani
- Mannipaaya
- Maa Tujhe Salaam
- Adangaatha Asuran
- Jaane Do
- Team India Hain Hum
- Jalali
- Anbalane
- Thimiri Yezhuda
- Chinnanjiru Nilave
- Tum Bhi Raahi
- Ponge Nadhi
- Ponni Nadhi
- Kaveri Se Milne
- Uyir Urugudhey
- Rehnuma
Quotes
“I feel blessed and humbled that people have loved my music. Nothing would be possible without their acceptance.”
“I want young Indian composers to be able to do more than just film music. I want to give them the skills that will enable them to create their palette of sounds instead of having to write formulaic music. It doesn’t matter if they become sound engineers, producers, composers, or performers – I want them to be as imaginative as they like.”
“I believe that whatever comes at a particular time is a blessing from God.”
“Your inner voice is the voice of divinity. To hear it, we need to be in solitude, even in crowded places.”
Awards
| Year | Awards and Recognition |
| 2006 | Stanford University Award |
| 2007 | Limca Book of Records |
| 2008 | Rotary Club Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 2009 | Slumdog Millionaire Score: BFCA, Golden Globe, BAFTA, 2 Oscars (Score, Song) |
| 2010 | Honorary Doctorates: Middlesex, Aligarh Muslim, Anna Chennai, Miami; Padma Bhushan |
| 2011 | 127 Hours: Golden Globe, BAFTA, 2 Oscar nominations; Honorary Fellow, Trinity College; Songlines recognition |
| 2012 | Honorary Doctorate, Miami University |
| 2013 | Street named in Markham, Ontario, Canada |
| 2014 | Honorary Doctorate, Berklee College of Music |
| 2015 | Seychelles Cultural Ambassador |
| 2018 | Sikkim Brand Ambassador; Zee Cine Awards Tamil |
| 2020 | Continued Recognition at Zee Cine Awards Tamil |
| Ongoing | I.I.M.U.N. Advisor; Among The 500 Most Influential Muslims |
Controversy
AR Rahman, a famous music composer who won an Oscar, recently caused a stir when he used AI models of late singers Bamba Bakya and Shahul Hameed to make the ‘Lal Salaam’ song. Rahman addressed the matter on his X account and wrote, ‘We got permission from their families and paid them properly for using their voice algorithms.’ He also said, ‘Technology isn’t bad if we use it the right way.’ Earlier, some people online criticized Rahman for using the AI-created voices of the late singers, commenting, ‘It’s just not right’ and ‘This could have been avoided.
Facts
- Rahman used to be called A. S. Dileep Kumar before he changed from Hinduism to Islam.
- His childhood was hard because his father died when he was 9 years old. After that, he had to support his family by playing his father’s keyboard to earn money.
- Allah-Rakha Rahman wanted to become a computer engineer.
- Like his father, he learned music from Master Dhanraj when he was young.
- Allah-Rakha Rahman earned his first money, 50 INR, by operating a record player.
- From 1984 to 1988, he was in a band called “Roots” and played keyboard for 10-12 Kannada films.
- In 1987, Allah-Rakha Rahman started making short songs for ads. His first one was for Alwyn’s watches. He made about 300 ads in 5 years.
- In 1989, Rahman and his family changed from Hinduism to Islam because his sister got better from being very sick after meeting a holy man called Pir Qadri.
- In 1991, a producer named Sharada Trilok introduced him to her cousin, Mani Ratnam. Mani Ratnam liked Rahman’s music and gave him a big chance in the movie Roja (1992).
- In 2005, one of the songs from Roja was listed in TIME’s “10 Best Soundtracks” ever.
- Not many people know that Rahman’s first movie music was for Yodha (1992), a Malayalam movie starring Mohanlal.
- By 2004, Allah-Rakha Rahman was one of the world’s top-selling musicians. Allah-Rakha Rahman sold about 200 million cassettes and 150 million recordings.
- In 2008, Allah-Rakha Rahman started KM College of Music and Technology in Chennai. Mukesh Ambani opened it.
- In 2012, Barack Obama, the President of the United States at the time, sent him a Christmas card and invited him to dinner at the White House.
- Allah-Rakha Rahman and his son Ameen share the same birthday, January 6th.
- Allah-Rakha Rahman likes making music at night.
- His favorite raga is ‘Sindhu Bhairavi’.
- He and filmmaker Shekhar Kapoor made a social media platform called “Qyuki” to show India’s talent.
- On January 20, 2017, Allah-Rakha Rahman and others from the Nadigar Sangam didn’t eat for a day to support the people in Tamil Nadu who were upset about the Jallikattu ban.
FAQs
A.R. Rahman is well-known for making lots of songs in movies and plays, for his different music styles, and for mixing different types of music in his songs.
A.R. Rahman speaks Tamil and English.
A.R. Rahman speaks Tamil and English.
Before he started making music, A.R. Rahman was a pilot in the Indian Army.
Yes, A.R. Rahman’s mother is Hindu.