A. R. Rahman: Biography, Music, Family and Awards

Childhood in Madras

A. R. Rahman was born A. S. Dileep Kumar on 6 January 1967 in Madras, now Chennai, into a Tamil family. His father, R. K. Sekhar, was a composer and conductor who arranged and scored music for Malayalam films. Dileep began learning the piano at the age of four and spent much of his childhood around studios, instruments and working musicians.

When he was nine his father died. The family's finances became precarious, and renting out his father's musical equipment became the household's main source of income. He was raised by his mother, Kareema, born Kashturi. Within a few years the boy himself was playing keyboards professionally to support his mother and sisters. The pressure of work meant that he dropped out of regular schooling.

Session musician and student

As a teenager Dileep played keyboards for many of the leading composers of South Indian film music, including M. S. Viswanathan, Ramesh Naidu and Ilaiyaraaja, for whose orchestra he played on a large number of films. He also accompanied musicians such as Zakir Hussain, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and L. Shankar on world tours. This work exposed him to an enormous range of styles, from Carnatic music to Western pop and electronic production.

He won a scholarship to the Trinity College of Music in London and obtained a qualification in Western classical music through Trinity's programme. Synthesisers and studio technology fascinated him, and he became known for his skill with electronic sound.

Education

Rahman attended Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan in Chennai and later Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School, but his schooling was repeatedly interrupted because he had to work as a keyboard player to support his family after his father's death. He has said he dropped out of formal school as a teenager.

His formal musical training came from several directions: Carnatic and Hindustani lessons in Chennai, years of studio work for composers such as Ilaiyaraaja, M. S. Viswanathan and Ramesh Naidu, and a scholarship to the Trinity College of Music in London, through which he earned a qualification in Western classical music. In 2024 Trinity Laban, the conservatoire's successor, named him its Honorary President.

A new name

The family had been introduced to the Qadiri Sufi order in 1984, when his younger sister was seriously ill. In 1989, at the age of 23, Dileep converted to Islam together with his family. He took the name Allah Rakha Rahman, under which he would become famous. His faith has remained an important part of his life and music.

Jingles and Panchathan Record Inn

Before films, Rahman composed advertising jingles for brands and television channels. In 1987, still known as Dileep, he composed jingles for a new line of watches, and his best-known jingle, for Titan watches, which used a theme from Mozart's Symphony No. 25. Among his session work from this period was programming music for the Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking (1989) with the percussionist Sivamani. Around 1992 he set up Panchathan Record Inn, a recording and mixing studio built in the backyard of his home in Chennai, which would become one of the most advanced studios in India.

Roja and instant fame

In 1991, at an award ceremony for an advertising jingle, Rahman met the director Mani Ratnam, who asked him to score his next film. The result was Roja (1992). Its songs, including "Chinna Chinna Aasai", sounded unlike anything else in Indian film music, with crisp production, unusual textures and memorable melodies. The soundtrack, released in Tamil and dubbed into Hindi and other languages, was a nationwide hit and won Rahman his first National Film Award for Best Music Direction.

Rahman and Mani Ratnam went on to work together on many films, including Bombay (1995), Dil Se.. (1998), Alaipayuthey (2000), Guru (2007) and O Kadhal Kanmani (2015). He also scored hits for directors such as S. Shankar, beginning with Gentleman (1993).

Bollywood

Rahman's first Hindi film written for a Hindi audience was Ram Gopal Varma's Rangeela (1995). Dil Se.., with "Chaiyya Chaiyya", and Taal (1999) followed. For Ashutosh Gowariker's Lagaan (2001), an Oscar-nominated film set in colonial India, he wrote a score drawing on classical and folk music that is regarded as one of his best. Later Hindi work includes Rang De Basanti (2006), Jodhaa Akbar (2008), Delhi-6 (2009), Rockstar (2011) and Raanjhanaa (2013).

In 1997, for the 50th anniversary of India's independence, he released the album Vande Mataram, one of the best-selling non-film albums in India.

International work

In 2002 Rahman composed the music for Bombay Dreams, a stage musical produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber in London. He later co-wrote the music for a stage adaptation of The Lord of the Rings in Toronto and co-scored Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007).

His international breakthrough came with Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (2008). His score, which captured the energy of Mumbai, won the BAFTA for best film music and the Golden Globe for best score. At the 81st Academy Awards in 2009 he won two Oscars: Best Original Score and Best Original Song for "Jai Ho", shared with the lyricist Gulzar. In 2010 he won two Grammy Awards for the soundtrack and the song. He followed it with Boyle's 127 Hours (2010), which earned two more Oscar nominations.

Recent work

Rahman has continued to work across languages and countries. His later scores include Mani Ratnam's two-part Tamil epic Ponniyin Selvan (2022–2023), the Malayalam film Aadujeevitham (2024) and the Hindi films Amar Singh Chamkila (2024) and Chhaava (2025). In 2017 he directed and wrote Le Musk, an experimental virtual-reality film.

Ramayana and what's next (as of November 2026)

Rahman's biggest current project is the music for Nitesh Tiwari's two-part Hindi epic Ramayana, which he is scoring with the Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer. The soundtrack EP, including the songs Jai Jai Ram and Ravana Tandav, was released in five languages on 21 October 2026 ahead of Part One's November 2026 release, and Rahman said in interviews that about 70 per cent of the album had been released by then. Part Two is planned for Diwali 2027. He has publicly defended the songs against mixed early reactions, saying creative work should face criticism.

Selected film scores

Teacher and institution builder

In 2008 Rahman founded the KM Music Conservatory in Chennai to train young musicians in vocals, instruments and music technology, in both Indian and Western traditions. Its young ensemble, Qutub-E-Kripa, has been co-credited with him on background scores for films including O Kadhal Kanmani, and in 2012 its musicians toured five Indian cities with Germany's Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg. In December 2024 he was named Honorary President of Trinity Laban, the London conservatoire that grew out of the college where he once studied.

Personal life

Rahman married Saira Banu in 1995. They have three children: Khatija, Raheema and Ameen, two of whom also sing. In November 2024 the couple announced their separation.

Family and faith

Rahman's father, R. K. Shekhar, was a composer and arranger for Malayalam films who died in 1976, when Rahman was nine. His mother, Kareema Begum, born Kasturi, raised the family and guided his early career; she died in December 2020. His elder sister, A. R. Reihana, is a singer and composer and the mother of the composer and actor G. V. Prakash Kumar. His younger sister Fathima heads the KM Music Conservatory, and his younger sister Ishrath is also a composer.

He married Saira Banu in 1995 in an arranged marriage. Their children are Khatija, a singer and composer; Raheema; and Ameen, a playback singer. In November 2024 the couple announced their separation after 29 years of marriage. Rahman has spoken openly about his conversion to Islam with his family in 1989 and about the influence of Sufism on his life and music. He lives and works in Chennai, where his Panchathan Record Inn studio began at his home.

Net worth

CareerMasti has not found a credible published estimate of A. R. Rahman's net worth, such as a Hurun or Forbes figure, so we do not give one.

Honours

India awarded Rahman the Padma Shri in 2000 and the Padma Bhushan in 2010. He has won seven National Film Awards, two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, along with many Filmfare awards. He is nicknamed "Isai Puyal" (musical storm) in Tamil and the "Mozart of Madras".

Legacy

Rahman changed the sound of Indian film music in the 1990s by combining Carnatic and Hindustani melody, Sufi devotion, folk rhythms and modern electronic production. His success took Indian film music to global stages, while his studio, conservatory and collaborations helped train a new generation of musicians.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. Encyclopaedia Britannica: A.R. Rahman
2. Wikipedia: A. R. Rahman (cross-checked dates and awards)
3. Film Music Reporter: Ramayana soundtrack EP released (21 October 2026)
4. Times of India: Rahman on reactions to the Ramayana songs
5. Wikipedia: List of awards and nominations received by A. R. Rahman

Facts checked against the sources above by Tulasiram Pemmadi on 8 November 2026 (IST). Where reliable sources disagree, the article says so. Spotted an error? See our corrections page or email contact@nextplayintel.com.

Related biographies

Lata MangeshkarMusician

1929–2022

Sunidhi ChauhanMusician

b. 1983

Kishore KumarMusician

1929–1987