A.r.rahman - Passionate Musician

Born in Chennai on the 6th Day of January, 1966 Allah Rakha Rahman is truly known to be a man of principles and honors. A passionate musician, singer, composer and a recorder, he has rightly shown his true colors in the music industry.

Today, if anyone wants to learn anything about music then he is the perfect role-model. A guide, a philosopher, a Guru. He has it all within him. The maestro on his 42nd birthday gifted all the aspiring musicians their dream. He started KM Music Conservatory and KM Symphony Music Orchestra to make their dream come true. The whole center is designed and certified by Apple Inc.

His father, Mr. Rajagopala Kulashekhara Mudaliyar Shekhar was a renowned Tamil Indian Music Composer from an affluent Mudaliar Tamil family and so was Rahman. A.R.Rahman lost his beloved father when he was just 9. His mother, Kareema (previously known as Kashturi) raised his son with a lot of love and care. To keep the flow of income, he rented out his fathers musical equipment.

During his early days, Rahman learned to play the keyboard and not only that, he also worked as an arranger in the band Roots. Along with him was his childhood friend who was also a percussionist, now a well known musician, Sivamani.

Along with these 2, there were also a couple of friends John Anthony, Suresh Peters, JoJo and Raja. Doing well in the field of music, Rahman started was the founder of Nemesis Avenue, a Chennai based Rock-Band. And to the delight everyone he not only played the keyboard but also the synthesizer, harmonium and the guitar.

Gradually after the success of the band, he gained a keen interest in the equipment synthesizer. Not over looking this, he started his early music training with Master Dhanraj.

Impressed by his talent and dedication, well known and the finest music composer Ilaiyaraaja, Rahman joined his troupe as a keyboard player. He joined the same troupe to whom he had rented his fathers musical instrument.

Later in his musical career Rahman got great exposure and played in the orchestra with some magnificent composers of South like Manayangath Subramanian Vishwanathan, Raj-Koti and Ramesh Naidu. They were the pioneers of the South Indian Music.

Not only this, he accompanied Zakir Hussain, Kunnakudi Vidyanathan and Lakshminarayan Shankar on world tours. He Graduated in Western Classical Music from the Trinity College of Music which is London. And then he was introduced to Qadiri Islam at the same time when his father was dying and his younger sister fell pretty ill.

Along with his other family members he converted himself to the Islam religion in the year 1989 at the age of 23. Then he changed his name to Rahman from A.S.Dileep Kumar.

Though his career started in the year 1992, at the age of 9, in 1975, he played a tune on a piano during one of his fathers recording for a film which later on R.K.Shekhar, later developed it into a song Vellithen Kinnam Pol, for the Malayalam film Penpada.

A.R.Rahman was noticed His actual career began in the year 1992 when he set up Panchathan Record Inn studio in Chennai. Its a music recording as well as a music studio which is attached to the backyard of his house. Initially, he composed tunes, music and jingles for TV Ad Films and other projects.

Then came the turning point of his life when he got noticed by the all time favourite director of everyone in Bollywood, Mani Ratnam in the year 1992. Mani Ratnam offered him to compose the music for his film ROJA (1992). And he had many miles to achieve.

This was his debut and guesses what, there was an award in his kitty. An unpredictable win for a first time composer. Rojas music met with all time high sales. And his career shot up like a rocket. Than came the MINSAARA KANAVU (Electric Dreams, Tamil, 1992). And again here was an award for him.