A. R. Rahman
Composer and winner of two Academy Awards
- Age
- 59 yrs
- Birthday in 72 days
- Works listed
- 9
- Film score, Song
- Honours
- 5
- Most recent 2010
- Profile views
- 0
- 0 followers
A. R. Rahman is a composer, singer and producer who transformed Indian film music with his debut score for Roja (1992). His music for Slumdog Millionaire won two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe.
Biography
Early life
Born A. S. Dileep Kumar, he lost his father, the composer R. K. Shekhar, at nine and began playing keyboards professionally to support his family. He studied Western classical music through Trinity College London, composed advertising jingles and, after his family embraced Sufi Islam, took the name Allah Rakha Rahman.
Film composer
Mani Ratnam’s Roja (1992) introduced his blend of Carnatic, Western and electronic music and won him the National Film Award. Celebrated scores followed for Bombay, Dil Se, Taal, Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, Jodhaa Akbar and Ponniyin Selvan, in Tamil, Hindi and other languages.
International success
Rahman wrote the music for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stage musical Bombay Dreams (2002). For Slumdog Millionaire he won the 2009 Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song (“Jai Ho”, with lyricist Gulzar), as well as a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and two Grammys. He founded the KM Music Conservatory in Chennai in 2008 and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2010.
Sound and innovation
Rahman’s scores fused Carnatic and Hindustani music, Sufi devotional singing, Western orchestral writing and electronic production, often built in his Chennai studio, Panchathan Record Inn. He introduced many new singers and pioneered digital recording techniques in Indian film music in the 1990s. His patriotic album Vande Mataram (1997), released for the 50th anniversary of independence, remains one of India’s best-selling non-film albums.
Beyond India
Besides Bombay Dreams, he co-wrote music for the stage adaptation of The Lord of the Rings (2006), scored Hollywood and international films including Elizabeth: The Golden Age, 127 Hours (two Oscar nominations) and Pelé, and composed for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He directed the virtual-reality film Le Musk and runs the KM Music Conservatory and the Sunshine Orchestra for underprivileged children.
Timeline
-
1967
Born in Madras (Chennai), Tamil Nadu
-
1992
Roja
Debut film score; National Film Award.
-
1997
Vande Mataram album
For the 50th anniversary of independence.
-
2000
Padma Shri
-
2001
Lagaan
-
2002
Bombay Dreams opens in London
-
2006
The Lord of the Rings stage musical
Toronto and London.
-
2008
Founds KM Music Conservatory
-
2009
Two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe
For Slumdog Millionaire.
-
2010
Two Grammy Awards; Padma Bhushan
-
2011
127 Hours
Two more Academy Award nominations.
Notable works
-
1992
Roja Film score
-
1998
Dil Se Film score
-
2001
Lagaan Film score
-
2008
Slumdog Millionaire Film score
-
2008
Jai Ho Song
-
1995
Bombay Film score
-
1997
Vande Mataram Album
-
2006
Rang De Basanti Film score
-
2010
127 Hours Film score
Awards and honours
-
Padma Shri
2000
-
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
2009
-
Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song
2009
-
Grammy Awards (two)
2010
-
Padma Bhushan
2010
Did you know?
-
1
His studio, Panchathan Record Inn, was built at his home in Chennai.
-
2
He started playing keyboards professionally at 11 to support his family.
-
3
His album Vande Mataram is one of India’s best-selling non-film albums.
Gallery
Connections
Related people
Frequently asked
Who is A. R. Rahman?
A. R. Rahman is a composer, singer and producer who transformed Indian film music with his debut score for Roja (1992). His music for Slumdog Millionaire won two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe.
How old is A. R. Rahman?
A. R. Rahman is 59 years old, born on 6 January 1967 in Madras (Chennai), Tamil Nadu.
Where is A. R. Rahman from?
A. R. Rahman was born in Madras (Chennai), Tamil Nadu.
What is A. R. Rahman known for?
A. R. Rahman is best known for Roja, Dil Se, Lagaan, Slumdog Millionaire (“Jai Ho”).
What awards has A. R. Rahman received?
Notable honours include Padma Shri (2000), Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score (2009), Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song (2009), Grammy Awards (two) (2010).
References
- A. R. Rahman — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- A. R. Rahman — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- A. R. Rahman — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- A. R. Rahman — Spotify. Spotify. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- A. R. Rahman — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Official website. www.arrahman.com. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- A. R. Rahman (Q108560) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“A. R. Rahman.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/a-r-rahman
Discussion 0
Sign in or create an account to join the discussion.
No comments yet — be the first.
More in Music
Music
Ravi Shankar
Sitar virtuoso who brought Indian classical music to the world
1920 – 2012
Music
Rabindranath Tagore
Poet, writer and composer; first non-European Nobel laureate in Literature
1861 – 1941
Film & TV
Kishore Kumar
Playback singer and actor, one of the greatest voices of Hindi cinema
1929 – 1987
Music
Arijit Singh
Playback singer and composer
Born 1987
Music
Lata Mangeshkar
Playback singer whose voice defined Hindi film music for seven decades
1929 – 2022