A.R. Rahman

A.R. Rahman, born as A.S. Dileep Kumar on October 10th, 1966, is an Indian music composer and singer, widely acclaimed for revolutionizing the Indian film music industry since he started his career in 1992 with the South Indian film, Roja. Highly regarded as one of India's foremost film music architects, Rahman's creative approach to music has won him numerous awards and international recognition.

Throughout his dazzling career, Rahman has been marked by his ability to commingle Eastern and Western musical elements, blending pop, rock, reggae, and traditional Indian music into unique soundscapes. This distinct style has allowed him to work with multiple globally renowned artists, including Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Zakir Hussain, L. Shankar, Apache Indian, and David Byrne, further bolstering his acclaim.

Rahman's popularity surged with his most streamed Spotify track, "Agar Tum Saath Ho (From "Tamasha")" of 2022, which garnered more than 290.7 million streams. Till date, his musical compositions have accumulated over 4.2 billion streams on Spotify, reflecting his vast global fanbase.

Launched into the domain of film music composition at a young age, Rahman worked as a session musician alongside the renowned South Indian composer Ilaiyaraaja. Venturing into television commercials, Rahman composed more than 300 jingles within five years, honing his expertise. His big break arrived in 1989 when he set up his own music recording facility, Panchathan Record Inn, and began composing music for films.

Rahman's first global success was the 1995 film, Bombay, co-signed by Sony Music, and his first non-film music collection, Vande Mataram, released in 1997 to mark 50 years of Indian Independence. His rapid rise in the industry led him to work with eminent personalities like Andrew Lloyd Webber for Bombay Dreams and David Byrne, carving his niche on the global stage.

Rahman's work in the critically acclaimed film Slumdog Millionaire in 2008 won him two Academy Awards: Best Original Score and Best Song for "Jai Ho". He also earned two further nominations for the critically acclaimed film 127 Hours in 2010. His contribution to Indian music earned him the prestigious Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, in 2010.

In addition to his film successes, Rahman has a strong presence in the musical theatre world, with Bombay Dreams running 284 performances at the Broadway Theatre in New York and his music accompanying the 2016 production of Pelé: Birth of a Legend. Regarded as one of the world's top film composers, A.R. Rahman continues to influence and inspire with his unique musical blend, leaving profound impacts on the millions who appreciate his extraordinary talent.