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A.R. Rahman - not only is this just a name in the music industry, but it is rather a phenomenon responsible for completely revamping and redefining the soundscape of Indian cinema.
Illustration by The Geostrata
From his humble background in Chennai to becoming a two-time Oscar winner and unarguably being India’s most recognisable music director worldwide, the “Mozart of Madras”, Allah Rakha Rahman’s journey is a story that has lots of passion, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of revolutionising Indian music in the decades to follow.
His music compositions have been known for their depth, technical brilliance, and most importantly a unique fusion of musical traditions in India and beyond, making his music popular with audiences in India and across the globe.
This article will delve into A.R. Rahman’s melodious journey, starting with his early lifeand rise to fame and exploring the facets that make his music so profoundly beautiful and earnest.
EARLY LIFE
Born as A.S. Dileep Kumar on the 6th of January, 1967 in Chennai, his tryst with music began at a very young age, as his father, R.K. Shekhar was a composer and music conductor for Malayalam and Tamil movies.
As Dileep grew up in a musically inclined family and occasionally helped his father in music studios playing the keyboard, Rahman was naturally exposed to the intricacies of songs and melodies over time. However, tragedy struck as Dileep’s father passed away due to cancer. Soon, he had to work and miss out on classes to support the family to earn a meagre income.
7 years after his father’s passing, Dileep met a Sufi who was treating Dileep’s father and decided to convert to Islam, changing his name from Dileep Kumar to A.R Rahman.
Despite the hardships, Rahman’s passion for music never took a back step. He worked as a session musician, playing the keyboard and the synthesiser for Roots, an all-instruments band consisting of the likes of John Anthony, Suresh Peters, and the now-famous percussionist Anandan Sivamani.
After being approached by Nemesis Avenue, a Chennai-based rock group, Rahman started playing the guitar and piano too. In fact, Rahman enjoyed playing the synthesiser, with various magazines back then hailing Rahman back then for elevating the synthesiser “to a whole new level”.
After assisting other composers such as Raj-Koti, Vijaya Bhaskar and Ilaiyaraaja, he got a scholarship to study at Trinity College London, where he went to the prestigious Trinity College of Music, earning a degree in Western classical music.
It was here at Trinity where his experience of working with music composers, coupled with his training in western classical music, gave him the ability to fuse these styles together in Indian music, a unique trait that would truly define his career as a maestro.
BREAKTHROUGH WITH ROJA
To say Rahman’s debut in mainstream Indian music was revolutionary might be an understatement. His massive break came in 1992 when director Mani Ratnam approached Rahman to compose music for Ratnam’s Tamil movie ‘Roja’ in 1992.
The music turned out to be a groundbreaking success. The music of Roja was unlike anything that Indian cinema had ever seen before. While audiences were used to the soulful sounds of Ilaiyaraaja and fast-paced beats of Raj-Koti, Rahman blended melodies with modern orchestration and elements of electronic beats, which provided a sort of freshness and emotional depth which resonated deeply with audiences, the young and old alike. This masterpiece of Roja’s album made the movie a rousing success, also earning Rahman the National Film Award in the same year.
This success catapulted Rahman into the limelight, as he quickly became one of the most sought-after composers in Bollywood and Kollywood, the Tamil music industry. His subsequent projects after Roja included “Bombay”, “Dil Se”, “Lagaan”, and “Taal”, music which is still widely played and listened to till date. These albums further solidified his reputation as a musical genius.
It was in 2008 when Rahman’s musical genius reached Hollywood and world cinema, with the release of “Slumdog Millionaire”.
With an album that I consider one of the greatest albums ever made in Hollywood, Rahman won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, two Grammy awards, one BAFTA award and two Oscar awards for Best Original Music Score and Best Original Song.
The song “Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)” is one of the most-played national pride songs in India, and Slumdog Millionaire’s background score still gives the audience goosebumps. The music still sounds as fresh as it was back in 2008.
WHAT MAKES A.R. RAHMAN, A.R. RAHMAN?
Despite all this groundbreaking success, there is always this question that lingers around with listeners: what makes A.R. Rahman's music so magical? Despite most of contemporary music being received well by audiences, what makes listeners go back to Rahman’s music?
While nostalgia is certainly a factor, it is Rahman’s magical ability to evoke a sort of emotion with his compositions.
Indeed, Rahman’s music is a “symphony of contrasts” - as I like to call it - where he blends old with new, classical with modern, and local with global.
What makes him special is his work which can create a fusion of diverse musical traditions in India and beyond.
One of my favourite examples that exemplifies his ability to bring two worlds together is his composition of “Zariya” on Coke Studio India, where he seamlessly blends Tibetan chants with peppy Jordanian beats, which resulted in seven minutes of sound that is uniquely Rahman’s - a tone that is familiar yet novel, respecting traditions but mixing innovative and forward-thinking beats.
Image Credits: Rightful Owner
Another facet that sets Rahman apart from the rest is his unapologetic use of technology in music production. He was one of the first composers in India to use digital audio workstations and also used other modern music production tools. His use of the synthesiser (as mentioned earlier) was able to revolutionise the way music is created in India while also setting new standards of sound production in the Indian music industry.
In fact, A.M. Studios, Rahman’s studio in Chennai, is considered as the one of the most advanced recording studios in Asia. Till date, he continues to experiment with sounds and technologies.
Rahman’s music is also not just about sound, but also emotion. There is a kind of deep spirituality and humanism in his music, which resonates with listeners on a profound level. For example, the song “Luka Chuppi” sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Rahman himself in the movie “Rang De Basanti” is a moving portrayal of a mother’s grief after her son’s passing, beautifully composed with a delicate combination of vocals, melody, and lyrics (a Prasoon Joshi masterpiece).
Similarly, the song “Kun Faya Kun” from the movie “Rockstar” is an enchanting and powerful rendition involving Sufi mysticism with contemporary tunes. This is best exemplified with the guitar solo that is played in between the song (timestamp - 2:45 to 3:12 of the song).
Rahman created a masterful harmonisation of traditional qawwali with modern instruments which made it universally appealing to all audiences, to some extent even bringing the joy of qawwali music mainstream. The emotional depth of Rahman’s music is what makes it so relatable and nostalgic, allowing listeners to connect with it on a very personal level.
A.R. Rahman’s legacy is not limited to his National or Academy awards, or the commercial success he achieved over the years. Rather, it is the impact that he was able to bring to the world of music - the ability to blend musical traditions with technology to evoke an emotional and spiritual connection to his work that is unparalleled, making him one of the most influential composers of this generation.
His music transcends geographical boundaries; it is a testament to the fact that music has no boundaries in itself, but it is rather the creativity of it that brings the whole world together as one.
As he continues to push the boundaries of music composition, he remains an inspiration to many musicians, current and prospective ones, along with millions of listeners who continue to rejoice, cry, and grow together.
BY ABHINAV POLUDASU
TEAM GEOSTRATA
He is a national treasure! Such an inspiring journey written so beautifully.