AR Rahman at 58: 10 Facts You Didn’t Know About the Legendary Composer

Music maestro AR Rahman, fondly referred to as the “Mozart of Madras”, celebrates his 58th birthday on Monday, January 6. In his decades-long journey, Rahman has become one of the most celebrated musicians, whose soulful music is loved by all age groups.

To mark AR Rahman’s 58th birthday, here are some interesting facts about the great musician.

Rahman was born as Dileep Kumar to a Hindu family. However, he converted to Islam at the age of 23 after meeting spiritual guru Qadri Islam.

He made history by becoming the first Asian to win two Oscars in the same year for Slumdog Millionaire. Additionally, the Padma Bhushan recipient has also received several national awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

Before entering the entertainment industry, Rahman rose to fame as the kid who could play four keyboards simultaneously on Doordarshan’s show Wonder Balloon.

Reportedly, Rahman’s signature song for Airtel is one of the most downloaded songs on mobile phones.

It was none other than Mani Ratnam who first spotted Rahman in the industry and persuaded him to compose music for the 1992 classic Roja. In return, Rahman reportedly received Rs 25,000 for the film. Roja won Rahman a National Film Award for his work.

AR Rahman’s Oscar-winning song “Jai Ho” was featured in the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire. However, what is less known is that the single was originally composed for Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s Yuvbraj.

Apart from his work in the Indian entertainment industry, Rahman has also composed music for Hollywood films such as 127 Hours and Lord of War. He has also collaborated with Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart and Joss Stone to introduce Superheavy, a one-off supergroup project.

Recently, Rahman and Saira Banu made headlines when they announced their separation after 29 years of marriage. In a heartfelt message posted on social media, Rahman said that he had hoped to reach the “big 30” with his ex-partner but that did not happen.

“We had hoped to reach the grand 30, but all things, it seems, carry an unseen end. Even the throne of God might tremble at the weight of broken hearts. Yet, in this shattering, we seek meaning, though the pieces may not find their place again. To our friends, thank you for your kindness and for respecting our privacy as we walk through this fragile chapter,” he wrote on X while accompanying the message with a bouquet emoji and the hashtag #arrsairaabreakup.