By: Shah Medu
A. R. Rahman says:
My mother’s belief in spiritual healers grew stronger after our family went through a rough patch following my father’s death. Sufi saint Karimullah Shah Kadri changed our lives, and all of us converted to Sufism. But it wasn’t an instantaneous decision – it took us 10 years to convert. The change in religion was like washing away the past.
The Indian music industry has been greatly enriched by the talent and contributions of Allah Rakha Rahman, also known as A. S. Dileep Kumar. Born on 6 January 1967, Rahman has earned well-deserved recognition as a music composer, record producer, singer, songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. He is widely acclaimed for his exceptional work in Indian cinema, particularly in Tamil and Hindi films, and has also ventured into international cinema. Rahman’s remarkable achievements include six National Film Awards, two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, fifteen Filmfare Awards, and eighteen Filmfare Awards South. In 2010, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan by the Indian government, one of the nation’s highest civilian awards.
Rahman’s journey in film scoring kicked off in the early 1990s with the Tamil film Roja, using his in-house studio Panchathan Record Inn. He then proceeded to compose numerous songs for Tamil language films like the politically intense Bombay, the urban Kadhalan, Thiruda Thiruda, and S. Shankar’s debut film Gentleman. Rahman’s score for his first Hollywood movie, Couples Retreat (2009), clinched the BMI Award for Best Score. Furthermore, his music for Slumdog Millionaire (2008) earned him the Best Original Score and Best Original Song (Jai Ho) at the 81st Academy Awards. In addition to this, he also secured the Best Compilation Soundtrack Album and Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 2010 Grammy Awards. The music maestro is fondly referred to as “Isai Puyal” (musical storm) and “Mozart of Madras.”
Throughout his esteemed career, Rahman has established himself not only as a musical luminary but also as a dedicated humanitarian and philanthropist. His altruistic endeavors have included extensive donations and fundraising efforts for a multitude of causes and charitable organizations. For his remarkable contributions to global music, Rahman was rightfully honored by Stanford University in 2006. Subsequently, in 2008, the Rotary Club of Madras presented him with the distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award, acknowledging his outstanding impact in the industry. Rahman’s influence transcended musical boundaries, leading to his inclusion on the Time list of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2009. Embracing innovation, he introduced 7.1 surround sound technology to South Indian films in 2013, further cementing his trailblazing legacy. His meritorious achievements were recognized with an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in 2014 and Aligarh Muslim University. In a display of his multifaceted talents, he made his directorial and screenwriting debut with the film “Le Musk” in 2017.
In 1984, Rahman was introduced to the Qadiri tariqa when his younger sister fell seriously ill. At that time, his mother was practicing Hinduism. Then, in 1989, at the age of 23, Rahman and other members of his family converted to Islam, at which point he changed his name to Allah Rakha Rahman (A. R. Rahman).
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Shajiya shaon, Moderator, WorldSufiMedia Dot Com
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