Happy birthday to the man who started from the bottom and now he's here!

Time Magazine called him the Mozart of Madras. People of Tamilnadu adore him as the ‘Isai Puyal’ (Storm of Music). To the rest of the world, he's identified as a revolutionary musician whose music has captured the hearts and love of people from India and beyond. Allah Rakka Rahman, more popularly known as AR Rahman, is a music genius and an extraordinary human being.

In recognition of his contributions in bringing Indian music to the international stage, he was bestowed the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award of the Government of India, in 2010.



But, despite the multitude of awards and applause, the man is more humble than ever: "I was a common man, and I will always remain a common man. No amount of stardom will ever consume my soul. Money comes, money goes. Fame comes, fame goes. I believe every human being is a celebrity in their own right."

How can someone be unspoiled by fame and success? It all goes back to his humble beginnings as a 9-year-old who lost his father and took on the burdens of his family.



Born as Dileep Kumar in Chennai to father RK Shekhar and mother Kasthuri, he discovered music at such a young age. Shekar was a music composer and conductor for Tamil and Malayalam films and a workaholic who traveled often. Kasthuri was a stay-at-home mum who cared for the family dearly.

A mysterious illness consumed Shekhar and his untimely demise hit the family hard. Rahman was forced to work to provide for his mother and three sisters. First, he rented out his father's musical instruments.

At the age of 11, he joined music maestro Ilayaraja’s team as a keyboard player. His mornings and evenings were filled with music programmes and, often unable to attend classes, he was dropping out of schools throughout his adolescence.



His first known salary was Rs 50, and it was for operating a record player. In those difficult times, no one but his mother stood by his side. In one of his interviews, he admitted to having contemplated suicide many times in his early life.

"Up until 25, I used to think about suicide. Most of us feel we are not good enough. Because I lost my father, there was this void... There were so many things happening. (But) that in a way made me more fearless. Death is a permanent thing for everyone. Since everything created has an expiry date, so why be afraid of anything?" he said.



Soon, he found strength and purpose in Sufi Islam and changed his name to AR Rahman.

Music was his bread and butter, and he slowly, began working for legendary composers like MS Viswanathan, Ramesh Naidu, and Raj Koti. Even while struggling to make ends meet, Rahman managed to land a scholarship and completed his diploma in Western classical music at the Trinity College of Music.

After working under Ilayaraja and Raj Koti, Rahman shifted his focus to composing music for jingles and ads. The jingle compositions of Titan Watches was one of his most well-known works during that time. He built his recording studio Panchathan Record Inn in the backyard of his Chennai house. It is now known as one of the most advanced and high-tech recording studios in India and possibly in Asia.

During his interview with Netflix India, Rahman has stated:

"From a simple AC and carpet, to a world-renowned studio, my journey was not easy. But in those struggling days, my mother became my strength. She sacrificed her own jewels to help me buy my first recorder. That one moment changed everything. It showed me that even in the toughest times, there is always a glimmer of hope."

His big break into the film industry came through director Maniratnam, whom he credits for his success. The director spotted him at an award show where Rahman was receiving an award for one of his jingles. After six months, Maniratnam went over to Rahman’s studio and listened to a tune that instantly caught his attention.

Rahman was signed on and his first film 'Roja' went on the become a commercial and critical success. The songs are a craze even today and it was listed in TIME magazine’s ’10 Best Soundtracks of All Time’ in 2005.



Rahman has now turned into a worldwide phenomenon and holds concerts and world tours with an ensemble of talented musicians. His inspiring story is not known to many, because as a person, he's like his music: Soothing, humble and original!

All my life I have had a choice of hate and love. I chose love and I am here. - AR Rahman




Source: The Better India, Hindustan Times & Times of India
Photo Credit: Pinterest, TrendsMap, Cocktail Zindagi, The Hindu & Top Movie Rankings