AR Rahman Biography: Birth, Age, Real Name, Family, Education, Career, Religion, Net Worth, Oscars, and More

AR Rahman Biography: AR Rahman is an Indian composer, singer, songwriter, music producer, musician, multi-instrumentalist, and philanthropist. As the Mozart of Madras turned 55 today, we take a look at his life. 

AR Rahman Biography: Birth, Age, Real Name, Family, and Education

AR Rahman was born as AS Dileep Kumar on 6 January 1967 in Madras, Tamil Nadu to musician RK Shekhar, and Kareema Begum (born as Kasturi). Rahman began learning piano at the age of four and assisted his father in the studio. 

As Rahman was working hard to make the ends meet, he failed the exams. Mrs. YGP, the then principal of the school summoned his mother and told her to take him to the streets of  Kodambakkam to beg and not to send him to the school anymore.

Post this incident, Rahman attended MCN for a year and then Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School. However, Rahman dropped out of school with the permission of his mother to pursue a career in music. 

He later earned a scholarship from Trinity College London to the Trinity College of Music and graduated with a diploma in Western classical music from the music school in Madras. 

Rahman is a practicing Muslim who converted from Hinduism in his 20s along with his family and changed his name to Allah Rakha Rahman (A.R. Rahman) from AS Dileep Kumar

AR Rahman Wife and Children

AR Rahman married Saira Banu in 1995 and the couple gave birth to three children-- Khateeja Rahman (daughter), Rahima Rahman (daughter), and A.R. Ameen (son). 

AR Rahman Religion

After the untimely death of his father, the family went through difficult times. AR Rahman who was a practicing Hindu converted to Islam in his 20s along with his family. 

Sufism attracted the family and before the release of Rahman's first major project, Roja, the family converted to Islam. His mother Kareema Begum even insisted on changing Rahman's name in the film’s credits at the last minute and was very particular about it. She would’ve rather not had his name appear at all, than not have his new name appear on the credits.

A lot of people ask AR Rahman if they can become successful after converting to Islam but he prefers to keep quiet. He once said, "It’s not about converting to Islam, it’s about finding the spot and seeing whether it presses the button in you. The spiritual teachers, the Sufi teachers, taught me and my mom things that are very, very special. There are special things in every faith, and this is the one we chose. And we stand by it.”

AR Rahman Music Career

At the age of nine, AR Rahman accidentally played a tune on the piano when he was with his father in the studio, which was later developed by R.K. Shekhar into a complete song. 

Initially, Rahman was trained under Master Dhanraj, and at the age of 11, he started playing the orchestra of M.K. Arjunan who was a Malayalam music composer and his father's close friend. Soon after this, he began working with several composers including M. S. Viswanathan, Vijaya Bhaskar, Ilaiyaraaja, Ramesh Naidu, Vijay Anand, Hamsalekha, and Raj–Koti.