How did Dilip Kumar become AR Rahman? He's been playing piano since the age of 4; there's a street named after him in Canada.

News Topical, Digital Desk : Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman has been in the news for the past few days due to his controversial statement. In a recent interview, AR Rahman said that his work in the Hindi film industry has decreased over the past eight years. He attributed this to a "shift in power dynamics" and suggested that communalism could also be a factor. He said that creative people now make fewer decisions, and that things reach them as whispers from afar. For example, someone books them, but the music company chooses someone else.

Studied up to 10th standard

Many people opposed Rahman on this issue, and Anup Jalota even advised him to convert to Hinduism again. How did A. S. Dilip Kumar become Rahman and where did it all begin? Let's understand the whole story. AR Rahman was born on January 6, 1967, in Madras. He studied only until the 10th grade. In 1989, when Rahman was around 22 or 23 years old, his father passed away.

Difficult name given by Hindu astrology

During that time, the family's financial situation deteriorated. His younger sister, in particular, was often ill. Around that time, Rahman's mother went to a Hindu astrologer to show her daughter's horoscope for marriage. The astrologer asked about Rahman (then known as A.S. Dilip Kumar). After reviewing the horoscope, the astrologer advised them to choose between Abdul Rahman and Abdul Rahim. Coincidentally, around that time, Rahman's family also came in contact with a Sufi saint, Karimullah Shah Qadri, whose blessings had led to some improvement in his sister's health. Inspired by this, he changed his name to Rahman. Later, his mother added Allah Rakha to it. Thus, Dilip Kumar became A.R. Rahman.

I got special recognition from the film Roja

A. R. Rahman is now also writing films. He has also produced three films. Talking about Rahman's career, he started playing piano from the age of 4. At the age of 11, he joined M. K. Arjunan's orchestra. Then he started going on world tours with Zakir Hussain etc. Initially he used to compose music for TV advertisements and jingles etc. But in the year 1992, he got special recognition from Mani Ratnam's film 'Roja'. In 2009, he was also awarded an Oscar for the film 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

How did AR Rahman get married?

In 1994, AR Rahman's mother was looking for a match for her son. She visited a dargah (pilgrim shrine). She saw a young woman praying and was very attracted to her. She approached the young woman's father, who told her that the girl's elder sister would be married first. This was Saira, whom AR Rahman later married. However, in 2024, they announced their separation by mutual consent and have been living separately ever since.

Names from India to Canada

It's worth noting that AR Rahman is renowned not only in India but also abroad. A street in Markham, Ontario, Canada, is named after him, A.R. Rahman Street. Furthermore, given his musical background, Trinity Musical College, Oxford, awarded him a scholarship, through which he received training in Western classical music.

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