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A.R. Rahman Biography

Birth Name:A.S. Dileep Kumar

Birth Place:Madras, India

Profession Composer, Music department, Producer, Actor, Writer

Fast Facts

In 2008, he was the first Asian to win a Golden Globe and two Academy Awards, both for the score of the award-winning film, "Slumdog Millionaire," and received high praise from Indian and international audiences
As a young child he would assist his father, Indian film music composer R․ K․ Shekhar, during recordings and on occasions play the piano for the songs
Quote: "I'm a deeply spiritual person․ Sufism is about love - love for a fellow human, love humanity, and ultimately love for God․ For me, it's where music and religion meet - at dargahs, you will find qawwalis․ That's my inspiration․"
He started the Panchathan Record Inn in 1989, which would later go on to become one of the most advanced recording studios in India
Was presented with a scholarship at the Trinity College of Music at Oxford University, where studied Western classical music and received a degree in music
In 1997, he produced an album, "Vande Mataram," which was released on India’s 50th anniversary of independence and has become one of the largest selling non-film albums in India
Two of his three children are featured singing in tracks from the films "Couples Retreat," and "Enthiran․"

Awards

1992Creative Award-Best Music Director: winner
1993Cinema Express Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
1993Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
1993Silver Lotus Award-Best Music Director: winner
1993Creative Award-Best Music Director: winner
1994Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
1996Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: winner
1996Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
1996Creative Award-Best Music Director: winner
1997Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
1997Silver Lotus Award-Best Music Director: winner
1998Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
1999Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: winner
1999Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
1999Creative Award-Best Music Director: winner
2000Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2000Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: winner
2000Screen Award-Best Music Director: winner
2000Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2001Popular Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2001Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
2002Popular Award-Best Music Direction: winner
2002Popular Award-Best Music Direction: nominated
2002Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: winner
2002Silver Lotus Award-Best Music Director: winner
2002Technical Award-Best Background Score: nominated
2002Screen Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2002World Soundtrack Award-Discovery of the Year: nominated
2002Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2003Award for Technical Excellence-Best Background Score: winner
2003Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2003Technical Award-Best Background Score: winner
2003Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: winner
2003Silver Lotus Award-Best Music Direction: winner
2003Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2003Technical Award-Best Background Score: winner
2004Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: nominated
2005Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2005Filmfare Award-Best Background Score: winner
2005Popular Award-Best Playback Singer (Male): nominated
2006Global Indian Film Award-Best Music: winner
2006Technical Award-Best Background Score: winner
2007Award for Technical Excellence-Best Song Recording: winner
2007Award for Technical Excellence-Best Background Score: winner
2007Popular Award-Best Playback Singer - Male: nominated
2007Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2007Technical Award-Best Background Score: nominated
2007Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: winner
2007Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
2007Technical Award-Best Background Score: winner
2007Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2007Popular Award-Best Track of the Year: nominated
2008Apsara Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2008ACCA-Best Original Score: winner
2008Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2008CFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2008Technical Award-Best Background Score: winner
2008Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: winner
2008Filmfare Award-Best Playback Singer - Male: nominated
2008Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: nominated
2008Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
2008HFCS Award-Best Original Song: nominated
2008HFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2008LAFCA Award-Best Music: winner
2008NYFCO Award-Best Use of Music: winner
2008SDFCS Award-Best Score: winner
2008Satellite Award-Best Original Score: winner
2008Satellite Award-Best Original Song: nominated
2008Screen Award-Best Music: winner
2008Technical Award-Best Background Score: winner
2008Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2009Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: winner
2009Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song: nominated
2009Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song: winner
2009Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2009Apsara Award-Best Music Director: winner
2009Apsara Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2009Asian Film Award-Best Composer: nominated
2009Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2009Popular Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2009Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music-: winner
2009BMI Film Music Award-: winner
2009COFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2009Critics Choice Award-Best Song: nominated
2009Critics Choice Award-Best Composer: winner
2009Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2009Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2009Technical Award-Best Background Score: winner
2009Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: winner
2009Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: nominated
2009Gold Derby Film Award-Original Song: nominated
2009Gold Derby Film Award-Original Score: winner
2009Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: winner
2009IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Comedy Film: nominated
2009INOCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2009IOFCP Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2009MTV Movie Award-Best Song from a Movie: nominated
2009Critics' Award-Music Composer of the Year: winner
2009Critics' Award-Best Song of the Year: winner
2009Listeners' Choice Award-Song of the Year: winner
2009Technical Award-Best Background Score: winner
2009Critics' Award-Album of the Year: winner
2009Listeners' Choice Award-Album of the Year: winner
2009OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Song: nominated
2009OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
2009OFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2009Screen Award-Best Background Music: winner
2009Screen Award-Best Music Director: winner
2009Screen Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2009Jury Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2009World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Soundtrack of the Year: nominated
2009World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Song Written for a Film: nominated
2009World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Song Written for a Film: winner
2010Popular Award-Best Music: nominated
2010Popular Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2010BMI Film Music Award-Film Music: winner
2010Surfers' Choice Award-Best Song: nominated
2010Surfers' Choice Award-Best Playback Singer - Male: nominated
2010Surfers' Choice Award-Best Soundtrack: nominated
2010Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: winner
2010Grammy-Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: winner
2010HFCS Award-Best Original Song: nominated
2010HFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2010Sierra Award-Best Song: nominated
2010Critics' Award-Best Song of the Year: winner
2010Critics' Award-Best Music Composer of the Year: winner
2010Critics' Award-Album of the Year: winner
2010SDFCS Award-Best Score: nominated
2010Satellite Award-Best Original Song: nominated
2010Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2010Screen Award-Best Music: winner
2010WAFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2011Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: nominated
2011Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song: nominated
2011EDA Award-Best Film Music or Score: nominated
2011Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award-Best Music Director: winner
2011Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music-: nominated
2011COFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2011CineMAA Award-Best Music Director: winner
2011Critics Choice Award-Best Song: winner
2011DFCS Award-Best Original Song: winner
2011Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: nominated
2011Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
2011Filmfare Award - Telugu Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
2011Gold Derby Film Award-Original Song: nominated
2011Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
2011OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Song: nominated
2011Jury Award-Best Music Director: winner
2011Favorite Award-Favorite Song: nominated
2011Favorite Award-Favorite Song: nominated
2011Public Choice Award-: winner
2011World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Song Written for a Film: nominated
2012Asian Film Award-Best Composer: nominated
2012Asian Film Award-Best Composer: nominated
2012Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2012Award for Technical Excellence-Best Background Score: winner
2012Filmfare Award-Best Music Director: winner
2012Film Music Award-Best Playback Singer - Male: nominated
2012Film Music Award-Best Music Director: winner
2012Film Music Award-Best Film Album: winner
2012Critics' Award-Best Music Composer of the Year: winner
2012Listeners' Choice Award-Album of the Year: winner
2012Listeners' Choice Award-Song of the Year: winner
2012Critics' Award-Best Music Composer of the Year: nominated
2012Critics' Award-Best Song of the Year: nominated
2012Critics' Award-Best Song of the Year: nominated
2012Critics' Award-Album of the Year: winner
2012Screen Award-Best Music: winner
2012Critics Choice Award-Best Music Director: winner
2013Apsara Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2013Popular Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2013Popular Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2014Apsara Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2014Surfers' Choice Award-Best Soundtrack: nominated
2014Filmfare Award-Best Music: nominated
2014Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Male Playback Singer: nominated
2014Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: nominated
2014Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
2014Critics' Award-Album of the Year: nominated
2014Screen Award-Best Music: nominated
2014SIIMA - Tamil-Best Music Director: nominated
2014Creative Award-Best Music Director: winner
2014Popular Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2015FOI Online Award-Best Music Direction: nominated
2015Technical Award-Best Background Score: nominated
2015Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: nominated
2015Film Music Award-Best Film Album: winner
2015Screen Award-Best Music: nominated
2015SIIMA - Tamil-Best Music Director: nominated
2016Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award-Best Music Director: winner
2016Apsara Award-Best Music Direction: nominated
2016Filmfare Award-Best Music Direction: nominated
2016Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: nominated
2016Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
2016Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Male Playback Singer: nominated
2016Film Music Award-Best Film Song: nominated
2016Film Music Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2016Film Music Award-Best Film Album: nominated
2016Popular Award-Best Music Director: winner
2016Listeners' Choice Award-Best Song of the Year: winner
2016Jury Prize-Best Song of the Year: nominated
2016SIIMA - Tamil-Best Music Director: nominated
2016Critics Choice Award-Best Music Director: nominated
2017Filmfare Award - Telugu Film Industry-Best Music Director: nominated
2017Tamil Cinema-Best Music Director: winner
2017SIIMA - Tamil-Best Music Director: winner
2017Public Choice Award-: winner
2018Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award-Best Music Director: winner
2018FOI Online Award-Best Background Score: nominated
2018Technical Award-Best Background Score: nominated
2018Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Playback Singer - Male: nominated
2018Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: nominated
2018Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: winner
2018Silver Lotus Award-Best Music Direction - Songs: winner
2018Silver Lotus Award-Best Music Direction - Background Score: winner
2018SIIMA - Tamil-Best Playback Singer - Male: nominated
2018SIIMA - Tamil-Best Music Director: winner
2019Asian Film Award-Best Composer: nominated
2019Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Director: nominated
2019SIIMA - Tamil-Best Male Playback Singer: nominated
2019SIIMA - Tamil-Best Music Director: nominated
2020FOI Online Award-Best Music Direction - Soundtrack: nominated
2020FOI Online Award-Best Original Song: winner
2020SIIMA - Tamil-Best Playback Singer - Male: nominated
2020SIIMA - Tamil-Best Music Director: nominated
2021FOI Online Award-Best Music Direction - Songs: nominated
2021FOI Online Award-Best Music Direction - Songs: winner
2021FOI Online Award-Best Original Song: nominated
2021FOI Online Award-Best Music Direction - Score: nominated
2021FOI Online Award-Best Music Direction - Songs: nominated
2021Filmfare Award-Best Music Album: nominated
2021Technical Award-Best Background Score: nominated
2021Listeners' Choice Award-Best Song of The Decade: winner
2021Jury Prize-Album Of The Decade: winner
2021Jury Prize-Best Music Composer of the Decade: nominated
2022IIFA Award-Best Music Direction: nominated
2022IIFA Award-Best Music Direction: winner
2022Technical Award-Best Background Score: winner
2022Technical Award-Best Background Score: nominated
2022Filmfare Award-Best Music Album: nominated
2022Filmfare Award-Best Music Album: nominated
2022Listeners' Choice Award-Album of the Year: nominated
2022Critics' Award-Album of the Year: nominated
2022Critics' Award-Music Composer of the Year: nominated
2022Listeners' Choice Award-Album of the Year: winner
2022Critics' Award-Film Song of the Year: nominated
2022Critics' Award-Album of the Year: nominated
2022Listeners' Choice Award-Film Song of the Year: winner
2022Critics' Award-Music Composer of the Year: nominated
2022Critics' Award-Music Composer of the Year: nominated
2023Asian Film Award-Best Original Music: nominated
2023Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Album: nominated
2023Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Playback Singer - Male: nominated
2023Filmfare Award - Tamil Film Industry-Best Music Album: winner
2023SIIMA - Tamil-Best Playback Singer - Male: nominated
2023SIIMA - Tamil-Best Music Director: nominated
2024FOI Online Award-Best Original Song: winner
2024FOI Online Award-Best Music Direction - Score: nominated
2024FOI Online Award-Best Original Song: nominated
2024FOI Online Award-Best Music Direction - Songs: winner
2024Technical Award-Best Music Album: winner
2024HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Independent Film (Foreign Language): winner
2024HMMA Award-Best Original Song - Feature Film: nominated
2024Tamil Cinema-Best Music Director: winner
2024Silver Lotus Award-Best Music Direction - Background Score: winner
2024SIIMA - Tamil-Best Music Director: nominated
2025IIFA Award-Best Music Direction: nominated
2025IIFA Digital Award-Best Title Track: nominated
2025Filmfare Award-Best Music Album: nominated
2025Technical Award-Best Background Score: nominated
2025SIIMA - Malayalam-Best Music Director: nominated
2025SIIMA - Tamil-Best Music Director: nominated