AR Rahman Birthday 2026: Allah Rakha Rahman turns 59 on January 6, 2026. He was born in Chennai as A.S. Dileep Kumar. Music was always part of his life because his father R.K. Shekhar worked as a music composer and conductor in films. Life became very hard when Rahman lost his father at a young age. Because of this loss, he started working when he was just 11 years old to support his family.
Career
As a young boy, Rahman played keyboards for other music composers. He also worked on advertising jingles during the 1980s. In his early twenties, he converted to Islam and took the name Allah Rakha Rahman. His big break came in 1992 when director Mani Ratnam gave him the film Roja.
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From Roja to Global Fame
The music of Roja became famous across the country. Songs like Chinna Chinna Aasai and the Roja title song sounded fresh and new. Rahman used new sounds, synthesisers and global music styles that people had never heard before in Indian films. He won his first National Award for Roja.
After that, Rahman gave hit music one after another. His songs ruled films like Bombay, Rangeela, Dil Se, Taal, Lagaan, Rang De Basanti and Rockstar. In 2008, his music for Slumdog Millionaire took him to the world stage. In 2009, he won two Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for Jai Ho. In the same year, he also won a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and a Grammy. Many people call him the Mozart of Madras.
Rahman has composed music for over 100 Indian films and sold more than 200 million records worldwide.
Personal Life
Rahman married Saira Banu on March 12, 1995. They have three children named Khatija, Raheema and Ameen. His son Ameen has stepped into the world of music like his father. In November 2024, Rahman and Saira announced their separation after 29 years of marriage.
Birthday Celebration At Moonwalk Audio Launch
Rahman’s birthday was celebrated in a grand way at the audio launch of the film Moonwalk. The film is directed by Manoj N S and stars Prabhu Deva. At the event, Rahman came on stage and cut a birthday cake. He has sung all five songs in the film and is also making his acting debut with Moonwalk.
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The audio launch turned into a musical festival. Rahman performed all five Moonwalk songs live on stage. Fans cheered loudly and enjoyed every moment. Prabhu Deva gave a special 10-minute dance performance as a tribute to Rahman. He danced to all five songs along with actors Yogi Babu, Aju Varghese, Arjun Asokan, Satz and choreographer Sekhar.
The night ended with a fun moment when Prabhu Deva brought Rahman back on stage and made him dance to the famous Mukkala song. The cake-cutting ceremony followed, with the full cast and crew joining in front of more than 10,000 fans. Many well-known names like Raghava Lawrence, Kalaipuli S. Thanu, Ishari K. Ganesh and Mysskin were also present.
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Interesting Facts About A R Rahman
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Rahman was earlier known as Dileep Kumar. He converted to Sufi Islam after meeting Sufi mystic Qadri Saheb. His Muslim name was suggested by a Hindu astrologer.
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His father R.K. Shekhar worked on Tamil and Malayalam films and kept a picture of Lata Mangeshkar near his workspace for inspiration.
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Rahman once wanted to become a computer engineer but later chose music as his true path.
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Roja music was listed among TIME magazine’s best soundtracks of all time. Lagaan music also ranked among the world’s greatest albums.
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TIME magazine named him one of the world’s most influential people in 2009. His Airtel tune became the most downloaded mobile song globally.
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His Bombay theme appeared in a French ad starring Zinedine Zidane. A street in Canada was named after him in 2013.
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He worked on Hollywood films like 127 Hours and Lord of War. Chaiya Chaiya featured in the film Inside Man.
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As a child, he amazed people by playing four keyboards at once on Doordarshan. He also played in bands like Nemesis Avenue and SuperHeavy.
