Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman has never shied away from speaking about the emotional weight of his early years. In a candid conversation with Nikhil Kamath on his YouTube channel, the maestro revisited the trauma-filled chapters of his childhood, recalling the instability at home and the relentless hustle his father endured to keep the family afloat.
Rahman on stepping into adulthood far too early
Rahman shared that it was his mother who first nudged him toward music — a path that ultimately became the family’s lifeline. After losing his father at just nine, the young Rahman stepped into the world of recording studios, surrounded by seasoned musicians several decades older. School, friendships, and the carefree joys of childhood took a back seat as responsibility became his constant companion.
Reflecting on that turbulent period, he said, “I think when I was growing up, I went through a lot of things, like my father’s and grandmother’s deaths. I was just nine years old when this happened, and I was seeing trauma every day. My mother was a single mother, and she was a very confident lady. She took all the pain, and she had to go through so much to protect us. She was such a strong woman who withstood all kinds of humiliations and single-handedly brought us up.”
‘The dark side of my childhood’
Rahman also revisited the struggles his father faced while trying to build a stable life for the family. “Yes, I have spent most of my life in Chennai. I was born there, and my father used to work in the studios. We used to live in the belly of the beast, near Kodambakkam, where all the studios used to exist. My father and mother were thrown onto the street by his family members. He started living in a rented house and worked day and night to get us that house. Working three jobs at the same time, and then because of that, his health went berserk. That’s the dark side of my childhood, and it took a lot of time to get over that trauma.”
Rahman’s current projects
Despite the shadows of the past, Rahman continues to deliver celebrated work. His latest compositions for Anand L. Rai’s Tere Ishk Mein, featuring Dhanush and Kriti Sanon, are already drawing attention ahead of the film’s November 28 release.
Before that, Rahman is set to take the stage for a live performance at Pune’s MCA Stadium on November 23. The concert will feature appearances by Aamir Khan, Boney Kapoor, Sukhwinder Singh, Chinmayi, and Hariharan — a star-studded evening befitting the music icon’s enduring legacy.