A.R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music

When composer A.R. Rahman’s first film Roja was released in 1992, his astonishing music with its other-worldly melodies, tonal texture and pulsating rhythms made an instant impact the world over. His abundantly flowing talent has given life to the scores of over a hundred films, including Dil Se, Bombay, Lagaan, 127 Hours, Rockstar and Lion. According to a recent estimate by the BBC, 150 million copies of his albums have sold worldwide. A.R. Rahman has won a host of awards, together with a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, two Oscars and two Grammys for his score in Slumdog Millionaire. In 2010, he received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour, awarded by the Government of India. Despite all his great success, Rahman remains a deeply private person, shying away from the glitz and glamour of show business. A.R. Rahman, The Spirit of Music is in the form of biographical conversations between the composer and Nasreen Munni Kabir, starting in 2011 to 2017. We hear of Rahman’s amazing journey from modest beginnings to an assured place in world music history.