Although Indian cinema has witnessed the arrival and rise of several talented composers over the years, few have achieved as much acclaim and adoration as AR Rahman. Not just in Tamil cinema, where he made his debut, Rahman has left a lasting impression on various film industries across the country, including Bollywood, Telugu and Malayalam. He has also worked in English, Persian and Mandarin languages, making his mark on the global stage as well.
However, Rahman’s formative days were anything but favourable, and he recently opened up about his family’s struggles after his father, renowned Malayalam composer and music conductor RK Shekhar, was diagnosed with cancer, which led to his eventual death. When he tried to take a trip down memory lane, he revealed that all he could remember from that time was being in hospitals. During a conversation with Shruti Haasan on NDTV, Rahman (née AS Dileep Kumar) was asked about the beginning of his musical journey.
Sharing that his father played a significant role in it, he said, “My father was extraordinary. But the only thing I remember was my father suffering due to cancer, the hospitals and all that stuff. When he died, it was a very dark time for us. So I always try to forget that part.” Recalling the things Shekhar left behind for Rahman, he said, “Then I realised the kind of things he had left me: synthesisers, keyboards, and rhythm machines. These were my toys. That’s when I realised that I was so interested in them because my father was like that.”
Rahman continued, “I grew up with the first synthesiser in South India. That’s why I could cut to the chase. I didn’t have to follow learning anything. By the time I bought musical instruments, MIDI had come in. So, I bought two keyboards, joined them together, and experimented with them, trying sequencing and so on.”
RK Shekhar composed music for several Malayalam movies like Pazhassi Raja (1964), Aayisha (1964), Aradi Manninte Janmi (1972), Taxi Car (1972), Kandavarundo (1972), Miss Mary (1972), Nadeenadanmare Avasyamundu (1974), Priyae Ninakku Vendi (1975), Chottanikkara Amma (1976) and Yudhabhoomi (1976). He passed away in 1976.
“My childhood was not a normal one. I was a bit secluded. I mainly lived in hospitals with my father getting treatment. And at the age of 11 or 12, I started working. I didn’t have the privilege of going out or playing sports. But, I had personal time, which I spent mostly with music. Which is in a way was a blessing,” he told YouTube channel O2India once.
