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A.R. Rahman to perform in Malaysia

The renowned Indian composer's music is driven by instinct and passion.

BACK in 1992, when prominent Indian filmmaker Mani Ratnam approached an unassuming ad jingle composer to score his upcoming Tamil film Roja, few would have foreseen history about to be made.
It is more than likely, in fact, that the musician himself had no inkling of the sudden leap into fame he was about to take: to not only have his songs becoming runaway hits, but to become the first debut film composer to bag an Indian National Film Award for Best Music Director.
Twenty-two years, countless films, two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, four National Film Awards and 28 Filmfare Awards later, such beginnings seem almost quaint when viewed in the light of what the musical superstar A.R. Rahman, 47, has become. Not only does he hold the distinction of being one of the world’s all-time top-selling musicians, he is also lauded worldwide for his innate ability to fuse a wide array of musical styles, traditions and genres.
Hailed as everything from the Mozart of Madras to Isai Puyal (Tamil for “musical storm”), the Chennai-born Rahman is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in the international music scene, especially since his double Oscar win (Best Original Score and Best Original Song) in 2009 for Slumdog Millionaire and Jai Ho respectively.
And yet, it is in the way Rahman’s music has burrowed its way into so many listeners’ hearts that his true genius lies. Jai Ho may have catapulted him to global renown, but ask his fans what their favourite Rahman song is, and you are likely to get everything from the poppish Chikku Bukku Rayile and jazzy Adiye to folk-influenced Barso Re and Sufi-inspired Chaiyya Chaiyya – a true testament to the man’s ability to weave together varying threads of music into one beguiling whole.
It is this diversity, the ability to cut across age, cultural and taste barriers, that makes Rahman’s live concerts so appealing to so many people. And according to Rahman, who was in Kuala Lumpur recently to promote his upcoming concert here, he loves watching his fans engage with his music.