‘I Started Working At The Age Of 11’

AR Rahman needs no introduction. The music composer is a gift from the heavens, and people all over the nation and across the globe groove on his melodic songs. With a career spanning decades, Rahman continues to melt our hearts a little, with one track at a time. From winning an Oscar for his original score in the movie, Slumdog Millionaire to giving us goosebumps with his voice in the heart-touching song, Maa Tujhe Salam, Rahman has proved his versatility several times. 

Though he is a gifted singer and music composer, his early life was not a bed of roses. In a recent media conversation, Rahman recalled the darkest phase of his life when he had lost his father and famous musician, RK Shekar, at the early age of 9. For those who don’t know, late RK Shekar was one of the leading music composers of South cinema. His sudden demise on September 30, 1976, had come as a shock to the music industry. 

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Though RK Shekar had died at the early age of 43, it was the goodwill that he had left behind for his family and his son, AR Rahman, which had become a stepping stone for the young musician to flourish in his music career. In a recent interview with O2India, the doting son, AR Rahman mentioned that losing his father was the darkest nightmare of his life. He shared that he had to start working at the age of 11 or 12 and did not had the privilege to play sports like other kids of his generation. However, Rahman used to practice music during his leisure time. He said:

“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 in a way was a blessing.”

In the same conversation, AR Rahman shared that he still tries not to recall the challenging phase of his life when his dad, RK Shekar was ill. Once, Rahman was called in the middle of a class at school and was told to visit his home early. His father was sick for four years until he had passed away in 1976. Sharing how the bad memories still haunt him, he stated:

“I can still remember me cremating him. Setting him on fire. I was as young as nine. And that’s one imagery in my life never goes off. That memory still haunts me. But, it makes me understand life better because it all happened at very early stages of my life. It has given me something a normal kid could never have had.” 

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After the demise of his father, RK Shekar in 1976, AR Rahman had to quit his school. The responsibility of managing the family of five was on the young shoulders of AR Rahman, and he had to rent his father’s music equipment to earn a living. Soon, his father’s longtime collaborator and late music composer, M.K Arjunan had come as a blessing in his life and had helped the passionate singer kick-start his music career. He had started his journey with a bare minimum fee of Rs 50 until he became the next big music sensation in India with his constant efforts and hard work. 

For the unversed, AR Rahman is married to his ladylove, Saira Banu, and together they have three children, Khatija, Rahima and Ameen.

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