Over time it would become the most advanced recording studio in India, and arguably one of Asia's most sophisticated and high-tech studios. His film career began in 1992, when he started Panchathan Record Inn, a music recording and mixing studio attached to the backyard of his house. This track credited to his father, was sung by Jayachandran and penned by Bharanikkavu Sivakumar. "Vellithen Kinnam Pol", for the Malayalam film Penpada. Shekhar later developed into a complete song, When he was nine, Rahman accidentally played a tune on piano during his father's recording for a film, which R. Rahman has introduced the 7.1 technology in south Indian movies to provide better output. Rahman's music always possesses a profound sense of humanity and spirit, qualities that inspire me the most." But the more of AR's music I encountered the more I was to be amazed at the sheer diversity of styles: from swinging brass bands to triumphant anthems from joyous pop to West-End musicals. Rahman through the emotional and haunting score of Bombay and the wit and celebration of Lagaan. The music producer Ron Fair considers Rahman to be "one of the world's great living composers in any medium". Film critic Richard Corliss felt the "astonishing debut work parades Rahman's gift for alchemizing outside influences until they are totally Tamil, totally Rahman." Rahman's initial global reach is attributed to the South Asian diaspora. His first soundtrack for Roja was listed in Time's "10 Best Soundtracks" of all time in 2005. By virtue of these qualities, broad ranging lyrics and his syncretic style, the appeal of his music cuts across the spectrum of classes and cultures within Indian society. Rahman's compositions, in the vein of past and contemporary Chennai film composers, bring out auteuristic uses of counterpoint, orchestration and the human voice, melding Indian pop music with unique timbre, forms and instrumentation. Rahman's musical interests and outlook stem from his love of experimentation. In later years his methodology changed as he experimented with the fusion of traditional instruments with new electronic sounds and technology. In the 1980s, Rahman recorded and played arrangements on monophonic sound, synonymous with the era of his musical predecessors K. Symphonic orchestral themes have accompanied his scores, occasionally employing leitmotif. Skilled in Carnatic music, Western classical, Hindustani music and the Qawwali style of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahman has been noted to write film songs that amalgamate elements of these music systems and other genres, layering instruments from differing music idioms in an improvisatory manner. He is a notable humanitarian and philanthropist, donating and raising money for beneficial causes and supporting charities. Rahman is currently one of the highest paid composers of the motion picture industry. In a notable career spanning two decades, Rahman has garnered particular acclaim for redefining contemporary Indian film music and thus contributing to the success of several films. Working in India's various film industries, international cinema and theatre, Rahman is one of the world's all-time top selling recording artists. Having set up his own in-house studio called Panchathan Record Inn at Chennai, arguably one of Asia's most sophisticated and high-tech studios, Rahman's film scoring career began in the early 1990s with the Tamil film Roja. The UK based World Music magazine Songlines named him one of 'Tomorrow's World Music Icons' in August 2011. In 2009, Time placed Rahman in its list of World's Most Influential People. His extensive body of work for film and the stage earned him the nickname "the Mozart of Madras" and several Tamil commentators and fans have coined him the nickname Isai Puyal (English: Music Storm). He has won two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, four National Film Awards, fifteen Filmfare Awards and thirteen Filmfare Awards South in addition to numerous other awards and nominations. Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, musician, multi-instrumentalist and philanthropist.ĭescribed as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating Eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and traditional orchestral arrangements.