Quotes by A. R. Rahman

About A. R. Rahman:

Allah-Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, musician and philanthropist. Rahman's works are noted for integrating Eastern classical music with electronic music, world music and traditional orchestral arrangements. Among his awards are two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, four National Film Awards, fifteen Filmfare Awards and thirteen Filmfare Awards South. Rahman's body of work for film and stage has given him the nickname of "the Mozart of Madras", and Tamil commentators and fans call him Isai Puyal (English: the Musical Storm).
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

I was famous from the age of 13, and after a while you become immune to it - in a good way. You look at positives and what you can do with it.

A. R. Rahman

I'm a Sufi Muslim, I would say. I believe in using the medium to create a good vibration because art is so important to society. Some projects I don't do because I feel that it's going to create a bad vibe. I don't do propaganda films that are anti a...

A. R. Rahman

I think music, in my opinion, is not about motivation in the way it's - it's not a running base. It's art. And my whole philosophy of music is different. It's almost like cooking and serving to people, seeing them smile and enjoying the food, really.

A. R. Rahman

Music is the only passion I shamelessly indulge in. However, for recreation I enjoy watching movies. 'Wizard of Oz' was the first film I ever saw, followed by the 'Bond' movies. I also watch a lot of World cinema through DVDs mostly brought by one of...

A. R. Rahman

I don't want to expose my personal life. It's best that people know me for my work. My family doesn't want to be surrounded by cameras. We want to live like any other family.

A. R. Rahman

Your inner voice is the voice of divinity. To hear it, we need to be in solitude, even in crowded places.

A. R. Rahman

Comedy is a universal language. I grew up watching Nagesh, Surilirajan, Thenga Srinivasan and S.V. Shekhar's comedies. And, of course, Charlie Chaplin! These artists are so blessed: they can make other people happy.

A. R. Rahman

When you do something with a lot of honesty, appetite and commitment, the input reflects in the output.

A. R. Rahman

The demand in India is to have a hit, which becomes a promotion for the movie and makes people come to the theater. You have five songs and different promotions based on those. But when I do Western films, the need for originality is greater. Then I ...

A. R. Rahman

A musician is a professional, whether he or she is successful or not. The profession itself must be regarded as a stable job.

A. R. Rahman

Some things are very low profile, but if they excite me creatively, I accept them. Sometimes there are high-profile projects, and you have to do it. We all have human limitations. It is a painful decision to turn things down. Even accepting 'Slumdog ...

A. R. Rahman

While my mother wanted me to be a musician, I wanted to become an electronic engineer.

A. R. Rahman

I like to see a film and then start scoring it in my mind while doing something unrelated. You just grasp a film and start working, and something unpredictable comes out from a third element. The mind, the more active it is, the more productive it is...

A. R. Rahman

Each one of us has our own evolution of life, and each one of us goes through different tests which are unique and challenging. But certain things are common. And we do learn things from each other's experience. On a spiritual journey, we all have th...

A. R. Rahman

The more dollars the studio producers put in, the less freedom we have. If the budget hits $100m, they get scared - they'll take the existing score of a successful movie and expect composers to copy it, like wallpaper. The biggest challenge for any c...

A. R. Rahman

My mother's belief in spiritual healers grew stronger after our family went through a rough patch following my father's death. Sufi saint Karimullah Shah Kadri changed our lives, and all of us converted to Sufism. But it wasn't an instantaneous decis...

A. R. Rahman

It's like driving your car. If you drive too fast on the highway, you will topple, so you better maintain your speed. Life is similar to that, and that's the way you have to control your head.

A. R. Rahman

Every time I sit for a song, I feel I am finished. It's like a beggar sitting waiting for God to fill your bowl with the right thought. In every song, I ask help from Him. Everybody around is so good, so to create music that will connect with so many...

A. R. Rahman

I believe that whatever comes at a particular time is a blessing from God.

A. R. Rahman

The institution of marriage works better when there's a spiritual connection. If you're marrying just for the sake of the woman, then you may lose interest in each other very soon. When we marry in the interest of the Holy Spirit with the intention o...

A. R. Rahman

Author Bio

  • NameA. R. Rahman
  • DescriptionIndian singer and composer
  • BornJanuary 6, 1966
  • CountryIndia
  • ProfessionComposer; Actor; Singer; Musician
  • AwardsPadma Shri; Academy Award For Best Original Score; Filmfare Awards; Filmfare Awards South; Padma Bhushan; National Film Award For Best Music Direction; CNN-IBN Indian Of The Year