'I didn't know he was that good' MK Arjunan, Malayalam music director and AR Rahman's guru, talks about the underdog who became Slumdog
Visy Valsan DNA Dileep (as Rahman was known before he converted to Islam) was eight when his father RK Shekar and I used to compose music in Chennai. We didn't think then that he'd grow up to be such a sensational musician. But his interest levels were high and the 'pulse' and 'curiosity' was there. In those days, we used to compose music with our harmonium. Whenever we would step out for a break, Rahman would try to replicate the ragas we were working on. He was adamant and played on till he got it right. Noticing his enthusiasm, his dad, Shekar, enrolled him for piano classes. As a child, Rahman was not academically bright, but he was naughty at home. He never ate properly and had sleepless nights. Often, he'd be scolded by his parents for not eating well. He was also a loner. Even after finishing piano lessons, he would not spend time with other children. Instead, he would sit with the harmonium and try notes. In 1976, when Shekar died, Rahman's mother took over the duty of taking him for piano classes. At times, he would compose notes and show them to me. When I started doing music for Malayalam films, Rahman played the keyboard for my songs. He also composed jingles. It was during one of those ad presentations that Mani Ratnam came across his music and asked about him. His first song for Roja (Chinna chinna asai) won him the National Award in 1992, when he was 26. Since then, his career soared. I feel his nominations for the Academy Awards are a result of his undying curiosity to discover music like he did when he was a child. Today I'm proud of him just the way I'd be proud if it were my own son. Rahman is part of the family. Rahman still calls and asks me to attend his award functions. Destiny and god's grace have become the road map to his huge success, despite which our intimacy still remains the same. As told to Visy Valsan
