Melodies that changed India: Celebrating AR Rahman on his birthday

TNIE online desk

The iconic song "Chaiyya Chaiyya" from 'Dil Se', composed by A R Rahman and directed by Mani Ratnam, features Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala, with Malaika Arora making a memorable special appearance.

Photo| YouTube

"Dil Se Re" is a pulsating song from the film 'Dil Se', composed by A. R. Rahman, directed by Mani Ratnam, and featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Manisha Koirala and Preity Zinta.

Photo| YouTube

"Maa Tujhe Salaam" is the iconic patriotic song from 'Vande Mataram', composed by A. R. Rahman, directed as a music video by Bharathbala, and memorably featuring Prabhu Deva.

Photo| YouTube

"Kaatre En Vaasal" is a soulful melody from the Tamil film 'Rhythm', composed by A. R. Rahman, directed by Vasanth, and picturised on Arjun Sarja and Jyothika, capturing emotional restraint with lyrical grace.

Photo| YouTube

The song "Pachai Nirame" from the 2000 Tamil film 'Alaipayuthey', directed by Mani Ratnam, features music by A. R. Rahman and stars R. Madhavan and Shalini in the lead roles.

Photo| YouTube

Enna Solla Pogirai is a beloved romantic song from the Tamil film 'Kandukondain Kandukondain', composed by A. R. Rahman, directed by Rajiv Menon, and picturised on Ajith Kumar, Tabu.

Photo| YouTube

The song "Snehithane Snehithane" from the 2000 Tamil film 'Alaipayuthey', directed by Mani Ratnam, features music by A. R. Rahman and stars R. Madhavan and Shalini.

Photo| YouTube

The soulful song “Agar Tum Saath Ho” from the film 'Tamasha', directed by Imtiaz Ali, features music by A. R. Rahman and stars Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, beautifully capturing the emotional turmoil of love.

Photo| YouTube

"Tere Bina," a soulful track from 'Guru', is composed by A.R. Rahman, directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, and stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, and Mithun Chakraborty.

Photo| YouTube

The iconic Tamil song “Mustafa Mustafa” from the 1996 film 'Kadhal Desam' directed by Kathir with music by A. R. Rahman — features actors Vineeth and Abbas in a memorable college‑friendship sequence.

Photo| YouTube
Even I get bored of my music sometimes: AR Rahman