For his background score in Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1, which was released in 2022, AR Rahman won his seventh National Film Award.
This sets a new benchmark for the most victories ever by an Indian music director. With five National Awards under his belt—the most recent being in 2015 for the Tamil film Tharai Thappattai—Rahman has overtaken Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja. Third place goes to Vishal Bhardwaj, who has four National Awards.
In 1992, Rahman won his first National Award for outstanding music direction for Mani Ratnam’s film Roja, which launched his distinguished career as a music director. For Minsara Kanavu in 1996, he received his second National Award; for Lagaan in 2001, he received the third.Mani Ratnam’s Kannathil Muthamittal in 2002 fetched him his fourth award.
It wasn’t until 2017 that Rahman won another National Award—this time for the Hindi film Mom, starring Sridevi, and Kaatru Veliyidai, directed by Mani Ratnam.
Rahman has not only received recognition in India but also the highest honors worldwide. He won two Academy Awards for his contributions on the music to Slumdog Millionaire (2008): one for Best Original Score and another for Best Original Song, which went to the song “Jai Ho.”
Rahman became the first Indian to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score for Slumdog Millionaire in addition to his Oscar triumphs. His reputation as a globally renowned composer was cemented when the same film won him a Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Composer and a BAFTA Award for Best Film Music.
Both of Rahman’s 2010 Grammy Awards, which he received for Jai Ho, were for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media and Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media.
The composer from Chennai is influential in genres other than cinema music. In 2009, Time magazine recognized his global impact to music by listing him among its 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Arijit Singh And Pritam Bag Music Honours
Music icons AR Rahman, Arijit Singh, and Pritam have won special music honors at the prestigious event. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting made the announcement during a press conference held in New Delhi on Friday. The 70th National Film Awards was announced. The ceremony has honored the best in cinema from the year 2022.
Composer Pritam Chakraborty has bagged his first National Film Award — Best Music Director (songs) for Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva.
Arijit Singh is included alongside Pritam Chakraborty and AR Rahman. He has won the Best Male Playback Singer title for Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva’s Kesariya. Ayan Mukerji, the film’s director, stars Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Mouni Roy, Amitabh Bachchan, and Nagarjuna Akkineni. Additionally, Brahmastra was awarded Best Film in the Animation, Visual Effects Gaming, and Comic categories.
