https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=A._R._Rahman%3A_The_Spirit_of_MusicA. R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music - Revision history2026-08-07T00:38:19ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=A._R._Rahman:_The_Spirit_of_Music&diff=483803&oldid=prevTrevor51P0492 at 05:31, 24 January 20262026-01-24T05:31:35Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|2011 biography Nasreen Munni Kabir}}<br />
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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}<br />
{{Infobox book<br />
| name = A. R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music<br />
| image = A. R. Rahman- The Spirit of Music cover.jpg<br />
| caption = <br />
| author = [[Nasreen Munni Kabir]]<br />
| country = India<br />
| language = English<br />
| series = <br />
| release_number = <br />
| subject = [[A. R. Rahman]]<br />
| genre = Biography<br />
| set_in = <br />
| publisher = Om Books International<br />
| published = 29 March 2011<br />
| media_type = Print<br />
| pages = 215<br />
| isbn = 978-93-80070-14-8<br />
| isbn_note = <br />
| oclc = 722845483<br />
| dewey = <br />
| congress = <br />
| preceded_by = <br />
| followed_by = <br />
| notes =<br />
| exclude_cover = <br />
}}<br />
'''''A. R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music''''' is a biographical book by the author and television documentary producer [[Nasreen Munni Kabir]], containing her extensive conversations with the composer [[A. R. Rahman]] on the latter's life and career. It describes his birth in [[Madras]] (present-day Chennai) in 1967, his 29-year-long musical career, and his marriage in 1995 to Saira Banu, with whom he has three children. The book was published by Om Books International on 29 March 2011 and declared as a commercial success.<br />
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''The Spirit of Music'' was the second work on Rahman, following the unauthorised biography ''[[A. R. Rahman: The Musical Storm]]'' (2009) from Kamini Mathai. Kabir's first discussion with him about the book happened in 2003, while their conversations started in 2007 and ended four years later. Critical reviews to the book were mixed, some of which panned the author for providing less detail information about his Tamil songs. However, its question-and-answer format was generally praised.<br />
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== Summary ==<br />
The book contains [[A. R. Rahman]]'s extensive conversations with the author [[Nasreen Munni Kabir]]. It begins with his birth in [[Madras]] (present-day Chennai) in 1967. The book chronicles his cinematic debut, composing songs for ''[[Roja (1992 film)|Roja]]'' (1992), which became the first of his many collaborations with the filmmaker [[Mani Ratnam]], and his 29-year-long career in music. It also includes his conversion from [[Hinduism]] to [[Islam]], his marriage to Saira Banu in 1995 and the birth of their three children. The book ends with his discography, his list of accolades, and [[Musical note|notes]] for the 1995 film ''[[Bombay (1995 film)|Bombay]]''{{'s}} theme song and ''Roja''{{'s}} "Cry of the Rose".<br />
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== Writing and release ==<br />
[[File:A. R. Rahman launching a book.jpg|thumb|upright=1.05|[[A. R. Rahman]] (pictured) at the launch of the book in 2011]]<br />
Nasreen Munni Kabir, who had written several books on Indian cinema throughout her career, often used the question-and-answer style for her works and ''A. R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music'' is one of which. In an later interviews, she stated that she found the style to be the best way to keep the book's readers "connected to the subject",{{sfn|Kumar 2011, Noteworthy encounters}} that she liked primary research and "people speaking in their own words, from their own experience" but it did not mean that narrative biographies weren't needed, rather that it was a good format due to Rahman's busy schedule.{{sfn|N. 2011, 'Working with Rahman}} Kabir had first met Rahman while interviewing him at his studio in Chennai for [[BBC]]'s [[Channel 4]] in 1999.{{sfn|Kumar 2011, Noteworthy encounters}} However, their earliest discussion on the idea of the book began in 2003, which was later met with approval from Rahman.{{sfn|N. 2011, 'Working with Rahman}}<br />
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The conversations started in 2007,{{sfn|Kabir 2011, A. R. Rahman}}<sup>:6</sup> but Rahman states that the "actual work" began the next year. According to him, a lot of the facts in the book were already disclosed by him in other media interviews but includes some new aspects and he states that what "[Kabir] wanted to do was to have a completeness in the whole thing, and that’s what is special about [her] and what makes [the book] work."{{sfn|Jamkhandikar 2011, A minute with}} Kabir recounted that the process was slow, attributing it to his busy schedule.{{sfn|N. 2011, 'Working with Rahman}} When Rahman was not on his mood for talking, they would take a walk while Kabir asked him her questions. Describing him as spiritual, Kabir likened working with him to being on an adventure and noted how free-spirited he was.{{sfn|N. 2011, 'Working with Rahman}} She also felt Rahman was more confident when she interviewed him for the book, believing that his older age and the success of his works have influenced him.{{sfn|Kumar 2011, Noteworthy encounters}} The conversations ended in 2011.{{sfn|Kabir 2011, A. R. Rahman}}<sup>:6</sup><br />
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''The Spirit of Music'' was published on hardcover on 29 March 2011;{{sfn|Kabir 2011, A. R. Rahman}} a [[CD]] containing Rahman's eight unreleased songs is also included in the edition.{{sfn|Jhunjhunwala 2011, Sheet music, soul}} The book's launch event was held in [[Juhu]], [[Mumbai]] on 6 April.{{sfn|N. 2011, Rahman's biography launched}} The book was the second work on Rahman, after Kamini Mathai's ''[[A. R. Rahman: The Musical Storm]]'' (2009), but was the first one authorised by Rahman himself; he explained that he had not read Mathai's book so he had not authorised it either.{{sfn|Raghavan 2011, A lot's in}} Ajay Mago from Om Books International, who released ''The Spirit of Music'', told [[Bollywood Hungama]] that it was an honour for him to publish the book.{{sfn|Bollywood Hungama 2011, A. R. Rahman's}} Emerging as a commercial success, ''The Spirit of Music'' debuted at and peaked the fifth position in ''[[The Hindu]]''{{'s}} non-fiction bestsellers on 19 April.{{sfn|''The Hindu'' 2011, Bestsellers}} Its [[Amazon Kindle]] version was released on 7 July 2017,{{sfn|Kabir 2017a, A. R. Rahman}} followed by the paperback edition twelve days later.{{sfn|Kabir 2017b, A. R. Rahman}}<br />
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== Critical reception ==<br />
Critics had given varied views on the book. Charmy Harikrishnan of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' was critical of Kabir's research on Rahman's Tamil films, dismissing it as "meagre and unsatisfactory", and added that "the way in which the Q and A has been arranged does little to give the book a structure or the narrative any kind of coherence".{{sfn|Harikrishnan 2011, Rahman recorded}} A reviewer at Bollywood Hungama suggested Kabir to divide the book in several chapters and stated "there is a distinct sense of incompleteness that one gets mid-way into reading it",{{sfn|Bollywood Hungama 2011, Book review}} while the magazine ''[[India Today]]''{{'s}} Kaveree Bamzai called it "a remarkable insight into a magical mind". Bamzai added that "Rahman is an anomaly. Sometimes the more he's written about, the less he seems revealed. Kabir's patient listening pays off. Rahman seems at ease here, talking as openly about his faith as he does about his wife."{{sfn|Bamzai 2011, Item nation}}<br />
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Writing for the Emirati newspaper ''[[Gulf News]]'', Mythily Ramachandran found the book "easy-to-read" and concise. She said it "does whet your appetite interspersed with pictures from Rahman's albums, hitherto unseen", concluding her review by praising Kabir for doing a job well done.{{sfn|Ramachandran 2011, The world dances}} The editor Jitesh Pillai of the ''[[Filmfare]]'' magazine asserted, "Trying to capture his thoughts and songscapes cannot be an easy task and Nasreen Munni Kabir ... does manage an enthusiastic job. It's in interview format and we get to know the maestro up close and personal and there are anecdotes there, priceless ones that intrigue, overwhelm and stay with you."{{sfn|Pillai 2016, Revealing Rahman}} Kala Krishnan Ramesh from [[Indiaplaza]] recommended it for those who are fans of Rahman, complimenting Kabir's thorough and perceptive questioning style.{{sfn|Ramesh 2011, Print pick}} The ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' described it as "a close, fascinating insight" on him.{{sfn|Ghosh 2011, Jai ho!}}<br />
<br />
== Publication history ==<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"<br />
|-<br />
! scope="col"|Region<br />
! scope="col"|Release date<br />
! scope="col"|Format<br />
|-<br />
!scope="row" rowspan="3" |India<br />
|29 March 2011<br />
|Hardcover{{sfn|Kabir 2011, A. R. Rahman}}<br />
|-<br />
|7 July 2017<br />
|[[Amazon Kindle]]{{sfn|Kabir 2017a, A. R. Rahman}}<br />
|-<br />
|19 July 2017<br />
|Paperback{{sfn|Kabir 2017b, A. R. Rahman}}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
{{refbegin|2}}<br />
* {{cite web |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/a-r-rahmans-first-authorized-biography-to-release-on-april-6/ |title=A. R. Rahman's first authorized biography to release on April 6 |date=22 March 2011 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]] |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812073713/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/a-r-rahmans-first-authorized-biography-to-release-on-april-6/ |archive-date=12 August 2021 |ref={{Sfnref|Bollywood Hungama 2011, A. R. Rahman's}} |url-status=live }}<br />
* {{cite news |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20110502-a-book-film-songs-and-the-cultural-synergies-of-bollywood-745757-2011-04-22 |title=Item nation |date=2 May 2011 |work=[[India Today]] |last=Bamzai |first=Kaveree |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812073830/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20110502-a-book-film-songs-and-the-cultural-synergies-of-bollywood-745757-2011-04-22 |archive-date=12 August 2021 |url-status=live |ref={{Sfnref|Bamzai 2011, Item nation}} }}<br />
* {{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/BEST-SELLERS/article14688271.ece |title=Bestsellers |date=19 April 2011 |work=[[The Hindu]] |location=Hyderabad, India |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210812074231/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/BEST-SELLERS/article14688271.ece |archive-date=12 August 2021 |ref={{Sfnref|''The Hindu'' 2011, Bestsellers}} |url-status=live }}<br />
* {{cite web |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/book-review-a-r-rahman-the-spirit-of-music/ |title=Book review: A. R. Rahman&nbsp;– The Spirit of Music |date=11 April 2011 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]] |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923190304/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/book-review-a-r-rahman-the-spirit-of-music/ |archive-date=23 September 2020 |ref={{Sfnref|Bollywood Hungama 2011, Book review}} |url-status=live }}<br />
* {{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/jai-ho/story-2KtWQH509YOvFDlyPQmWyI.html |title=Jai ho! |date=6 May 2011 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |last=Ghosh |first=Shohini |author-link=Shohini Ghosh |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210818131352/https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/jai-ho/story-2KtWQH509YOvFDlyPQmWyI.html |archive-date=18 August 2021 |url-status=live |ref={{Sfnref|Ghosh 2011, Jai ho!}} }}<br />
* {{cite news |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/rahman-recorded/776746/0 |title=Rahman recorded |last=Harikrishnan |first=Charmy |work=[[The Indian Express]] |date=16 April 2011 |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812073713/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/rahman-recorded/776746/0 |archive-date=12 August 2021 |ref={{Sfnref|Harikrishnan 2011, Rahman recorded}} |url-status=live }}<br />
* {{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-56221420110408 |title=A minute with: A.R. Rahman on 'The Spirit of Music' |date=9 April 2011 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |last=Jamkhandikar |first=Shilpa |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812073713/https://www.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-56221420110408 |archive-date=12 August 2021 |url-status=live |ref={{Sfnref|Jamkhandikar 2011, A minute with}} }}<br />
* {{cite news |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/8FnppRgG8kp32BN8FZmyKN/Sheet-music-soul-notes.html |title=Sheet music, soul notes |date=1 April 2011 |work=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]] |last=Jhunjhunwala |first=Udita |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210812074701/https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/8FnppRgG8kp32BN8FZmyKN/Sheet-music-soul-notes.html |archive-date=12 August 2021 |url-status=live |ref={{Sfnref|Jhunjhunwala 2011, Sheet music, soul}} }}<br />
* {{cite book |last=Kabir |first=Nasreen Munni |author-link=Nasreen Munni Kabir |title=A. R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music |date=29 March 2011 |location=Noida, India |publisher=Om Books International |isbn=978-93-80070-14-8 |ref={{Sfnref|Kabir 2011, A. R. Rahman}} }}<br />
* {{cite book |last=Kabir |first=Nasreen Munni |title=A. R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music |date=7 July 2017 |publisher=Om Books International |location=Noida, India |asin=B074L8PQPK |ref={{Sfnref|Kabir 2017a, A. R. Rahman}} }}<br />
* {{cite book |last=Kabir |first=Nasreen Munni |title=A. R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music |date=19 July 2017 |location=Noida, India |publisher=Om Books International |isbn=978-93-52761-16-6 |ref={{Sfnref|Kabir 2017b, A. R. Rahman}} }}<br />
* {{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Noteworthy-encounters/article14741564.ece |title=Noteworthy encounters |date=29 April 2011 |work=The Hindu |last=Kumar |first=Anuj |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210812074123/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Noteworthy-encounters/article14741564.ece |archive-date=12 August 2021 |access-date=14 August 2021 |url-status=live |ref={{Sfnref|Kumar 2011, Noteworthy encounters}} }}<br />
* {{cite web |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-ar-rahmans-book-launch/20110407.htm |title=Rahman's biography launched |date=7 April 2011 |work=[[Rediff.com]] |last=N. |first=Patcy |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110410160247/https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-ar-rahmans-book-launch/20110407.htm |archive-date=10 April 2011 |url-status=live |ref={{Sfnref|N. 2011, Rahman's biography launched}} }}<br />
* {{cite web |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-nasreen-munni-kabir-on-her-book-on-rahman/20110419.htm |title='Working with Rahman is an adventure' |date=19 April 2011 |work=Rediff.com |last=N. |first=Patcy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110423053426/https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-nasreen-munni-kabir-on-her-book-on-rahman/20110419.htm |archive-date=23 April 2011 |access-date=14 August 2021 |url-status=live |ref={{Sfnref|N. 2011, 'Working with Rahman}} }}<br />
* {{cite news |url=https://www.filmfare.com/features/revealing-rahman-11752.html |title=Revealing Rahman |date=6 January 2016 |work=[[Filmfare]] |last=Pillai |first=Jitesh |author-link=Jitesh Pillai |access-date=18 August 2021 |ref={{Sfnref|Pillai 2016, Revealing Rahman}} |archive-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818130728/https://www.filmfare.com/features/revealing-rahman-11752.html |url-status=live }}<br />
* {{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/A-lots-in-a-book/article14668529.ece |title=A lot's in a book |date=3 April 2011 |work=The Hindu |last=Raghavan |first=Nikhil |access-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210812074009/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/A-lots-in-a-book/article14668529.ece |archive-date=12 August 2021 |url-status=live |ref={{Sfnref|Raghavan 2011, A lot's in}} }}<br />
* {{cite news |url=https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/books/the-world-dances-to-his-tunes-1.802742 |title=The world dances to his tunes |date=6 May 2011 |work=[[Gulf News]] |last=Ramachandran |first=Mythily |access-date=18 August 2021 |ref={{Sfnref|Ramachandran 2011, The world dances}} |archive-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818130719/https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/books/the-world-dances-to-his-tunes-1.802742 |url-status=live }}<br />
* {{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/print-pick/article2293010.ece |title=Print pick |date=25 July 2011 |work=The Hindu |last=Ramesh |first=Kala Krishnan |access-date=18 August 2021 |ref={{Sfnref|Ramesh 2011, Print pick}} |archive-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818130719/https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/print-pick/article2293010.ece |url-status=live }}<br />
{{refend}}<br />
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== External links ==<br />
* {{Google books|id=Nu1BCwAAQBAJ}}<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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[[Category:2011 non-fiction books]]<br />
[[Category:Indian biographies]]<br />
[[Category:A. R. Rahman]]</div>Trevor51P0492