The initial years of A.R. Rahman, an internationally accomplished artist and an oscar winner and with many other honours, were not so easy, reveals the music maestro’s sister Reihana.
She said that at the age of nine, the Rahman experienced a life-changing incident after an untimely death of their father, composer R.K. Shekhar.

Recalling that incident, she said that their father fell sick and that there was ‘Peer Sahab’ (priest) who said that he would cure my father through prayers and also that if he underwent operation he might not live.

Reihana shared the memory on the Big CBS Prime’s show ‘India’s Prime Icon’, where Rahman is competing for the title. “My father still went ahead with the operation and ultimately passed away. This incident had a big impact on my brother (Rahman),” said Reihana.

With his father gone, Rahman decided to take on the responsibility of his family and had to struggle hard to make ends meet.