'It was a very dark time': AR Rahman says the only thing he remembers about his father is his struggle with cancer

Legendary recently shared an emotional account of his . In a recent interview, the music legend recalled the difficult period when his , renowned Malayalam music composer RK Shekhar, battled cancer.

Speaking in an interview with Shruti Haasan on NDTV, Rahman said that those early years were marked by immense pain and uncertainty. “My father was extraordinary. But the only thing I remember was my father suffering due to cancer, the hospitals and all that stuff. When he died, it was a very dark time for us,” he revealed. The composer admitted that he tries to forget that phase of life as it was too distressing to relive.

RK Shekhar’s musical influence

Despite the personal loss, Rahman found himself surrounded by the musical instruments his father had left behind. These tools became the foundation for his artistic journey. “I realised the kind of things he had left me: synthesisers, keyboards, and rhythm machines. These were my toys,” Rahman said, recalling how he began exploring sound and technology at a young age. He noted that growing up with South India’s first synthesiser allowed him to experiment early. This laid the groundwork for the innovative style that would later define his career.

From tragedy to success in music career

After facing all the dark times, AR Rahman decided to fight back. Rahman immersed himself in experimenting with technology and sound sequencing, a skill that would eventually revolutionize Indian film music. “By the time I bought musical instruments, MIDI had come in. So, I bought two keyboards, joined them together, and experimented,” he said.

Coming to the work front, AR Rahman will be collaborating with Hans Zimmer for the upcoming film 'Ramayana'.