Part 3

Non-film work

During his stint in advertising, he released his first album, of Muslim devotional songs, titled `Deen Isai Malai'.
This was followed by `Set Me Free', an album of English songs which was the launch album of singer Malgudi Subha, by Magnasound, where Dileep set the songs to tune.
Both the albums went unnoticed in the market.


Films

At an advertising awards function he chanced upon a young man receiving the award for the best ad jingle which he had composed for the popular Leo Coffee ad.
At the party that followed the awards presentation ceremony Maniratnam was introduced to the young composer by his cousin Sharada Trilok of Trish Productions for whose company the young man had worked.
Mani requested for a sample of his wares.
The composer readily complied and invited the director over to his studio where he played out a tune that he had been pushed into composing by his school friend G.Bharat alias Bala who had been greatly disturbed by the Cauvery river tensions.
Mani was hooked instantly. He signed on the composer to score the music for his next film which was to be produced by the veteran Tamil director K.Balachander.
That film was Roja. That tune would become the song "Tamizha Tamizha".
Rahman became a household name in Tamil Nadu overnight and the score of `Roja' was the first step in changing the face of Indian film music.
`Roja' won every conceivable award in music that year.
Rahman also got the Rajat Kamal for best music director at the National Film Awards , the first time ever by a debutante.
He left ads and moved into film music full time.
In the five years since Roja, he has created music for blockbuster Indian films including Roja, Pudhiya Mugam, Gentleman, Kizhaku Seemaiyilae, Duet, Kadalan, Bombay, May, Madham, Indian, Muthu kadhal Dasam, Love Birds and others.
His 1995 soundtrack for Bombay crossed 5 million units and Rahman had arrived as the "King of Indian Pop" with sales of more than 40 million albums over a period of 3 years.