AR Rahman: Why Dilip Kumar embraced Islam & became Rahman

• AR Rahman's birth name was Dilip Kumar; he converted to Islam and changed his name in the late 1980s.
• His spiritual journey and conversion were influenced by a Sufi saint who aided his family after his father's passing.
• Rahman disliked his birth name; his mother dreamt 'Alla Rakha', leading the family to choose 'Rahman' as his new name.
• He stated the change brought peace and freedom, and he faced minimal societal criticism for his conversion.
• A.R. Rahman has won multiple Oscar awards for 'Slumdog Millionaire' and received Padma Bhushan and Bharat Ratna awards.

Why It Matters: It explains AR Rahman's spiritual journey and why he changed his name.