'This is my seventh National Award': AR Rahman thanks Mani Ratnam for bringing out the best in him

AR Rahman Pic/PTI

Music maestro AR Rahman on Tuesday bagged his seventh National Film Award as he received the Best Music Director (Background music) award for his work in Mani Ratnam's 'Ponniyin Selvan: I'.

President Droupadi Murmu presented the prestigious award to AR Rahman at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital.

On receiving the award, Rahman shared his feelings in an interview with ANI, and said it is special, everytime he works with Mani Ratnam, as he brings out the best in everyone.

"This award is special because this is my seventh National Award. My first National Film Award was for the film 'Roja' with Mani Ratnam. This film is also with him. Whenever I work with him it is very special, he gets the best out of all of us. And since it's a National award, I'm really proud of it," he said.

The winners of the 70th National Film Awards were declared in August 2024.

Helmed by Mani Ratnam, the film stars south actors Vikram, Trisha Krishnan Karthik Sivakumar, Jayam Ravi and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the lead roles.

'Ponniyin Selvan-Part 1' is a cinematic adaptation of author Kalki Krishnamurthy's Tamil novel of the same name which was released in the form of a series during the 1950s. It marks the third collaboration of Aishwarya with south actor Vikram after their critically acclaimed film 'Raavan' in 2010.