He made his mother available to me. But he made it clear that I should not write about his children. He doesn't want his children to be exposed to anything. He did not allow me to meet his wife either.

He said I can write about his music and his life but not about his wife and children. He asked me to respect his privacy. I saw them around in the studio.

I have written stories about his wife and children, as told to me by the people who worked with Rahman. But the book is mostly about Rahman and how he came to be.

What did Rahman's mother have to say?

His mother is free and open. She gave me nice information about Rahman's childhood, about the family embracing Islam, Rahman's spiritual guru, his father's illness and how they did not have money when he died, as he was the only breadwinner

When Rahman's father died, Rahman had to work. Rahman was a session musician, who played instruments for music composers and got paid by the day. So he would leave home early in the morning for the studio and return late at night. He had to go to school too -- he was studying in Padma Sheshasdri school, which is one of the toughest schools in Chennai. They are very strict about performance.

Rahman's father wanted him to be in that school, since he himself did not get much of an education. So even after his father's death, he continued studying. His mother would take his breakfast and uniform and wait for him at the gate of the studio, feed him in the studio van, get him to change into his uniform and send him to school.  Sometimes, he would have to go to the studio after school too. It was tough for an eleven year old child.