Fans of both music and movies were in for a treat when streaming giant Netflix released a music video on YouTube with singer Mohit Chauhan, director Imtiaz Ali, lyricist Irshad Kamil, and music composer AR Rahman. During the promotional session for Chamkila, renowned actors shared personal stories and revealed personal details of one other.
AR Rahman, a multi-award-winning singer with two Academy Awards, talked about his lowly beginnings. At a young age, the composer lost his father, and Kareema Begum, his mother, reared him.
Regarding how his late mother influenced his musical career, AR Rahman stated, “When I built my studio, I didn’t have money to buy an amplifier or equalizer. There was just an AC with a shelf and carpet. I used to be sitting there, not having money to buy anything. I built this and was sitting inside with no equipment. My first record came after my mom gave her jewels to be pledged. That is when I felt empowered. I could see my future; that one moment I changed.”
Regarding his childhood, AR Rahman added, “I had a lot of questions. I didn’t go to college, so I felt like I was missing out on something. When I was 12, I was vibing with people in their 40s and 50s. My boredom led me to listen to many other things, to explore what was there on the other side. That side was spectacular for me. There was so much out there.”
Imtiaz Ali mentioned in the same conversation that he wasn’t overly thrilled to meet AR Rahman when they initially spoke. Considering that the two have collaborated on smash albums like Highway, Rockstar, Tamasha, Love Aaj Kal [2020], and now Chamkila, this is surprising. Providing background, Imtiaz Ali said, “I was not happy, I don’t think I was nervous either. But it wasn’t as though, ‘Oh, I’m happy that I am going to meet AR Rahman.’ It was just like a responsibility.”
In response, AR Rahman recalled, “The producer, I believe, told him, ‘Get him!'”. Imtiaz Ali agreed and stated, “So, the producers at UTV said that we will take you to Chennai, we’ll put you in a room with him, you can tell him the story of Rockstar. In one way or the other, catch him because he doesn’t say yes or no. You have to get a yes from him. And then he came in and said, ‘Yeah, what is your story?’ I started telling the story. I went on and on. I knew when I was looking at him and talking to him, I had a sense that it was going all over. It wasn’t registering in his head.”
He added, “Then I stopped and again started but this time, I said in the beginning, there is a dark screen, we hear some sort of the music and then we hear these lines (Nadaan Parinde lyrics),” Imtiaz added.
In particular, Imtiaz Ali narrated the lines, “Kaga Re Kaga Mori Itni Araz Tose Chun Chun Khaiyo Maas, Re Jiya Re Khaiyon Na Tu Naina Mor, Piya Ke Milan Ki Aas,” and translated the meaning for Rahman. It was then that the filmmaker felt a shift in Rahman’s interest in the film. “At that point in time, I got a sense that we are on and maybe he will do it.”
Together, the two undoubtedly worked magic, and Rockstar is among the most acclaimed albums in recent Bollywood history. Interestingly, Mohit Chauhan and Irshad Kamil, the other two talented individuals in the conversation, are also essential components of the Rockstar album. While Irshad Kamil composed the lyrics, Mohit Chauhan was the singing voice for Ranbir Kapoor in the film which portrays the tumultuous personal and professional journey of a musician.
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