- November 27, 2025
I Was Watching TV’: AR Rahman’s Confession About Rangeela Song Hai Rama Shocked Ram Gopal Varma
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AR Rahman once told RGV he delayed composing Hai Rama because he was “watching TV”, leaving the director stunned before the song became a Rangeela classic.
When AR Rahman told RGV he delayed Hai Rama because he was watching TV.
Long before Rangeela became a cult favourite, one moment between Ram Gopal Varma and AR Rahman almost derailed the making of one of the film’s most memorable songs. What caused it? Not creative differences, not pressure — but a television in a hotel room. And Rahman admitted it himself.
AR Rahman’s unexpected honesty
Ram Gopal Varma recently revisited the making of Rangeela while speaking to Pinkvilla, sharing how Rahman’s delays during music sittings left him baffled and, at times, furious. RGV said they travelled to Goa for five days to work on Hai Rama, but Rahman barely composed anything during that time.
According to RGV, Rahman kept saying he would share something “tomorrow”. But “tomorrow” never came. At the end of the trip, Rahman finally confessed that he hadn’t composed because he had been glued to the hotel TV. RGV recalled Rahman telling him, “Next time you get me to a hotel, make sure there is no TV. Because all this time I was watching TV.”
RGV said he was so stunned that his first instinct was to hit him — but the frustration vanished once Rahman eventually delivered Hai Rama, which went on to become one of Rangeela’s defining tracks.
RGV didn’t understand Hai Rama composition at first
Interestingly, RGV said he didn’t like the song the first time he heard it. Speaking to O2 India earlier, he remembered asking Rahman why the tune sounded nothing like the sensual track he had requested.
He recalled asking Rahman, “I wanted something erotic, and you’ve sent me this?” But the more he heard it, the more the melody stayed with him. Eventually, he realised Rahman had created something extraordinary — completely original, totally unpredictable and impossible to ignore.
How the delays turned into magic
Rahman’s process may have tested RGV’s patience, but the final result justified every minute of waiting. The soundtrack became a blockbuster, and Rangeela marked Rahman’s grand entry into Hindi cinema. Today, Hai Rama is still remembered for its haunting sound, proving once again that Rahman’s genius.
Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring…Read More
Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring… Read More
November 27, 2025, 08:14 IST
