Imtiaz Ali recalls AR Rahman's reaction when girls in Kashmir mistook him for electrician during Rockstar shoot

Hindustan Times

25-04-2025

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali and music maestro AR Rahman created magic with the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Rockstar, delivering iconic tracks like Kun Faya Kun and Phir Se Ud Chala. In a recent interview with O2India, Imtiaz shared behind-the-scenes anecdotes from their collaboration — including the time Rahman "ghosted" him. He also recounted a surprising moment during the recording of a song when the chorus singers refused to believe they were actually working with AR Rahman himself. (Also Read: 'Nice to blame me for everything': AR Rahman reacts to Abhijeet Bhattacharya slamming him for overusing technology)
Imtiaz Ali had approached AR Rahman for Rockstar, but got busy making Jab We Met and Love Aaj Kal. When he later approached Rahman again for both films, the composer ghosted him. Imtiaz recalled another instance when Rahman 'famously disappeared' after agreeing to compose music for Rockstar. He found himself unsure whether Rahman would actually be doing the music, as the composer had stopped responding to his messages. Imtiaz suspected Rahman might be trying to back out of the project without actually saying no.
However, while scouting locations in Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin, Imtiaz learned from a local that Rahman had visited the area and mentioned he was working on a song and a film related to the shrine. That moment of discovery made it clear to the filmmaker that Rahman had already begun working on Rockstar — just in his own quiet and unconventional way.
Eventually, Imtiaz began shooting the film in Kashmir, where he also invited Rahman. While visiting snow-covered peaks and dargahs in Pahalgam, Rahman decided to record the song Phir Se Ud Chala. Imtiaz recalled how Rahman's simplicity led the Kashmiri girls in the chorus to believe he was an electrician.
He said, 'Rahman sir set up this recording console in the reception of the hotel. He was wearing this black t-shirt paired with a grey trouser. These girls came in to sing chorus and suddenly asked who the music director was. Now, these people were not really exposed to cinema or its people, so they didn't know me or Rahman sir. When they asked, 'Who was the music director', I gestured at them to be quiet and showed them where they had to be for the recording. Rahman sir came out of the table, one of these girls was bold and she asked again, 'Who is the music director?' I finally pointed towards Rahman, and told them Here he is, AR Rahman.'
'One of the girls then denied to believe it and said, 'Yeh AR Rahman thodi hai', I have met him, he looks different.' Rahman played along and said, 'Yeah, yeah, forget about it. And then he sat behind the console and started recording. Until the end of it, these girls didn't realise that they are actually singing for AR Rahman,' he added.
The musical romantic drama, written and directed by Imtiaz Ali, starred Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri in lead roles, with Aditi Rao Hydari, Piyush Mishra, Shernaz Patel, Kumud Mishra, Sanjana Sanghi, Aakash Dahiya, and Shammi Kapoor in pivotal supporting roles. While the film had an average run at the box office, it has gone on to achieve cult status over the years.