‘Ram Gopal Varma was sleeping on the stairs, Subhash Ghai was passed out on a swing': Lyricist Sameer recalls 3 am session with AR Rahman in a jungle
Narrating his experience of working with Rahman on the YouTube channel The Ashoke Pandit Show, Sameer shared, that the session was initially planned for 11 pm, but kept getting postponed. Ultimately, at 3 am, he was called along with the film's producer and director. 'When we reached his house, we saw that Ram Gopal Varma had fallen fast asleep on the stairs, Subhash Ghai was passed out on the swing in the lawn. Asha Bhosle was singing inside and Udit Narayan was just talking nonsense upstairs but in all of this, Rahman was not there,' he recalled.
Since Rahman wasn't at his home, his assistant asked the three artistes to travel to another location to meet the composer — a location that turned out to be in the middle of a jungle. Sameer recalled with a laugh, 'We were asked to drive to another location and follow a car. We stopped on the side of a highway and a man, holding a lantern, asked us to follow him. It felt like we were going for a horror film's session. The man walked before us holding a lantern, and we were driving behind him. It was a dense jungle.'
After this bizarre experience, Sameer finally met Rahman. He said, 'When we reached the destination, Rahman was sitting inside a cottage on his keyboard and wearing headphones.' The lyricist recalled that it was in that hut where Rahman made them listen to the tunes he had prepared for the film. After this experience, Sameer vowed never to attend a session with Rahman in the middle of the night.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
14 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Apoorva Mukhija reveals spending ₹3 lakh on her makeover but ‘nothing really changed': Hairdo, veneers, IV drips, more
YouTuber Apoorva Mukhija has shared that she spent ₹3 lakh on her makeover and added that she "honestly looks the same". Taking to her YouTube channel, Apoorva posted a video and gave fans a glimpse of what all she did to get a new look. Apoorva got her hair coloured, got veneers, visited the dermatologist, did pedicure, took IV drips and also got her nails done. Apoorva Mukhija shared a new video on her YouTube channel. Apoorva Mukhija spends lakhs in her makeover The video began with Apoorva giving a before-and-after peek at how she looked. She said, "So I started introspecting about why people didn't like me, and then I realised it's not me, it's God's fault. Kyunki bhagwan ne mujhe attitude toh Aishwarya Rai wala diya par shakal ye diya hai (God gave me the attitude of Aishwarya Rai, but this face). Mujhe realise hua ki main agar thodi zada hot hoti toh (I realised that had I been a little more hot then) I would have gotten away with everything, including what I said on Latent (India's Got Latent)." Apoorva gets her hair done, opts for veneers At first, Apoorva visited the hair salon, where she got a new hairdo. She finished her salon treatment with a pedicure. Apoorva then went to the dentist to get veneers and then visited her dermatologist. Apoorva said in the video, 'Mujhe vishwas nahi ho raha hai ki main life mein itni ameer ho chuki hoon ki mere paas ye bhinn-bhnn prakaar ke doctors hai (I can't believe I've become so rich that I now have different types of doctors)." Apoorva talks about her childhood "Mere papa bachpan mein ek uncle ko phone lagate the jo humari building mein rehte the, aur wohi humari saari beemariyon ka ilaaj kar dete the (As a child, my father would just call an uncle from our building to treat all our illnesses)...But now look at me, taking six appointments in a day," she added. Apoorva takes several treatments Apoorva then went to a nail salon, followed by a laser treatment and ended her day by getting an IV drip. After returning home, she said, 'I spent close to ₹3 lakh, and this is what I finally look like now. I honestly look the same. Whatever little difference is there is because of the makeup. Nothing really changed even after spending ₹3 lakh, except for my teeth, which you all seem to hate... So if you liked this video, please like, share, and subscribe, and help me earn my ₹5 lakh back." She shared the video with the caption, "I am a different person now." Her video has over 7.87 lakh views and over 81K likes. Apoorva has over 1.2 million subscribers on YouTube. About Apoorva and India's Got Latent row Apoorva, famously known as The Rebel Kid, was embroiled in India's Got Talent controversy earlier this year. She was accused of making an objectionable comment during the YouTube show. There was a major controversy after Ranveer Allahbadia made crude comments about parents and sex. Multiple complaints were filed in Mumbai seeking action against him, Apoorva and the show's host Samay Raina. About Apoorva's other projects Apoorva made her Bollywood debut with Nadaaniyan. Directed by Shauna Gautam, it released on Netflix in March. It also starred Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Mahima Chaudhry, Suniel Shetty, Dia Mirza and Jugal Hansraj, among others. She was last seen in the show The Traitors, hosted by Karan Johar. It also featured Maheep Kapoor, Anshula Kapoor, Raj Kundra, Ashish Vidyarthi, Karan Kundrra, Lakshmi Manchu, Raftaar, Sudhanshu Pandey, Sufi Motiwala, Jannat Zubair, Elnaaz Nourozi, and Uorfi Javed.
India.com
14 minutes ago
- India.com
Aamir Khan ready to bring ‘Sitaare Zameen Par' to OTT but not without this demand…, says ‘I have always wanted my films…
Aamir Khan ready to bring 'Sitaare Zameen Par' to OTT but not without this demand…, says 'I have always wanted my films… In the ever-evolving world of cinema, many films come and go. But there are rarely any films that are planned and distributed meticulously. One such example of this is Sitaare Zameen Par. Unlike other mainstream films that are sold on OTT after their theatrical run, Aamir Khan, known for his perfection and unconventional choices, decided to go for a pay-per-view model. In a recent interview, Aamir Khan revealed why he rejected massive streaming giants and went for a YouTube release. Aamir Khan on releasing his film on OTT Speaking on a podcast, Aamir Khan said, 'I've always wanted my films to come on OTT platforms, but the period has to be six months.' He emphasised theatrical release as the priority, adding, 'Every movie needs to be handled differently.' Aamir Khan shares that he doesn't have a problem with OTT release, but rather the short release window between the two. He explained, 'Now is the time to create a window that exists in the rest of the world.' As per Aamir, that window should ideally be 'six months or five months.' He believes that this much time gives ample time for a film to perform in the cinema. The actor acknowledged that not all viewers subscribe to OTT platforms, noting, 'There is a section that does, and I'm one of them.' But, he added, the strategy should also cater to those who prefer theaters. 'I've always wanted my films to come on OTT platforms, but the period has to be six months,' he said. Aamir Khan on the Pay-Per-View Model Speaking on why the pay-per-view model wasn't used earlier, he said, 'Electronic payments weren't in place,' adding that with the arrival of UPI and other payment methods, the market has changed. According to him, now with the digitization, it's the right time to explore a windowed approach between theatres and OTT using PPV as an interim model. Speaking on why he didn't make a deal with major streaming platforms for Sitaare Zameen Par, Aamir said that his partners 'were not ready for this decision, and hence, they backed out.' Still, he remains confident in his strategy, saying, 'I still feel there is an audience that would watch it on Netflix or Amazon when it does come on an OTT channel, if they so decide.' Released on June 20, 2025, Sitaare Zameen Par was released in theaters on June 20, 2025, and became available on YouTube from August 1, 2025.
Economic Times
4 hours ago
- Economic Times
US-based Indian woman quit her five-figure dream job mid-meeting, finds life's ‘single most rewarding thing'
Synopsis Pooja Tripathi left her corporate fashion job after facing workplace mistreatment, seeking creative fulfillment and financial independence. She transitioned to comedy, creating the satirical web series "Brooklyn Coffee Shop," which gained viral success on social media. Tripathi's journey highlights the potential of social media as a platform for creative careers and the rewards of pursuing meaningful work. Pooja Tripathi left her fashion job after facing workplace issues. She then started creating comedy videos with a friend. Her web series, 'Brooklyn Coffee Shop', became very popular. (Screenshots: Instagram/ winnie_thepooj) In 2018, Pooja Tripathi was sitting in yet another last-minute meeting at her corporate fashion marketing job when her boss launched into a string of personal insults. It was not the first time she had seen this happen — colleagues had endured the same treatment before — but for her, it was the breaking point. Within minutes, she made a life-altering decision: she quit, right there in the middle of the meeting. Her mid–five-figure salary, the so-called 'dream job' in a glamorous industry, no longer felt worth the emotional toll. As she later told CNBC Make It, 'Having a job everyone thinks sounds cool and then feeling like you can't reach any goals day-to-day is not easy. You feel like a lie.' That moment of defiance would spark an entirely new career — one where she would not only find creative fulfillment but also double her income. Tripathi's next chapter began far from the glossy fashion runways. With no prior experience in comedy or acting, she partnered with a friend to create short, witty videos for YouTube. The early days were financially tough. She rented out part of her one-bedroom New York apartment, took on part-time marketing jobs, and filmed on a shoestring budget. Her creative breakthrough came in 2023 with Brooklyn Coffee Shop, a satirical web series she writes, produces, and stars in. The sketches revolve around a disinterested barista — played by Tripathi — navigating absurd drink orders from stereotypical Brooklyn customers, from crypto enthusiasts to wellness influencers demanding 'unsweetened collagen lattes with unpasteurized goat's milk.' Some episodes now rack up more than three million views on TikTok and Instagram, with one hitting eight million on Instagram alone, according to a Homegrown interview. The humor in Brooklyn Coffee Shop goes beyond quirky caffeine culture. Drawing inspiration from shows like Portlandia and Girls, Tripathi blends observational comedy with sharp cultural critique. The series lampoons how coffee shops in cities like New York have become stages for identity performance — where one's drink order can be as much a statement as one's fashion or politics. 'I've always quietly taken note of the ways Indian cultural practices are referenced, warped, and monetized in Western culture,' she told Homegrown. 'Don't get me wrong, I love turmeric lattes, but I understand how ridiculous it is to take ideas from a culture that has existed for thousands of years, package those ideas differently, and mark up the price 50x.' Behind the camera, Brooklyn Coffee Shop runs on the energy of a tight-knit creative circle. Cinematographer Eyal Cohen handles lighting, color, and visual effects; director Nitay Dagan shapes the storytelling; sound designer Sagi Shahar fine-tunes every interaction; and a rotating cast of comedians guest stars in the sketches. Tripathi says collaborating with such a skilled group is 'the single most rewarding thing' in her career so far. It is also the reason the series has landed both personal brand partnerships for her and commercial deals for the show itself — enabling her to leave part-time work behind in December 2024.
