Ram Gopal Varma recently shared an incident about a clash between AR Rahman and Subhash Ghai during the making of the film ‘Yuvvraaj‘. Varma discussed Rahman’s tendency to delay music delivery, recalling an incident where Ghai, frustrated with the delays, sent Rahman a strongly worded letter demanding the music for which he had paid crores.
Ram shared with Film Companion that Subhash Ghai was making a film called ‘Yuvvraaj’.’Yuvvraaj’ stars Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. Rahman is notorious for delaying in giving the music. Ghai was upset about it, and at a certain point, he wrote a nasty, stinging letter to Rahman, saying, ‘How can you delay, my dates are here, Salman’s dates are here, and you are not giving the songs’. Rahman responded to him but saying that ‘I am in London, I’ll come to Bombay on my way to Chennai and we’ll meet at Sukhvinder Singh’s studio and I’ll make the songs for you there.’
RGV added that on that day, Ghai went to Sukhvinder, and Rahman was on his way from the airport, and Sukhvinder was making some tunes. Subhash Ghai asked him what he was doing, and he said that Rahman called him and asked him to make a song. Subhash was so angry. He thought because he was putting pressure on Rahman, Rahman was making someone else do the song. He thought that Sukhvinder had told him this by mistake, and then Rahman came and asked Sukhvinder if he had made something. In front of Subhash Ghai only he asked him. Sukhvinder said yes, and made them listen to the tune. Rahman said he liked it and asked Subhash Ghai if he liked it.
Ghai and Rahman have a longstanding professional relationship. Prior to ‘Yuvvraaj’, they had collaborated on several films including ‘Taal’ (1999) and ‘Kisna’ (2005). According to RGV, Ghai was visibly furious during the incident and began shouting at Rahman. He shared that Subhash Ghai blew up the thing, he told Rahman, ‘I am paying you crores of rupees as my music director and you are making Sukhvinder make a tune for me. You have the guts to say that in front of me? If I want Sukhvinder, I’ll sign him, who are you to take my money and make Sukhvinder do the music for me?’”
RGV praised Rahman’s response to Ghai, describing it as remarkable. He recounted Rahman’s words, “Sir, you are paying for my name, not my music. If I am endorsing it, it becomes mine. Now you happen to be here, how do you know where I took Taal music from? How do you know whichever music… My driver could have done it, maybe someone else, whatever else.”
RGV further disclosed a surprising twist in the narrative. He revealed that Rahman eventually sold the song in question to another filmmaker, and that song turned out to be ‘Jai Ho’ from the Oscar-winning film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. This revelation added an intriguing layer to the story, especially considering earlier remarks by filmmaker Subhash Ghai, who had mentioned that ‘Jai Ho’ was initially intended for Yuvvraaj but was ultimately excluded as Ghai felt it didn’t suit the Salman Khan-starrer.
Ram shared with Film Companion that Subhash Ghai was making a film called ‘Yuvvraaj’.’Yuvvraaj’ stars Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. Rahman is notorious for delaying in giving the music. Ghai was upset about it, and at a certain point, he wrote a nasty, stinging letter to Rahman, saying, ‘How can you delay, my dates are here, Salman’s dates are here, and you are not giving the songs’. Rahman responded to him but saying that ‘I am in London, I’ll come to Bombay on my way to Chennai and we’ll meet at Sukhvinder Singh’s studio and I’ll make the songs for you there.’
RGV added that on that day, Ghai went to Sukhvinder, and Rahman was on his way from the airport, and Sukhvinder was making some tunes. Subhash Ghai asked him what he was doing, and he said that Rahman called him and asked him to make a song. Subhash was so angry. He thought because he was putting pressure on Rahman, Rahman was making someone else do the song. He thought that Sukhvinder had told him this by mistake, and then Rahman came and asked Sukhvinder if he had made something. In front of Subhash Ghai only he asked him. Sukhvinder said yes, and made them listen to the tune. Rahman said he liked it and asked Subhash Ghai if he liked it.
Ghai and Rahman have a longstanding professional relationship. Prior to ‘Yuvvraaj’, they had collaborated on several films including ‘Taal’ (1999) and ‘Kisna’ (2005). According to RGV, Ghai was visibly furious during the incident and began shouting at Rahman. He shared that Subhash Ghai blew up the thing, he told Rahman, ‘I am paying you crores of rupees as my music director and you are making Sukhvinder make a tune for me. You have the guts to say that in front of me? If I want Sukhvinder, I’ll sign him, who are you to take my money and make Sukhvinder do the music for me?’”
RGV praised Rahman’s response to Ghai, describing it as remarkable. He recounted Rahman’s words, “Sir, you are paying for my name, not my music. If I am endorsing it, it becomes mine. Now you happen to be here, how do you know where I took Taal music from? How do you know whichever music… My driver could have done it, maybe someone else, whatever else.”
RGV further disclosed a surprising twist in the narrative. He revealed that Rahman eventually sold the song in question to another filmmaker, and that song turned out to be ‘Jai Ho’ from the Oscar-winning film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. This revelation added an intriguing layer to the story, especially considering earlier remarks by filmmaker Subhash Ghai, who had mentioned that ‘Jai Ho’ was initially intended for Yuvvraaj but was ultimately excluded as Ghai felt it didn’t suit the Salman Khan-starrer.