Particle.news
Download on the App Store

A. R. Rahman Says He Nearly Declined Slumdog Millionaire, Composed Score in Secret

At TIFF 2025, he calls the choice a leap of faith that reshaped his career.

Overview

  • Rahman recounted that his agent warned he might be fired if he took the project with director Danny Boyle, yet he chose to proceed on instinct.
  • He said he worked on the film quietly and even kept it from his own team, who thought he was scoring a documentary.
  • The soundtrack, highlighted by “Jai Ho,” went on to win two Academy Awards for best original score and best original song.
  • He described a punishing perfectionism, saying he seeks internal validation and loses sleep when his work falls below his standards.
  • He confirmed he is currently composing for Hansal Mehta’s series Gandhi, which features Pratik Gandhi in the lead.