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Alka Yagnik and A. R. Rahman have produced several hit songs together, including ‘Ramta Jogi,’ ‘Taal,’ and ‘Ghanan Ghanan.’ However, Yagnik once turned down the opportunity to sing ‘Rojo‘ for Rahman because she wasn’t familiar with him at the time. After hearing the song, she regretted her decision, calling it “beautiful” and expressing her frustration: “When I heard the songs, I wanted to bang my head on the wall.” When she worked with Rahman again, he reminded her of the songs she had missed out on, which left Yagnik feeling embarrassed and wishing she could disappear.She added, “I wanted to bury myself inside the land.”
In an interview with Radio Nasha, Alka Yagnik shared the story of A. R. Rahman’s first approach to her. At the time, Rahman was relatively unknown in Bombay, though he was gaining recognition in the South. Yagnik received a call from Chennai informing her that Rahman, a young and emerging composer, was a fan and wanted her and Kumar Sanu to sing for his film’s entire soundtrack. Despite this opportunity, Yagnik was hesitant to leave her established collaborators in Bombay and was unsure about Rahman’s potential, as she was unfamiliar with his work.
Alka Yagnik revealed that after receiving the offer from Chennai, she consulted Kumar Sanu, who also expressed reluctance to work with Rahman due to prior commitments and unfamiliarity with his music. Both singers felt unable to abandon their existing projects and ultimately declined the opportunity. Reflecting on their decision, Yagnik later regretted it, describing the tracks as ‘beautiful’ and wishing she had taken the chance to collaborate with Rahman.
Recalling her first collaboration with A. R. Rahman, “The next time when I worked with Rahman, the moment he met me, he was like, ‘You didn’t sing my older songs.’ I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to bury myself inside the land. It was entirely my loss.”
Alka Yagnik recounted her experience recording for Taal in an interview with the YouTube channel O2 India. She shared that she was called around 9 PM but waited until midnight without seeing A. R. Rahman or anyone else. During this time, she and filmmaker Subhash Ghai spent their time on swings, swatting mosquitoes. Yagnik was concerned about working late into the night and worried that her voice might be too tired. By 1 or 2 AM, she expressed her concerns, but Subhash Ghai reassured her to remain patient.
Around 2 AM, A. R. Rahman arrived looking refreshed, while Yagnik and Subhash Ghai were exhausted. Despite speaking very little, Rahman’s calming presence and smile put Yagnik at ease. She found his demeanor both divine and soothing, helping to alleviate her fatigue.
In an interview with Radio Nasha, Alka Yagnik shared the story of A. R. Rahman’s first approach to her. At the time, Rahman was relatively unknown in Bombay, though he was gaining recognition in the South. Yagnik received a call from Chennai informing her that Rahman, a young and emerging composer, was a fan and wanted her and Kumar Sanu to sing for his film’s entire soundtrack. Despite this opportunity, Yagnik was hesitant to leave her established collaborators in Bombay and was unsure about Rahman’s potential, as she was unfamiliar with his work.
Alka Yagnik revealed that after receiving the offer from Chennai, she consulted Kumar Sanu, who also expressed reluctance to work with Rahman due to prior commitments and unfamiliarity with his music. Both singers felt unable to abandon their existing projects and ultimately declined the opportunity. Reflecting on their decision, Yagnik later regretted it, describing the tracks as ‘beautiful’ and wishing she had taken the chance to collaborate with Rahman.
Recalling her first collaboration with A. R. Rahman, “The next time when I worked with Rahman, the moment he met me, he was like, ‘You didn’t sing my older songs.’ I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to bury myself inside the land. It was entirely my loss.”
Alka Yagnik recounted her experience recording for Taal in an interview with the YouTube channel O2 India. She shared that she was called around 9 PM but waited until midnight without seeing A. R. Rahman or anyone else. During this time, she and filmmaker Subhash Ghai spent their time on swings, swatting mosquitoes. Yagnik was concerned about working late into the night and worried that her voice might be too tired. By 1 or 2 AM, she expressed her concerns, but Subhash Ghai reassured her to remain patient.
Around 2 AM, A. R. Rahman arrived looking refreshed, while Yagnik and Subhash Ghai were exhausted. Despite speaking very little, Rahman’s calming presence and smile put Yagnik at ease. She found his demeanor both divine and soothing, helping to alleviate her fatigue.
AR Rahman at an event in kolkata
