Veteran playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya, known for iconic songs like Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Mein and Main Koi Aisa Geet, recently opened up about his experience working with legendary composer AR Rahman. While the two collaborated on Ae Nazneen Suno Na from Dil Hi Dil Mein, Abhijeet revealed that his association with Rahman remained limited due to the composer’s unconventional working hours.
In an interview with Bollywood Thikana, Abhijeet shared his surprise at Rahman’s habit of scheduling recordings at odd hours. He recalled how, during his peak, he was occupied with multiple recording sessions for top music directors like Anu Malik, Anand-Milind, and Jatin-Lalit. When he was called to meet Rahman, he ended up waiting at a hotel, only to receive a recording request at 2 am. The singer, preferring a more systematic work schedule, declined the late-night session and instead arrived at the studio the next morning—only to find that Rahman was not there.
A Clash of Work Ethos between AR Rahman and Abhijeet
Abhijeet explained that Rahman’s unstructured approach was vastly different from his own disciplined routine. “In the name of creativity, if you say that you will record at 3:33 am, I don’t get it,” he remarked. According to him, Rahman’s assistants handled the sessions while he was absent, and despite suffering from a cold due to excessive air conditioning, he was still expected to record.
The singer also mentioned that the song they worked on was part of a film that commercially flopped, though Rahman’s composition remained well-received. Despite his criticism, Abhijeet acknowledged Rahman’s musical brilliance but emphasized that an artist’s stature should not be defined by such irregular work habits.
Having lent his voice to over 6,000 songs across 1,000+ films, Abhijeet remains one of Bollywood’s most respected playback singers. While his experience with AR Rahman may not have been ideal, his vast contributions to the industry continue to be celebrated.
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