As the cult classic Rangeela prepares for a grand theatrical re-release, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has revisited the behind-the-scenes journey of creating its iconic music with AR Rahman. Speaking in a new interview, Varma admitted that the process, especially while working on the song Hai Rama, was far from smooth.
Varma shared that he and Rahman had travelled to Goa for a five-day music session. However, instead of composing, Rahman kept postponing the work every single day. “First day he told me he would make me hear something tomorrow. Second day he said something else. This continued for all five days,” RGV revealed, adding that he was left irritated by the lack of progress.
According to the filmmaker, Rahman finally confessed he hadn’t worked at all because he was distracted. “He told me, ‘Next time you get me to a hotel, make sure there is no TV. I was watching TV all this time.’ I wanted to hit him,” Varma said jokingly. But the frustration eventually gave way to admiration. When Rahman finally delivered Hai Rama after returning to Chennai, Varma said the wait made complete sense, proving that “great things require patience.”
Rangeela, starring Urmila Matondkar, Aamir Khan, and Jackie Shroff, released in 1995 and became a blockbuster, praised for its music, performances, and storytelling.
