A. R. Rahman nearly rejected Slumdog Millionaire on manager’s advice, composed songs in secret; says, “Sometimes, people confuse you but you have to think what you have to do”
AR Rahman created the soundtrack for the Oscar-winning 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire. Its iconic song ‘Jai Ho’ brought him two Academy Awards—for Best Original Score and Best Original Song—along with several other accolades. Surprisingly, Rahman nearly turned down the project after his agent advised against it. In a recent interview, the composer shared that his then-manager worried he might lose his job, as director Danny Boyle was known for rejecting people’s work. Despite the concern, Rahman chose to follow his instincts, and the songs ultimately gained global recognition and acclaim.
Speaking with Suchitra Tyagi at TIFF 2025, Rahman shared that his agent feared he might be fired due to director Danny Boyle’s reputation for discarding contributors. “Actually, what happened was my agent at that time said, ‘Don’t do this because you might get fired’. I said, ‘Okay, nobody will know that I got fired if I don’t tell it out’. So, I scored the movie and Danny was amazing. You have all the system around which confuses you. So, I went ahead with it and the result was great. It was actually a leap of faith and courage. Sometimes, people confuse you but you have to think what you have to do, what is right.’”
In a move that highlights both caution and creativity, the composer kept his work under wraps from his own team. “I did it in secret. The team thought it was a documentary or something like that.” Rahman said, noting how the project ultimately catapulted him onto the international stage. “It brought in a bigger international audience for me. In life, you get certain projects which are very blessed.”
When asked if he is difficult to satisfy, the music composer responded, “To please myself? Yes. I torture myself. I am not seeking validation. My validation which I seek is within myself. If I do something under my level, I feel guilty. I don’t sleep for many nights.”
He added, “Sometimes, I have sleepless nights for a month, thinking about why I did something and how I should have done better. Even with mixing or anything else. I have trained a lot of people now, so that even if I miss anything, they do the last checkup. The problem with life is that the more you evolve, the more guilty you feel, the more you want to go deep in within your work.”
Slumdog Millionaire went on to become a defining milestone in Rahman’s career, with its iconic track ‘Jai Ho’ earning him Academy Awards for both Best Original Score and Best Original Song. The episode stands as a powerful testament to the importance of trusting one’s creative judgment, even in the face of doubt.
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