A.R. Rahman denies coffee to Mohit Chauhan for a better melody

A.R. RAHMAN STORY PICKS By Rahmaniac.com May 14, 2023

Rahman sir is very funny - says Imtiaz Ali. There was this one time, during Rockstar, when we were recording at Panchathan in Chennai.

[{"selector":"#anim-91940156-25d5-4914-a9e5-c2266a7c6cfa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-0c9bf633-6a0b-4dd4-9aca-89eb92a7776c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Imtiaz Ali quotes "Usually, when AR records, there are hordes and hordes of people around-managers, engineers, technicians, all sorts of people. But that night, it was just him, me and Mohit [Chauhan]. Mohit was singing in the booth. Rahman sir was sitting at the recording console. And I was sitting behind him. It was 2 a.m. and we had been recording for a long time. It was a very hectic song, I remember. A very high-pitched song. "Nadaan Parindey" or "Aur Ho", I don't remember which. But we were recording for hours" Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-901e1e5f-fe76-490f-9ec7-1bc52657e1ed","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In between takes, AR and Imtiaz Ali used to get themselves a glass of water or a cup of coffee. Imtiaz would bring AR coffee regularly, but then realized that Mohit Chauhan -who had been singing constantly all night - hadn't had anything. Once, as I was going to get coffee I asked Rahman sir if he wanted a cup,' recounts Imtiaz. And he said yes. Then I asked if I could get Mohit some coffee too. Arrow

[{"selector":"#anim-b7120c65-b42b-4df7-b806-64071d0cf6c5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-19e52131-4825-4423-9847-92e603c6f407","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] AR, according to Imtiaz Ali, spun around from his console and said with a mischievous grin, No, let him suffer. Pain will make him a better musician. "I just couldn't stop laughing when he said that, chuckles Imtiaz Ali. It was the story of the film also pain making a musician better. So Mohit just went on singing. Rahman didn't let him have coffee for another half an hour." - Imtiaz Ali, Notes Of A Dream The interview which appears above, was originally published on the authorized biography of A.R. Rahman.

If you enjoy this story and would like to support our website, we invite you to simply order the exclusive Being Rahmaniac T-Shirt

[{"selector":"#anim-cc9f5dfe-c6e2-4ccc-8b3f-1aaf67e19f3b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7bc916f1-05ff-48f2-a466-caa6f8b982b2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] place your order

Stay updated with A.R. Rahman: Join our WhatsApp fans community for interesting news and future updates:

Read more stories

[{"selector":"#anim-604c0d1d-605c-4d72-87d5-d6d521a8f1c5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-827a2787-4be3-4474-8c1b-521ae9ca3089","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-accc444a-e0ce-4b7a-bae1-45aed7bb23b7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7cccf93c-ec37-450d-87a3-9f36568f962b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ad445d57-7133-458d-8076-30349a15dd76","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a43d2b90-c750-4697-a862-84f506e7671d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-271.42855%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-db7bfbcb-02ab-408d-89f4-765df9eac755","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f454fd7c-1ab9-4e73-9d03-faa443725525","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a1050a8-8f10-4e69-bbdc-83e34c89df48","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1100,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bef75869-57da-4197-898e-9358311f713b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":1100,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-efddc0b7-a7ea-432f-ae65-977ac1eacaa9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1100,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f28ace1f-8fb2-4362-b059-bc6deb6b9054","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(878.57101%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":1100,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-746896c7-c276-4d9a-b8aa-8dccc1e0a2aa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":2400,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f176dd1b-a5ef-46e0-8de3-b1bf6b73da3c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1200,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dde09187-886e-44a2-92ba-bc36bec1e7e2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-379e4fad-1c1a-4576-8ac7-226431cb72f8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-42250162-a212-4c58-ab9e-b2be58f4061e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff86fde0-6290-40aa-b7d4-1680bd170f50","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5e534fa-d7cb-48f6-9f90-b8734098130b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f3514fd-64a6-4fd0-92ac-80a64e5f3a13","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Black Star Black Star Read More Read More

story picks

[{"selector":"#anim-249a17af-9141-4f3f-b03d-829d235eb2d9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69dee272-3e4c-44d0-b2ec-f99c46464895","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df0d8406-cfa1-4ff4-979e-c1955c47cf85","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13c44c41-fedd-4ec2-bff1-23515c319527","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53c682aa-423a-4f96-8c9c-cf44587674af","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93efcab6-d5a1-4ed1-99a6-3d2d78ac6f9d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-40c9705f-7432-4ad1-bb36-bf6412f172e8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":405,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-18e4306c-fe8f-414f-b0fe-a2f53600d40c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":405,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9ca7b046-b6e5-4324-a930-8770cc8db456","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-89a7ce60-26c7-407b-9536-9307121fd566","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85d6ebdb-3b85-4a23-bb54-62e3f99cdcb3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef020c9e-decf-4dbd-965f-194932e351b1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f6b4e56b-3a63-490e-99e9-cf17227e1fd2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ceda8099-3f62-47dd-ac81-7da2911bb5f7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-732b6b9d-4f4f-4824-903b-52aa4dfe8d2c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-28199d22-b288-4d08-86f6-3d80be986c0f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-75642abe-7784-4218-b3fa-3ec62ad99272","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c2dcee8f-a8b4-48de-9451-61ecd618e92d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Get more A.R. Rahman updates and behind-the-scenes content by following Rahmaniac.com on: White Twitter Facebook

biography

[{"selector":"#anim-ede3916b-52c1-40cc-98a1-4d8c9d6d7721","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-68d60cc7-e56e-4c64-89d1-eeb433cab9aa","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bfc388bc-109e-47f7-8e7c-ce0d295a5d91","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":150,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea992d5c-8066-4157-971b-cd0b3289dedb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc4f9af2-8db8-42a3-8f63-13559f760de1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e289d8b-2dfb-44f4-9db7-6d8b16b4e677","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-010c1e57-54c8-4b01-b0a5-9b055188b460","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-25650331-3eaf-4da2-80c1-13c7ce224ea2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb9f9cd0-1e2e-44fc-8498-4c42b44f7a23","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":405,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bcc09004-be84-49d6-9a8a-36db597d2631","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":405,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62a69cc5-8a0e-4042-9b46-d0f7c7ef0f08","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":350,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a3007b0-e427-474a-b1e2-62c08d91c764","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84554864-2ec9-4511-a118-7007ca3f77a5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a7f92096-1852-4d96-9d46-debace09dd16","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30749419-4317-4835-88e6-dfe072cd7fe1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-354d6c5b-daef-4288-b34e-478e5f98b026","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba36b9ba-72f8-4ffa-9f1b-93c24cce48c5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-942fbfdb-ad88-4264-a332-9c1345426a96","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Get more A.R. Rahman updates and behind-the-scenes content by following Rahmaniac.com on: White Twitter Facebook

A.R. Rahman denies coffee to Mohit Chauhan for a better melody

Rahman sir is very funny - says Imtiaz Ali. There was this one time, during Rockstar, when we were recording at Panchathan in Chennai.

Read more stories

A.R. Rahman apologized to Sonu Nigam for ‘Guzarish’

How A.R. Rahman Infused a Japanese Veggie in His Track

If you enjoy this story and would like to support our website, we invite you to simply order the exclusive Being Rahmaniac T-Shirt

Order Form is hosted on Google Forms

Price: ₹ 399/- Limited stocks only.

Stay updated with A.R. Rahman: Join our WhatsApp fans community for interesting news and future updates:

Read more stories

A.R. Rahman’s Decision to Work for Free on a 1980s Drug Ad

Around the world with A.R. Rahman

Read more stories

I aim to remain versatile – A.R. Rahman

A.R. Rahman pays tribute to Michael Jackson

story picks

new releases

interviews

biography

ad jingles

reflections