AR Rahman recalls when ‘underworld mafia culture’ dissuaded him from moving to Mumbai: ‘Subhash Ghai asked me…’

AR Rahman recalled the time when Subhash Ghai suggested that he should switch base to Mumbai. But he couldn't, because of a very dangerous problem.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | August 11, 2023 07:57 AM IST

2 min read

AR Rahman and his wife Saira Banu.

Listen to this article

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Musician AR Rahman, who is one of the most celebrated living artists in India, looked back on a pivotal moment in his career, when he was offered the chance to move to Mumbai from Chennai. But he said that it wasn’t an option, because the ‘underworld mafia culture’ was at its peak in Mumbai.

In an interview with The Hindu, Rahman said that it was none other than director Subhash Ghai who suggested that he should switch base to Mumbai. But the musician has never considered moving even to the US, where he purchased a house. Rahman is a two-time Oscar winner, and has worked in Hollywood productions in addition to his prolific resume of Indian movies across languages.

Also read | AR Rahman says that he sings his daily prayers: ‘God is watching us when we pray, why not be in tune?’

He said, “I remember in 1994, a big producer from Andhra Pradesh said he’d give me a massive place in Banjara Hills if I moved out from Chennai. I just smiled at him. Later, when I found prominence up North, Subhash Ghai asked me to learn Hindi as people there love me and I should know the language. But that was the time of the underworld mafia culture in Mumbai, so I didn’t even consider it.”

Rahman continued, “A few years later, I was working in England, but my wife barely spent three months in the UK before she wanted to run back to India. Then, came the US, and we even bought a house there as everyone loved it. But this time I put my foot down and we all returned home.”

In the same interview, Rahman said that everything that he has built in his career — the money, the fame, the respect — can disappear if his three children aren’t smart enough to handle it. This is why, he said, he never shies away from including them in conversations about finances and hardships.

From the homepage