AR Rahman made Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awardees wait on bench for 2-3 hours, claims Abhijeet Bhattacharya

ANI April 9, 2025 182 views

Veteran playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has made serious allegations against music maestro AR Rahman regarding professional conduct. He claims Rahman made multiple Padma award-winning artists wait on a bench for two to three hours during a recording session. The incident reportedly happened during the making of the song 'Ae Nazneen Suno Na' from the 1999 film Dil Hi Dil Mein. This was apparently their only musical collaboration, and Bhattacharya seems particularly irked by what he perceives as disrespect towards decorated artists.

"Rahman sir didn't come down for two or two-and-a-half hours" - Abhijeet Bhattacharya
Mumbai, April 9: Popular playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya recently shared a strong statement about music composer A.R. Rahman, where he claimed that Rahman once kept respected artists waiting for hours at his studio.

Key Points

1

Abhijeet claims Rahman disrespected Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri artists

2

Incident occurred during recording of 'Ae Nazneen Suno Na'

3

Singer waited several hours before quick song recording

4

Collaboration was from 1999 film Dil Hi Dil Mein

While speaking to ANI, the singer recalled the time when he recorded the song 'Ae Nazneen Suno Na' for the film Dil Hi Dil Mein, which was composed by Rahman. During the recording, Abhijeet said that he saw well-known artists, including "Padma Bhushan" and "Padma Shri awardees," "sitting on a bench downstairs" and waiting for Rahman for nearly "three hours."

Abhijeet said, "Rahman saab ke andar kya hai ki... maine aise-aise Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri walo ko neeche bench pe baithe hue dekha hai... humare colleague, South ke writer-filmmaker... Rahman saab utar hi nahin rahe hain neeche do ghante, teen ghante. Sab ek doosre se gappe laga rahe hain. Maine apni ghadi dekha ki jaldi karo. Phir Rahman saab nahi utre. (What's surprising is that Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awardees were made to sit on a bench downstairs... Rahman sir didn't come down for two or two-and-a-half hours. Everyone was chatting to pass the time. I kept looking at my watch. Eventually, Rahman didn't come down.)

"Main gaana gaa ke nikal gaya, uske assistant ne record kar liya. Ae Nazneen Suno Na... ye gaana gaya. Aur gaa ke nikal gaya. You have to believe that ki ye ek Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan ki izzat wahan pe hai." (I sang the song, his assistant recorded it, and I left. This happened with the song 'Ae Nazneen Suno Na.' You have to believe that this is how the honor of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardees was treated.)" he added.

For those who are unversed, A.R. Rahman and Abhijeet Bhattacharya have only collaborated on one song, Ae Nazneen Suno Na from the 1999 film Dil Hi Dil Mein.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Wow, this is really disappointing if true. No matter how talented you are, basic respect for fellow artists is non-negotiable. 😕
P
Priya M.
AR Rahman is known for his dedication to music. Maybe there was a genuine reason? We only have one side of the story here.
S
Sanjay T.
This incident is from 1999? Why bring it up now after 25 years? Seems like unnecessary drama to me.
A
Ananya R.
Creative geniuses often lose track of time when working. Not excusing it, but maybe it wasn't intentional disrespect? 🤔
V
Vikram P.
Respectfully, I think Abhijeet should have addressed this privately with Rahman if it bothered him so much. Public call-outs rarely help anyone.
N
Neha S.
"Ae Nazneen Suno Na" is such a beautiful song though! Maybe the wait was worth it? 😅 Just kidding - professionalism matters.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Your email won't be published

Tags:
AR Rahman Abhijeet Bhattacharya Bollywood Music Padma Awards Dil Hi Dil Mein
You May Like!