Baba Sehgal on AR Rahman being against him singing Rukmani

Before Roja became a philharmonic milestone successful Indian cinema, an improbable collaboration was brewing down the scenes—one that astir didn’t happen. In a astonishing revelation, rapper Baba Sehgal has opened up astir however manager Mani Ratnam and a young AR Rahman were initially against him singing the iconic “Rukmani” way successful the film’s Hindi version.Recalling the incidental successful a chat with Siddharth Kannan, Baba Sehgal shared that helium was approached aft performing a solo amusement successful Chennai with a monolithic assemblage of 50,000–60,000 people. An organiser introduced him to a director, who played the Tamil mentation of a Roja song. Confused astatine first, Baba said helium didn’t recognize wherefore helium was being made to perceive to it. He believes AR Rahman, past rather young, was besides contiguous during the meeting.Since Baba Sehgal was occupied with his concert, helium asked the squad to conscionable him aboriginal astatine his hotel. There, they requested his assistance successful getting the euphony released. Baba connected them with a euphony institution that was venturing into movie euphony for the archetypal time. The institution agreed, but connected the information that Baba would sing astatine slightest 1 track. That way turned retired to beryllium portion of the Hindi mentation of Roja, with Shweta Shetty arsenic the pistillate vocalist.

Baba Sehgal revealed that erstwhile helium received the lyrics for “Rukmani,” helium recovered them distasteful and was taken aback by however vulgar they sounded. Despite his reservations, helium went up and recorded the song, alert that the makers hadn’t primitively wanted him arsenic the singer—they had preferred a classical artist. However, since the euphony institution had made his engagement a condition, Rahman and the squad had nary choice. The opus was recorded successful conscionable 2 takes.

When an aged pistillate vocalist was brought successful to grounds a circumstantial line, Baba insisted that Shweta Shetty sing it instead. That way ended up being his archetypal and lone collaboration with AR Rahman, arsenic connection barriers prevented further projects. Reflecting connected that time, helium recalled Rahman being precise young and comparatively caller to the industry.Baba Sehgal aboriginal learned that manager Mani Ratnam had initially opposed the thought of him singing the song. However, helium firmly believes that his dependable played a cardinal relation successful the track’s popularity, crediting his publication arsenic a large crushed down its success.