Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has long been known for his soulful cinema, and much of that soul has been shaped by his creative partnership with music legend AR Rahman. On the stage of Indian Idol, Imtiaz offered fans a rare and touching window into what that collaboration truly looks like including late-night studio sessions that stretch well past midnight and a maestro whose love for music simply never switches off.
Imtiaz Ali reveals he was at AR Rahman’s studio at 4:30 am
Imtiaz set the tone early, sharing a vivid anecdote from a recent night at Rahman’s studio that perfectly captured the composer’s extraordinary work ethic. “Aur jis tarah se, I think kal raat ko hum kaam kar rahe the; yesterday I was at your studio sir 4:30 in the morning,” he recalled on stage (And the way… I think we were working last night. Yesterday, I was at your studio, sir, till 4:30 in the morning).”Rahman, characteristically self-deprecating, responded with a laugh, “For the first time, I felt sleepy.”But as Imtiaz went on to explain, even that rare moment of fatigue did not slow the maestro down. “But despite feeling sleepy, he would still get up and go to the keyboard. The love for the music, it’s so intense,” the filmmaker said.
Imtiaz Ali says he has become a bigger fan of AR Rahman than before
Host Harsh Limbachiyaa highlighted that this marks the duo’s fifth film collaboration, prompting an outpouring of admiration from Imtiaz. He said, “Rehman sir ka fan jitna bada main pehle tha, yeh zarur keh sakta hoon ki unke saath paanch filmein karne ke baad main zyada bada fan ho gaya hoon (As big a fan as I was of Rehman sir earlier, I can definitely say that after doing five films with him, I’ve become an even bigger fan of his).”He was equally emphatic about the freshness that Rahman brings to every project. “Yeh jaadu pehle se hi create ho raha hai. Inhone intazam nahi kiya tha ki jab main aaunga tab yeh jaadu ka creation shuru hoga. Pehle gaane se ab tak har gaana kuch naya hota hai (This magic has been getting created from the very beginning itself. It’s not like he planned that the magic would start only when I came along. From the very first song till now, every song has been something new).“Reflecting on what working alongside an Oscar-winning genius has meant for him personally, Imtiaz said, “I think with that kind of admiration, love for his art, it had to be like this with Rehman sir. And I am seeing every time I work with him, every day I work with him, I discover something new which I try to emulate. I am really grateful for this chance that I’ve got.”The filmmaker also took a nostalgic detour, urging audiences to seek out a Rahman composition close to his heart. He said, “Mere liye ek waisa gaana hai; aapko maine pehle bola bhi tha, ‘Aazma Le’. Agar kisi ne woh gaana nichoda nahi hai, nichod ke piya nahi hai, toh mera yeh intaza hai ki please aap woh gaana sune. ‘Aazma Le’, ‘Aazma Le’, Taxi No. 9211, Shekhar ne gaya hua hai. Beautiful song (For me, there’s one such song; I had mentioned it to you earlier as well, ‘Aazma Le.’ If someone hasn’t truly absorbed that song and savoured every bit of it, then I would request them to please listen to it. ‘Aazma Le,’ from Taxi No. 9211, sung by Shekhar Ravjiani. It’s a beautiful song).”
Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga ‘
Imtiaz Ali is currently promoting his upcoming film ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’. Starring Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Vedang Raina, and Sharvari, the movie is set to hit theatres on June 12, 2026.
