5 min readHyderabadSep 10, 2026 09:05 AM IST
AR Rahman won two Oscars in 2009 for his work on Slumdog Millionaire. (Photo: PTI) two Academy Awards for his work in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, and in a recent interview, the composer revealed that he was advised not to work with the director. In a chat with Hasan Minhaj on his YouTube channel, Rahman shared that the collaboration with Boyle almost did not happen. He also recalled that when he made the Academy Award-winning track “Jai Ho”, the video for the same had already been shot, and the makers had filmed it on Don’s “Aaj Ki Raat.”
Rahman recalled that he first got an email from Danny Boyle in 2008, in which the director asked if they could work together. When the filmmaker was in , he met Rahman. Upon their meeting, Danny gave Rahman a DVD of Slumdog Millionaire and asked, “Here’s the movie I made. I am not sure. I have never made a movie like this. So please look at it. It will be a great honour if you do the music.” After watching the film, Rahman called his agent and was told not to go ahead with this project.