Sonu Nigam Gives His Honest Take On AR Rahman: ‘His Voice Isn’t Great, But...'
January 31,2025
When it comes to Indian music, AR Rahman and Sonu Nigam are two names that have left an indelible mark. While Rahman is best known as a composer and Sonu as a playback singer, their collaborations have been cherished by fans for decades. Despite their distinct roles, Rahman has occasionally lent his voice to some of his most iconic compositions, including Khwaja Mere Khwaja, Tere Bina, and Rehna Tu.
In a recent interview, Sonu Nigam shared his thoughts on Rahman’s singing abilities, acknowledging that while Rahman may not be a trained vocalist, his voice carries a unique charm.
During a conversation with O2 India, Sonu was asked how he would assess Rahman as a singer. He candidly remarked, “Obviously, he is not a very trained singer. The tone of his voice is very nice. He wouldn’t call himself a great singer, so what can we say? He knows his texture is very beautiful but he has never claimed to be a great singer.”
He further explained that Rahman’s strength lies in his impeccable sense of melody. “He is a great composer, so obviously he is always in sur. The main thing is to be in sur. What is the point of a good voice texture if one is not in sur? His voice might not be great, but he is always in sur because he is AR Rahman.”
Sonu also reminisced about a special moment while working on Inn Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein from Jodha Akbar. He revealed that Rahman had given him the creative freedom to compose a small segment of the song. “He allowed me to compose that part,” Sonu said with pride. Rahman instantly liked it and decided to keep it in the final track.
“He must have tweaked a couple of things, but he allowed me to work on this portion because the whole song was ready. Javed saab sent these lines later, so they were added then. So first we sang the whole song, then this portion was done later. He is quite secure. He is not someone who will say that I have to do it,” Sonu shared.
The segment composed by Sonu appears towards the end of the song and stands out for its minimal instrumentation, adding a deeply emotional touch to the composition.
With nearly three decades of collaboration, Sonu Nigam and AR Rahman continue to be pillars of Indian music, each contributing in their own way to some of the most memorable melodies in Bollywood history.