AR Rahman’s music is celebrated globally for its ethereal quality, but lyricist Gulzar attributes a deeper reason for this magic: Rahman’s spirituality. In a recent interview, Gulzar shared insights into the profound connection Rahman has with his faith, which he believes infuses the composer’s work with a divine essence. According to Gulzar, Rahman’s regular visits to spiritual shrines like Haji Ali and Ajmer Sharif are not just acts of faith, but rituals that help him connect with his inner self, find patience, and gather his thoughts.
Gulzar explained, “Rahman believes in spirituality. He is a religious man. He keeps faith in God. If there’s a shrine on the way to the airport, he wouldn’t proceed without offering prayers. When he is in Mumbai, he often visits Haji Ali or Ajmer Sharif whenever he feels lonely or whenever he wants to connect with his inner self or feels scattered. Since he is a spiritual person, he visits Ajmer Sharif when he wants to experience patience and gather himself. That’s Rahman.”
Delving into the backstory of the famous song ‘Piya Haji Ali’ from the film ‘Fiza’, Gulzar revealed how Rahman was brought on board to compose the Sufi track, despite most of the film’s music being composed by Anu Malik. Khalid Mohammed, the film’s director and a friend of Rahman, sought a genuine Sufi touch for the film and approached Rahman with Malik’s consent. The result was a composition that, according to Gulzar, heralded a new era of Sufi music in Bollywood.
“It wasn’t like Sufi songs didn’t exist before,” Gulzar remarked, “But a new era of Sufi songs emerged and the credit goes to Rahman. Lately, any film is termed as Sufi song. It’s a huge misunderstanding. Just putting the word ‘Maula’ into a song doesn’t make it a sufi song. Its the content, the emotion and divine feeling that brought an era of Sufi songs. And AR Rahman is deeply entrenched in the process that inspires a sacred voice. Its not like he is wearing it over his skin, it is his inner voice.”
‘Fiza’, featuring Karisma Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, and Jaya Bachchan, was acclaimed not just for its narrative but also for its music. While Anu Malik’s compositions resonated with the audience, it was Rahman’s ‘Piya Haji Ali’ that stood out, marking the song as a spiritual milestone in the film.
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