Describing AR Rahman’s work in the 2008 film Yuvvraaj as ‘bekaar,’ playback singer Sonu Nigam lets go of a few opinions regarding his work with the maestro in a recent O2 India interview. Sonu Nigam didn’t think twice about voicing his strong opinion about the soundtrack of Yuvvraaj. The singer, who has collaborated with AR Rahman on many of his landmark tracks, such as Satrangi Re (from Dil Se) and Aayo Re Sakhi (from Water), did not hold back his thoughts about the music in Yuvvraaj.
“Bekaar” and “Pretty Average”
When asked about the songs he sang for Yuvvraaj, which also includes the track Shano Shano, Sonu Nigam described it as “pretty average” and admitted that it was “not such a good song.” The singer went on, “Let’s not talk about it. I won’t be able to lie. I won’t be able to praise a bad song.” His blunt approach left little room for ambiguity.
Sonu Nigam didn’t stop at just Shano Shano. When asked about the other two tracks he recorded for the film, he urged the interviewer to “forget about them” and emphasized, “Iske saare gaane bekaar the” (“All of its songs were bad”). His candid criticism of AR Rahman’s work in *Yuvvraaj* shocked many, especially considering the duo’s previous successful collaborations.
Sonu Nigam on AR Rahman’s Personality
Though he himself was criticizing the soundtrack of Yuvvraaj, Sonu Nigam made a point to praise AR Rahman as a person. He praised the dedication and detached nature of the music legend, revealing that Rahman doesn’t speak much about others or display any negativity. According to Nigam, Rahman is very devoted to his work and prayers and remains distanced from the social dynamics in the industry. He does his work and his prayer. He doesn’t behave badly with anyone. He won’t hurt anybody’s heart,” said Sonu.
While the personal life of Rahman has been criticized, especially after his separation from wife Saira Banu in 2024, Sonu Nigam appeared to appreciate Rahman’s private, reserved nature. “He doesn’t let anyone come close to him. That’s how it should be,” added Nigam, while further reiterating his respect for Rahman’s personal boundaries.
About Yuvvraaj
The film Yuvvraaj had a star-studded cast including Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor, and Zayed Khan and was directed by Subhash Ghai. The story was to be a musical family drama for which the fans were eager for music because AR Rahman is the music director. But the box office did not respond as expected, nor did the music strike a chord with the audience.
Interestingly, in an earlier interview, Subhash Ghai said that AR Rahman had composed the song Jai Ho for Yuvvraaj, but after hearing it, he thought that it didn’t suit the context of the film and hence dropped it. Then, the song was taken up by Slumdog Millionaire and became an international hit, for which it also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. This twist of fate illustrates how close Jai Ho came to being a part of Yuvvraaj.
Sonu Nigam has been the voice of Bollywood for decades. After the early hits in the 90s with songs like Sandese Aate Hai from Border, and the soulful sounds in such films as Kal Ho Naa Ho and Veer Zara, this is definitely music that touches the listener. Sonu Nigam remained successful with his music and could be heard in several commercially viable films for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. He was more outspoken on any issue, especially that of music, to appear in even the scurrilous news headlines. He is one of the very few artists who are not afraid to express their views, even if they go against popular opinion.
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