Nitesh Tiwari's ambitious project Ramayana: Part I's first glimpse was unveiled on July 3, 2025. Other than the stellar VFX work, which was applauded by the Internet, fans are all the more excited as the magnum opus is set to witness music legends AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer join forces for the film.
In a conversation with actor and musician Shruti Haasan for NDTV Good Times Soundscape, AR Rahman spoke about how Ramayana producer Namit Malhotra brought him and Hans Zimmer together to collaborate on one of the biggest Hindi cinema projects in the making.
What's Happening
- AR Rahman spoke about the generosity with which Hans Zimmer came on board and his curiosity to learn more about the epic Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash.
- AR Rahman shared, "Hans has called me many times. He was very kind, super generous. He said, 'You can work in any room.' So, I rented one of the rooms until I bought my house in LA, and then I moved. Then he called me to perform with his superband, where we performed at the Oscars with Pharrell, Sheila, and Esperanza. Then we sort of lost touch."
- He continued, "When Namit ji was doing Ramayana, he said, 'My two favourite composers are you and Hans. Why don't you work together?' I said, 'Yes'. This project was so big, it would be a great honour. He was asking all these questions about Ramayana, as a Western audience: 'Who is this character? Who is that?' It was interesting. It's good to have a team from abroad asking questions so that it's easier to understand for Western audiences."
AR Rahman On International Collaborations
Shruti Haasan also asked the veteran musician about his iconic international collaborations. He also worked with legendary songwriter Diane Warren, and now all eyes are on what's brewing with Hans Zimmer for the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Ramayana: Part I.
Sharing his thoughts on collaborations, AR Rahman said, "Collaborations are difficult. Collaborating with a singer is fine, but collaborating with another songwriter or composer is pretty difficult. I don't stress, I'm not aggressive. Composers get annoyed when someone tampers with their creation. We are sensitive."
AR Rahman's Viral Post With Hans Zimmer
After the unveiling of the first look of Ramayana: Part I a few months ago, AR Rahman posted a selfie with Hans Zimmer that broke the Internet.
The post went viral in no time, with fans flooding the comments section with love and admiration.
About Ramayana: Part I - First Glimpse
As the teaser begins, the three Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh - and their integral roles in mythology are introduced to the audience. It then moves to the narrative of the epic war between Ram and Ravan, defining it as the "war to end all wars".
A brief glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram shooting an arrow, and Yash's intense portrayal of the vile Ravan, is seen towards the end of the teaser - just enough to pique the audience's curiosity.
Led by Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Yash as Ravan, and Sai Pallavi as Sita, the first look generated a strong buzz online. Sunny Deol will portray Lord Hanuman, while Ravie Dubey will be seen as Lakshman.
In A Nutshell
AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer mark their first collaboration in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana: Part I. AR Rahman spoke about how they teamed up, and about the enthusiasm and interest that the German film composer, music producer, and musician - known for his work in The Lion King (1994), Gladiator (2000), The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005-2012), Inception (2010), and Dune (2021) - brought to the table.