Veteran playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya, known for his voice in over 1000 films across various Indian languages, is once again making headlines—this time for calling out music maestro AR Rahman. In a recent candid interview with ANI, Abhijeet launched a sharp critique of Rahman, accusing him of disrespecting fellow artists and undermining traditional musicians with his tech-heavy approach to music production.
Abhijeet, who has lent his voice to hits in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Bhojpuri, and more, did not mince words while recounting a specific incident from 1999, the only time he collaborated with Rahman for the film Dil Hi Dil Mein. He recorded the song Ae Nazneen Suno Na, which went on to become a popular track. However, the experience behind the scenes left a sour taste for the veteran singer.
Recalling that day at Rahman’s Chennai studio, Abhijeet said, “Rahman saab ke andar kya hai ki... maine aise-aise Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri walo ko neeche bench pe baithe hue dekha hai... humare colleague, South ke writer-filmmaker... Rahman saab utar hi nahin rahe hain neeche do ghante, teen ghante. Sab ek doosre se gappe laga rahe hain. Maine apni ghadi dekha ki jaldi karo. Phir Rahman saab nahi utre.”
He went on to reveal that Rahman didn’t even attend his recording session. Instead, his assistant handled the entire process. “Main gaana gaa ke nikal gaya, uske assistant ne record kar liya. Ae Nazneen Suno Na... ye gaana gaya. Aur gaa ke nikal gaya. You have to believe that ki ye ek Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan ki izzat wahan pe hai,” Abhijeet said, highlighting the lack of respect shown to senior artists and the absence of Rahman himself during such a key moment.
But his criticism didn’t end there. Abhijeet also slammed Rahman for what he sees as a systemic shift in Bollywood music—a move away from live instrumentation toward complete reliance on digital tools. He placed the blame squarely on Rahman’s shoulders for ushering in this transformation, which he believes has led to the downfall of many talented musicians.
“It all started when Rahman saab came into the picture. He told everyone that musicians are no longer needed, everything can be done on a laptop… The musicians who used to play in films are now jobless,” Abhijeet stated. He continued, “Because of him, everyone’s making money—except the musicians. He basically said, ‘I’ll earn it all myself; we don’t need musicians anymore.’”
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