A.R. Rahman on scoring Ramayana with Hans Zimmer: “It’s our Indian culture and I am really proud”

In one of the most exciting music news of this year, Oscar-winning composers A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer are teaming up for a monumental cinematic venture, Ramayana. The epic retelling is helmed by Nitish Tiwari and stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana, and promises to be one of the most ambitious Indian films yet. And now, Rahman has finally spoken about his experience of working on it.

In a chat with Connect Cine, A. R. Rahman reflected on how he continues to evolve with the times, even as the industry undergoes seismic shifts. “I think I am born everyday. The whole world is changing everyday. A few thoughts have to go and new thoughts have to come,” he said, when asked about entering what fans are calling the “Rahman 2.0” phase.

While embracing change, Rahman also emphasised that his essence remains unchanged. “But, the core of me is the same. What I believe in and what we can do with my music and how I can share it with people who love me, accept, or don’t accept me. My efforts and the whole intention are the same. But, there are many other changes happening because the studios are different, artistes are different, the way they are recording is different, the way we vibe is different and the projects are different too.”

On his much-anticipated collaboration with Hans Zimmer, A. R. Rahman expressed genuine pride and excitement. “Who would have imagined scoring with Hans Zimmer on a project like Ramayana, which is one of the biggest projects. It’s our Indian culture and I am really proud of that project. I hope that everything goes well.” He also offered insight into how the cross-continental collaboration has unfolded. “The first few sessions we had were great. The first session was in London, the second one was in LA, and the third was in Dubai. Wherever Hans travels, I also find a base there. He is very similar, I mean…how curious he is about the culture and how open he is to criticism. He also heads the narrative, where he says, hey I can’t understand this, can I bring in a Western perspective?”

Ramayana is produced by Namita Malhotra and Yash and will feature Lara Dutta, Ravi Dubey, and Sunny Deol in key roles. The film will unfold in two parts, with the first scheduled for Diwali 2026 and the second arriving in 2027.


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