Singer Mohit Chauhan has often spoken about meaningful collaborations in his career, but his association with composer AR Rahman stands apart. In an exclusive conversation, the singer reflected on how
working with Rahman has shaped him not just musically, but also on a personal and emotional level.
When asked what Rahman brings out in him as an artist, Mohit’s response was deeply rooted in shared values and spirituality. “AR Rahman himself is very spiritual,” he said, explaining how that energy influences his work. Speaking about his song Meri Aawaaz, Mohit added, “Everything I speak about in my song Meri Aawaaz – kindness, empathy, compassion – he embodies all of it. I get to learn so much from him.”
Looking back on their first interaction, Mohit recalled singing Khoon Chala from Rang De Basanti for Rahman. “Even before that, our paths had crossed,” he said. “And since then, it has been a journey of many years with him. He is incredibly inspiring.”
For Mohit, collaborating with Rahman goes beyond the technical aspects of music. “Whenever I perform with him, whenever I sing for him, the atmosphere that is created is very beautiful,” he shared. “That atmosphere helps me unlock myself as an artist.”
One of the most significant chapters of their collaboration came with Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar in 2011, where Mohit voiced several unforgettable tracks. Speaking about the film’s music, he was quick to credit the composer. “The credit for this mainly goes to Rahman sahab,” he said, before recalling how the project unfolded. “When Imtiaz, whom I had known from before, called me, he said, ‘Brother, I’m making a film, and I’ll be sending you some songs to sing.’ That alone made me very happy. So, he sent me one song, then after five or six days he sent another, and then after five or six days he sent the third song.”
At one point, Mohit admitted he was surprised by the number of tracks. “I told him, ‘Brother, I thought there would be just one or two songs’.” It was then that Imtiaz revealed the larger plan. He said, “There is this particular character, and AR Rahman sahab said that we need Mohit for his voice, and I was so happy to hear that. I finally did 13 songs.”
Describing the making of Rockstar, Mohit called it a rare and unforgettable experience. “It was a crazy experience, something like this doesn’t happen in any other project. For a year, I used to go to Rahman sahab’s studio in Chennai, We all used to go together and sing. It was almost like a workshop. I saw songs being created in front of my eyes, sometimes there would be a 10-minute musical session, and a song would slowly be carved out of it. Irshad would be writing the lyrics, and I saw the song being formed line by line, from the very first line. That was a really beautiful experience.”
