Composer AR Rahman has chosen silence — at least digitally — for the next 40 days. The Oscar-winning maestro recently revealed during a live concert in Chennai that he will be stepping away from social
media and online distractions to immerse himself fully in work for the much-anticipated Ramayan event slated for March 2026.
The announcement sparked immediate buzz among fans, many curious about what prompted the intense creative retreat.
AR Rahman Announces 40-Day Digital Detox
During the concert, Rahman shared that a significant public event related to Namit Malhotra and Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is scheduled for March 2026, where the film’s cast and technical team will be formally unveiled. With deadlines looming, the composer has opted for a focused sprint.
As per a report by Bollywood Hungama, a source close to the development revealed that Rahman is racing against time to complete crucial portions of the score before the grand announcement. “There is a major event for Namit Malhotra-Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana coming up in March 2026, in which all the actors and technicians of the film will be announced to the public. Rahman needs to complete his work before that event. He will be working at a more rapid pace than usual to meet the deadline,” the source shared.
For Rahman, who is known for his immersive creative process, disconnecting from the digital world appears to be a conscious move to protect both focus and artistic depth.
A Landmark Collaboration With Hans Zimmer
Ramayana marks Rahman’s first-ever collaboration with Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer — a pairing that has already raised global expectations.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India about the scale of the project, Rahman admitted the weight of responsibility. “It’s terrifying for both of us. We’re scoring something so iconic and so important to the world. So in the promo, I think he had a soundscape, then I took that and added the Sanskrit words at the end and everything. What’s complicated is that we’re taking something so epic, which every Indian knows, and we have to give them something new. We have to give something to the world—from India to the world.”
The composer emphasised the delicate balance between reverence and reinvention.
Reimagining An Epic For A Global Audience
Rahman further opened up about the creative challenges involved in reinterpreting one of India’s most sacred epics. “We have to unlearn certain things, like how our instincts demand, ‘Oh, this is how Ramayana should be done,’ but also imbibe the timeless quality that exists in the culture. It’s still a process.”
He revealed that he is working closely with poet Dr. Kumar Vishwas on the lyrical and philosophical depth of the soundtrack. “I’m working with Dr. Kumar Vishwas, who is like a pro—almost at a professor level when it comes to Ramayana and the Hindi language. Every atom of his body speaks Ramayana. He comes up with lyrics like that, and he’s a very kind person. So we’re having fun, and it’s new.”
About Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana features an expansive ensemble cast including Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Ravi Dubey, Sunny Deol, Kajal Aggarwal, Arun Govil and Indira Krishnan.
With Rahman entering a disciplined creative lockdown and Zimmer joining forces on the score, Ramayana is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious Indian cinematic undertakings in recent memory — musically and visually.
For now, Rahman’s silence may be digital. But the sound he is crafting promises to be anything but.
