AR Rahman once opened up about his memorable meeting with the legendary Michael Jackson in 2009. Speaking at a meet-and-greet event, Rahman revealed that Jackson had come close to contributing to the soundtrack of the Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai-starrer Enthiran.
When AR Rahman Refused to Meet Michael Jackson
Rahman recounted being in Los Angeles in early 2009 when he expressed a desire to meet Jackson. Despite reaching out to Jackson’s manager, there was no immediate response,” said Rahman.
The award-winning crooner further revealed, “Things changed when Rahman was nominated for an Academy Award for Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire. “Michael’s team said he wanted to meet me, but I told them I’d meet him only after I’d won an Oscar.”
After his Oscar win, Rahman finally met Jackson at a private residence in LA. “Meeting him felt like being on top of the world,” Rahman said, describing the encounter.
The two discussed music, world peace, and Jackson even suggested collaborating on a new version of We Are The World. Rahman recalled Jackson demonstrating how he danced “from the heart” and even introduced him to his children.
Michael Jackson’s Missed Opportunity to Sing for AR Rahman
Upon returning to India, Rahman shared his experience with director Shankar. When Shankar suggested bringing Jackson on board to sing for Enthiran, Rahman was intrigued but skeptical about Jackson performing a Tamil song.
Unfortunately, plans were halted due to Jackson’s declining health, and his untimely death in June 2009 ended the possibility.
While the Enthiran soundtrack did not feature any international singers, it became a massive success. The sequel, 2.0, released in 2018, also featured music by Rahman and starred Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, and Amy Jackson.
